The draw has been made for the next round of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup and it’s an away tie for Nottingham Forest Women as they head to the Black Country on Sunday 3 January.
Currently unbeaten in their division, the National League Division One Midlands, Wolverhampton Wanderers Women are sitting pretty with six wins from six and with a hefty goal-difference of +34, add into that they’ve played three rounds in this seasons competition already, Forest know they’ll have their work cut out.
Managed by Dan McNamara, Wolves saw what was looking like a title-winning, promotion campaign cut short last time around due to the ongoing pandemic, they only required ten points from their remaining seven matches – now they’re looking at finishing what they started.
“There’ll always be a bitter taste from the way the 2019/20 season was ended,” McNamara told wolves.co.uk, “but that season has gone now and whatever the ‘what might have been’ and ‘what should have been,’ we just don’t mention it anymore.”
Among the hosts’ ranks is former Forest captain, Kelly Darby, an experienced centre-half who also counts West Bromwich Albion and Derby County among her former clubs and joined Wolves this past summer, as well as midfielder Summer Holmes, and striker Amy Dicken.
Forest were felled early in last season’s competition whilst this, they come in at the Second Round stage, whilst Wolves have played three already in this season’s competition, seeing off Sutton Coldfield (2-0), Long Eaton United (1-0) and Stourbridge Ladies (3-0).
Speaking of the draw, and opposing Darby, current Forest captain, Lyndsey Harkin said: “We have been training very hard and will continue to do so over the Christmas period.
“That will help put ourselves in the best position possible to be in the hat for the next round.
“But we know they’re a good side so we definitely won’t be taking them lightly; they’re top of their league, and are flying at the moment having won all their games so we know it’ll be a tough game.”
“We also played them in pre-season (Forest emerging victors 3-2, at Eastwood, goals coming from Charlotte Steggles, two, and Bex Rayner) and they gave us a good game, so it should be a cracking match.”
As for Harkin, coming up against former Reds captain, Kelly Darby, she added: “She’s a tough defender and a good leader so it will be great to come up against her at Wolves.
“She’ll be organising that back line and they’ll be well up for the game.”
Nottingham Forest Women travel to the CKW Stadium, Wolverhampton, for the Vitality Women’s FA Cup Second Round tie with Wolves Women, on Sunday 3 January.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @FA the Womens FA Cup Final will be played at Wembley Stadium.
