A TRIP to lowly Solihull Sporting on Sunday is the next hurdle for Redditch United Ladies in their quest to be crowned West Midlands Regional Women’s League Division One South champions.
The table-topping Reds have already beaten Sporting twice this season in league and cup – scoring 11 goals without reply in the process – and will be confident of racking up a 12th league win in 13 matches this season.
However, boss Gary Barrell is taking nothing for granted, saying: “We’ll have to be at our very best for this tricky away encounter and will have plenty of competition for places with 19 players competing to make the match-day squad of 16.
“Both fixtures against Sporting have been much closer than the scoreline suggests and they will be looking to finish their season off strongly with an eye on next season as they continue to develop a good group of young players who are well organised, committed to each other and look to play attractive football.”
United are showing no signs of fatigue in their quest for honours on multiple fronts this season and booked their place in the semi-finals of the Birmingham FA County Cup thanks to a 7-2 home win over Atherstone Rangers in the last eight on Sunday.
A last four tie against higher ranked West Brom, Coventry United or Birmingham & West Midlands now awaits.
A fortuitous goal put Atherstone ahead but two goals within a minute from Sam Berry and Ellie Gerhold soon turned the tables and Gerhold’s superb individual strike made it 3-1 at half time.
Amy Kendall finished an energetic run with a neat finish and Livvi Ashfield’s 18-yard effort made it 5-1 before Rangers reduced their arrears on the counter-attack.
However, it was Gerhold who had the final say with two more goals to take her personal tally in the game to four and create club history as the Reds reached the semis of this competition for the first time.
Birmingham & West Midlands play in FA Women’s Premier League Midlands, West Brom in Premier League North and Coventry United in Premier League South.
Barrell added: “Any of these sides would be extremely difficult tests, however this is a young team with a core group of strong senior players that has grown together this season and, despite the adversity that they have faced off the pitch, will relish the challenge to compete against some of the biggest teams in not only the region but country, as the management team and a special group of players continue to build for this season and beyond.”
