Brentford Women’s First team will look to continue their League Cup journey as they take on Sutton United Women in the Third Round of the competition on Sunday at Bedfont Sports Club in a 3pm kick-off.
After a positive start to 2023 First team Assistant Head Coach, Sean Hillier is hoping his side continues their good run of form as they take on tier five outfit Sutton United.
Speaking on Sunday’s fixture, Hillier said: “We should go into the game with lots of confidence, since we have been back from the Christmas break, we have had a couple of great results, and this should give us belief in every game we go into.
“If we play our game and focus on doing what we are best at doing I think the players should always believe they can beat anyone, even against teams above us.”
The First team saw their previous game against Whyteleafe postponed 60 minutes into the game due to poor pitch conditions. After going a goal down following an unusually slow start the Bees managed to go into halftime on level terms when Kirsty Matthews got the equaliser just before the break.
Kirsty Matthews vs Whyteleafe
Brentford began the second half more positively and controlled much of the ball until the referee made the decision to postpone the game.
Talking on what he saw from his side against Whyteleafe, Hillier explained: “There’s a lot of things we can learn from last weekend, we didn’t get off to the best start and got punished for it. I felt that it took us a while to get going in the game maybe, because of the temperature and the poor surface but I think for us it’s important that we don’t let things we can’t control hinder our performance.
“We did go on to gain control of the game, so it was frustrating that it got called off but there are still positives to take from it.”
Our B team are also in action against a team in a higher division as they face Actonians Reserves in the Second Round of the JGMT Cup at Gunnersbury Park in a 2pm kick-off.
Tommy Ryan-Maynard’s side are currently on a six-game win streak with their latest win coming last weekend in spectacular fashion against AFC Wimbledon Girls Youth Development in the Capital Cup.
With the score line level at 1-1 after 90 minutes the game went to penalties to decide who would be going through to the quarter-finals of the competition. The Bees came out 4-3 winners in the shootout and continued their fine run of form.
Heading into Sunday Head Coach, Ryan-Maynard is in high spirits: “Last weekend was a great experience, in the second half we did really well against a strong team so we’re feeling good at the moment.
Women's B team
That win sets us up nicely going into Sunday against another tough team, we now know how resilient we are and have the belief that we can beat anyone on our day.
With the B team producing a number of players who have gone on to make first-team appearances this season, Ryan-Maynard is really proud of how his side has developed throughout the season.
“We’re developing really well as a team and reaching our aim of preparing a few of the players for first-team football, in recent months we have got better and better and it’s great to watch.
“We’re still taking every game as it comes but I can’t ask more from the girls and I just hope come to the end of the season they have something to show for their hard work.”