5th October 2019
With last week’s performance falling way below Alex Cheal’s standards, Cheltenham look to right a few wrongs in what is the second clash of the season with Brislington Ladies, which sees the teams lock horns in the FA Cup for the second time in as many seasons.
Last season saw Cheltenham Town Ladies defeat Sunday’s opponents in the second qualifying round before defeating Exeter City in the third. The Robins would end up on the road in the First Round Proper with a trip to Exeter’s local rivals, Buckland Athletic, in what would be Cheltenham’s first appearance in the First Round since 2014/15. A heavy pitch on a cold afternoon in Devon would see the visitors go into the hat for the Second Round with a 2-0 win.
Despite the visitors not having the best start to the season, they should no doubt provide a stern challenge and Alex Cheal’s side must be on top form if they expect to see themselves in the next round.
Team News
Alex Cheal remains with the majority of the squad that has seen action in recent weeks, with Robyn Levett returning to the side after last week’s absence.
After a week out against Maidenhead, winger Sally Butterfield is named amongst the squad, with young prospect Sarah King omitted due to an international training call.
Kerry Bartlett remains in the squad after playing just under half an hour against Maidenhead.
Talented defender, Sammy Hallsworth, returns to the side, while ball-winning midfielder Alice Kempski is absent.
Opposition
A challenging start to the season has seen Sunday’s visitors struggle to find their feet so far in the FA Women’s National League Division One SW. The fixture list has been particularly harsh to the Bristol side, as they are yet to face a team in the bottom half of the season.
The opening day saw them lose out to a well-drilled Southampton Women’s FC, 5-2, before an 8-0 drubbing at the hands of Chesham United in the FAWNL Cup Determining Round. These results were followed by a 3-1 loss to Cheltenham and a 5-0 loss to Southampton FC.
Their latest result in the Women’s National League saw them lose out 4-1 at home to an Exeter team that has started well since being promoted back to Division 1 South West.
Previous Meetings
The two teams have met before in the FA Cup. This round, last year, saw them clash at the DN Fire Stadium with Cheltenham coming away with a 4-1 win over the visitors. A brace each for Annie Martin and Ella Hitchcox giving the Robins a big win.
In the league, the teams have already met this season, again at the DN Fire Stadium. A double from Lauren Ellis and a Georgia Brown penalty scooping all three points for the home side.
Address and Entrance Price
Location: The DN Fire Stadium, off St. Peter’s Close, GL51 9DX. (Find it on Google maps here)
By car:
Turn off Tewkesbury Road onto Moors Avenue and take the first left, onto St. Peter’s Close. On St. Peter’s Close, keep left and go around the outside of the housing estate. Follow the road round and the car park and entrance to the ground are directly in front of you.
By bus:
The C, 41 and 42 buses from Cheltenham town centre all stop at The Range, or The Moors, opposite the Lexus dealership on Tewkesbury Road, both of which are a short walk from the stadium.
Entrance to the DN Fire Stadium is £2 per adult, with children, Cheltenham Town FC season ticket holders and Robins Trust members getting in for free.
Match Coverage
For real-time match coverage, follow our twitter page, @CTLadies. You can also check the club’s Facebook and Instagram for half time and full time scores.
