BURTON Albion Ladies are set to return to league action against Leafield Athletic this weekend, after poor weather has hampered their recent schedule of fixtures.
The Brewers had been scheduled to play multiple FA Women’s National League Division One games over the past few weeks, but adverse weather conditions meant their games against Solihull Moors, Sporting Khalsa and Lincoln City were all postponed.
Manager James Billings knows how important it has been to keep the whole team upbeat during the frustrations of postponed fixtures.
“It has been a hard time at the minute,” Billings said. “We have just been keeping the players motivated.
“Obviously they’ve been coming into training and working very hard, and when there is the disappointment of not having the game at the weekend, it is frustrating for everyone.
“However, it’s one of those things, there’s not a lot that can be done about the weather.”
With the all the disruption over the few weeks, Burton Albion Ladies Head Coach Ben Webster knows how important it is to make sure that the team try and find the right performances once they can take to the field again.
“All the cancellations have been disappointing,” Webster said.
“The team have been working incredibly hard in training, preparing for the fixtures so we as a team know how important it is that we start putting points on the board, especially with all the teams around us beginning to pick up points as well.
“We as a coaching team can only prepare our team so much, but we make sure they are mentally and tactically prepared for the match and the girls have been taking that on board.
“They are working incredibly hard in training to put our ideas across and into action on the pitch.”
Leafield are currently tenth in the division, two places above the Brewers but holding a healthy points advantage over Billings’ side.
Head Coach Steve Guest knows that the players are fully committed to getting a result at the weekend against a good Leafield side.
“I think this weekend is massive for us.
“The girls are really up for it; they’ve trained really well. They’ve been preparing in all areas of the pitch: defence, midfield and attack.
But generally they’ve just been preparing very, very well, and buying into everything that we’re telling them.
“We’re looking a completely different team since JB took over and the girls know that, they have really bought into everything we’ve been trying to teach them and there’s nothing more we can ask as coaching staff than that.”
The Brewers will be without forward Charlotte Reinforth after the striker recently picked up an ankle injury. There will also be a be a late fitness test for midfielder Chloe Maitland, who is suffering from illness.
However, under-16s striker Hanaiya Azhar could be set to make her full senior debut for the Brewers in the place of the injured Reinforth.
You can watch Burton Albion Ladies face Leafield Athletic on Sunday, March 8, at Dickens Heath Sports Club, Rambush Lane, Earlswood, Solihull, B94 5NA.