Round two of the FA WSL gets underway tonight as Liverpool host the early leaders Birmingham City at Skelmersdale United FC while Doncaster Rovers Belles travel to Marine FC to face Everton.
By David Brenchley
Liverpool Ladies v Birmingham City Ladies. 19:45, Skelmersdale United, WN8 8EF
Liverpool Ladies manager Robbie Johnson is determined his side will bounce back from their FA Cup semi final defeat to Bristol Academy tonight when they host Birmingham City.
The Reds lost 3-0 to Academy, the side Birmingham thrashed by four goals in their opening FA WSL game last week, and lost out on Champions League football as a result.
Now, though, it is back to the league and, after an exciting and impressive 3-3 draw with local rivals Everton kicking off their campaign, Johnson has called on his side to show the same character as they did against the Toffees.
"I think the general message sent out [from the Everton result] was that we were actually 40 seconds away from beating them," he told Liverpool.tv, "and that should have spurred us on against Bristol on Sunday."
"Unfortunately it didn't, but hopefully we'll see a repeat of Thursday night's performance tonight rather than the abject display we gave on Sunday.
"We never started at all [on Sunday]. They had a game plan which was pretty basic, but effective because we didn't compete.
"If we had been beaten 3-0 but battled well and they had just been better than us on the day, we could have held our hands up - but we didn't get going.
"Everybody expected Everton to come here and win and maybe they're expecting Birmingham to get the three points tonight. But if that is the case, and we put in an equivalent performance to the one we gave last week, you never know what will happen."
Everton Ladies v Doncaster Rovers Belles. 19:45, Marine FC, L23 3AS
Everton skipper Jody Hanley is looking forward to a tough game against her former club Doncaster Rovers tonight and is pleased they are still competing with the best in the women's game.
Handley joined Donny Belles from the Blues in 2001 and scored as they lost the 2002 FA Women's Cup final to the then professional side Fulham.
She told everton.fawsl.com: "People remember Doncaster Belles as being a major force in the game. They were pioneers of the women's game and it is good to see them involved in the super league.
"They are a former side of mine and I have fond memories of playing there. They have a really good set-up and good support. It is a great place to play football.
"I had four or five years there, they were successful years and we were in a similar position to where Everton are now, kind of being the second best team in the country and pushing on. We got to a couple of cup finals and they were good years."
The 32-year-old is expecting a difficult match against the Yorkshire side, adding: "Doncaster beat Lincoln in their opening game which was maybe a bit of a shock given Lincoln's signings so we will have to be at our best. It will be a tough game."
Meanwhile, Donny's assistant manager Paul Green wants his side to keep up the momentum they built when defeating the Lady Imps last week and turn it into another positive result against the Toffees.
"We were delighted with the performance last week. It was a very, very good victory and an assured performance," he told doncasterroversbelles.co.uk.
"We had a lot of the ball in the first half and scored the goal at a great time. Then second half we had to soak up the pressure a bit more but still looked a threat on the counter attack. It was a deserved three points.
"We go into the [Everton] game full of confidence after the Lincoln result and it's up to the girls now to show consistency and get another positive result.
"We couldn't have asked for anything else from the players from our opening game and if we play to a similar level against Everton, then we have a real chance of getting something."
