Derby County Women Preview: Stourbridge (A)

Derby County Women are back on the road on Sunday when they make the journey to Stourbridge (2pm kick-off).

dcfc.co.uk has brought together all the key information you will need to know ahead of the FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division fixture at the War Memorial Athletic Ground.

Manager's Thoughts...

Manager Sam Griffiths was quick to point out where she feels her side need to show a marked improvement when reacting to last weekend's 3-2 reverse at Liverpool Feds.

On the ball, Griffiths feels the Ewes are looking strong but it is off the ball where she feels there is room for improvement.

She said: “We know we’ve got good players here and they are doing what we’re asking of them in possession, to be fair.

“It is probably just the off the ball stuff, which is the hard part of the non-negotiable part of our game, that we’re not there on right now.

“It is a shame because in pre-season we were at it off the ball, together and right on it. For some reason, in the first few games, we’ve not been and things feel like they’ve flipped a bit and we’ve been better on the ball than off of it.”

From The Dressing Room...

Club captain Hannah Ward came off the bench in the second half of last weekend's defeat at Liverpool Feds to get her first match minutes of the season after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Ward believes Stourbridge deserve great respect for making the step-up to the third tier of Women's football, after three straight promotions, and she says the Ewes won't be underestimating their opponents.

Ward said: “They’re a strong side and they’ve deserved to get themselves into this league with the progression they’ve made.

"It’ll be a physical battle and it’s something we’ve got to be up for.”

The League Season So Far...

Derby County Women started their 2023/24 FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division season with a 2-1 loss against promotion hopefuls Wolverhampton Wanderers last month.

Derby trailed 2-0 at the break, with Ellie Wilson and Amber Hughes scoring for the visitors, but they produced a strong display in the second half and Molly Sutherland pulled a goal back on the hour.

Despite pushing for a leveller, the Ewes were unable to avoid defeat on the opening day of the campaign at the Don Amott Arena in Mickleover.

Sam Griffiths' side then followed that result up with a 3-2 loss at Liverpool Feds last weekend.

Derby were in front at the half-time break following an own goal from Yasmin Mosby’s corner.

But, after the interval, the hosts quickly turned the game around as Bethy Donoghue and Rose Kinvig-Wardale both hit the net within a few minutes of the restart to take a 2-1 lead.

Derby had a chance to level before the hour mark but summer signing Charlotte Steggles’ penalty was saved by Liverpool Feds goalkeeper Rachel Darbyshire.

Another own goal saw Derby level just after the midway point of the second half from substitute Kira Rai's cross before Katie Anderson scored what turned out to be the winner with just over ten minutes remaining to inflict back-to-back league defeats on the Ewes to start the new campaign.

Stourbridge, meanwhile, were the winners of the 2022/23 FA Women’s National League Division 1 Midlands title last term.

They started the current campaign with a 7-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the campaign, before picking up a point against Halifax in a 3-3 draw last weekend.

A 3-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers followed in midweek, meaning both sides go into Sunday's match looking for their first win of the campaign.

Match Highlights...

Full highlights from Sunday's match will appear online on dcfc.co.uk following the final whistle.