With Forest Green Rovers Women maintaining their 100% start to the season – there’s no room for error this weekend as Torquay United go in search of another three points – to keep up the pressure on the early-season league leaders.
The challenge at Devon F.A. Headquarters this weekend is the visit of AFC St. Austell Ladies – the Cornish side retaining their South West Regional Women’s Premier League status with a seventh-place finish, accumulating 18 points from their 16 matches. Their top goal scorer was Lucy Solloway who netted 27 times, but, who, of course, has now been prised across the border, and has already bagged 4 pre-season and 6 regular season goals for United.
And The Lilywhites are clearly missing her services this term, scoring just twice and conceding fifteen in their opening three league outings, all defeats.
A 2-0 home defeat to Poole Town Ladies on the opening day was followed up by a 0-6 reverse at home to Sherborne Town Ladies a week later. Megan Boulton was on the scoresheet twice last weekend, but that was in a 7-2 defeat at Ilminster Town Ladies.
Not quite all doom and gloom for AFC St. Austell though, as they are through to the 3rd qualifying round of the F.A. Cup, courtesy of a 6-2 victory over Helston Athletic Women in the last round. Lucy Grose, who was the second-highest goal scorer last season, grabbed a brace in that cup win.
United will hope for full availability and no new injury concerns this week. Danni Wyatt, Kayleigh Brown, and Lily Hilton are short to medium-term. Scarlett Williams and Charlie Pettinger are still not fit, though Emma Ayres’s ankle injury will hopefully not sideline her for too long.
The good news for United was the return of Sasha Mole to the substitutes bench last Sunday, and she may expect to see some limited game time very soon.
As always, the ladies value your support in person, so please come and add your voices of support on Sunday. The postcode for Devon F.A. Headquarters at Coach Road is TQ12 1EJ. Admission is £5 with concessions at £3 and there will be food and bar facilities available.
If you can’t get along there will be full commentary from 1.45 pm at https://tufcwomen.mixlr.com or you can follow updates on our social media channels.