Mansfield Town

Mansfield Town Ladies are preparing for the most important match of their season this weekend as they fight to stave off relegation from the FA Women’s Premier League (Midfield Division One).

The Stagettes will do battle with FC Reedswood this Sunday on the 3G playing surface at The Brunts Academy. FC Reedswood sit in 9th position on the league table, two places ahead of our ladies, managed by Lewis Saxby.

With the bottom two teams in the league at the end of the season consigned to relegation, the Stagettes currently sit second-bottom going into their last match of the season.

Bottom-placed Curzon Ashton are already relegated, having picked up just a single point this season. This means the Stagettes must acquire three points against FC Reedswood on Sunday and rely on third-from-bottom Steel City Wanderers, who are level on points, but have a further match in hand, to lose or draw both of their remaining matches in order to avoid the drop to the East Midlands Regional Premier Division.

Alternatively, the Stagettes will also ensure survival if they draw with FC Reedswood on Sunday and Steel City Wanderers lose both of their remaining matches.

Ahead of the match, Mansfield Town Ladies Director of Football Allan Woodfield highlighted the importance of Sunday’s match: “We’re talking about retaining league status, which means everything," he said.

“We want to emulate what the men have done and secure safety if we can. We know it is not in our hands but we know we haven’t been good enough this season to get the points we needed.

“It also means everything to the players who have worked very hard all season in a tough league."

The Stagettes can expect a physical encounter against FC Reedswood, but Woodfield believes they can deal with the test ahead of them: “They are an inconsistent side and have had a mixed run of results this season,” he said.

The home side will be looking to put their 3-0 loss to Sunday’s opponents in the reverse fixture earlier this season behind them: “We know through our previous meeting with them that they are physically strong and we just need to go out and win our battles.

“If the girls do their jobs right, we should hopefully come away with the three points.

“The long-term plan is to keep going up in the leagues and keep getting promotions. Sometimes plans don’t work out as you want them in football.

“It is a fantastic status to have being in the FA Women’s Premier League (Midlands Division One) and it would be heartbreaking to go down, even though we know we would be well equipped to bounce back if that eventuality arose.”

Speaking about the mood in the camp leading up to the match, Woodfield said: “There are some nerves, which is normal. The girls are looking at relegation and that is something a little bit new to a lot of them.

“But they are ready for a fight and they know what they have to do to win the game.

“They have a desire and passion to win the game and they now have to put that into action.

“The key players have to stand out in this game. In this position, they need to perform and if they don’t we face the consequences,” he added.

Mansfield Town Ladies will be without key long-term injury absentees Stacey Bridge, Daisy Pridden and Charlotte Montgomery for the match. However, winger Kathryn Mudge is expected to return after recovering from an ankle injury.

Woodfield appealed to members of the Mansfield public to show their support on an important day for the club: “We need the support of the fans and we need them to get behind us.

“We have had fantastic crowds all year and hopefully we can get even more down to The Brunts Academy to support us.

“The standard of football is very good and we like to play an attractive brand, so we encourage everyone to come along to watch a good game of football."

The vital culmination of the ladies’ season kicks off at 2.00pm. Entrance is FREE. The full address for the match venue is: