Albion Women make their return to The Hawthorns on Wednesday evening (ko 7.45pm) as they take on Birmingham City PGA in their second FAWNL Cup group-stage match.
Wednesday’s encounter is a rearranged one, after the last attempt to play this fixture was postponed due to poor weather at Ray Hall Lane.
But Charlie Fripp’s side will be full of confidence as they step out at the Shrine, having won their last four in all competitions.
FAWNL Cup | Group N Table
| Position | Team | Matches Played | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sporting Khalsa | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| 2 | Albion Women | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 3 | Birmingham City PGA | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Lye Town | 2 | -7 | 0 |
Last time out
The Baggies got off to a great start in Group N of the competition, as they beat Lye Town 6-2 at the Sports Ground.
Hannah George was the hat-trick hero, while Rhianne Oakley, Jess Collyer and an own goal capped off the scoring for the visitors.
The opposition
Albion have a number of first-team stars who have previously played for Birmingham City’s Academy within their ranks.
Current players Charlotte Clarke, Taylor Reynolds, Lucy Day and Riya Mannu have all featured for their Midlands counterparts throughout either their academy or senior careers.
Georgia Clarke’s side are reigning PGA Cup champions after securing back-to-back titles - becoming the first team to do so. Albion’s first summer signing, Day, scored in their most recent final victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.
The Blues are currently third in FAWNL Cup Group N, having lost 2-0 to Sporting Khalsa in their competition opener.
Previous meetings
Albion Women (p) 1-1 Birmingham City PGA - November 2023
The Baggies secured their passage into the semi-finals of the Birmingham County FA Challenge Cup with a dramatic penalty shootout win the last time the two teams met. Goalkeeper Lucy Jones saved two penalties after the game ended level thanks to strikes from Grace Murphy and Simran Jhamat.
Pre-match thoughts
Harriet Grimshaw made her Albion debut in this competition just over a fortnight ago, and it’s given her a sense of things to come.
The goalkeeper joined from Stoke City in July, and has helped bolster a tight-knit ‘GK union’ at the club.
Her debut came against Lye Town in their Group N opener - a 6-2 victory over the Flyers at the Sports Ground.
And after settling into life in B71, Grimshaw says she needs to “stay patient” to gain regular minutes with a "special opportunity" to play at The Hawthorns on the horizon.
She said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Albion since joining in July. Signing for the club has helped me get my confidence and happiness back in the game, which has been really important to me. I’m really enjoying being here, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together.
“The players and staff have been amazing and made me feel so welcome from the start. I genuinely feel like I’m part of a massive family here, and that has made settling in so much easier. Everyone is supportive, and it’s such a positive environment to be around every day.
“I was looking for a team with the same aspirations as me and somewhere that believed in me. The Albion showed confidence in me and made me feel part of the team.
“I’ve learnt so much from Charlotte Clarke and Lucy Jelf (Goalkeeper Coach) in such a short time. They both have loads of experience at this level, which will help me build on my previous experiences. Our GK union is supportive too. Clarkey and I push each other, and I’m proud of her when she does well.
“I’m really proud of the team and how well we’re doing. Ten new players started at the beginning of the season, so it’s a new team, but we’ve clicked really quickly. It’s great that we all have the same goal and know what we want and where we want to go.
“Thinking back to the game against Lye, I was quite nervous because I knew I had a lot to prove and needed to take my opportunity. I didn’t feel like I had my best game, but it was a good experience and definitely a stepping stone. I can learn from it and keep improving.
“I hope to get regular minutes, and it would really help me show what I can do in this league and how far I want to go. At the moment, I can’t fault Clarkey; she’s doing us proud. I just need to stay patient, work hard in training and be ready when my opportunity comes.
“I’m really excited and hope I get the opportunity to play in midweek because I’ve never played at The Hawthorns before. It would be a great experience for me personally and another positive step for women’s football. Hopefully, I can be involved, enjoy the occasion and make the most of such a special opportunity.”
For the fans
The Hawthorns (What3Words: slam.decreased.headed) will be the site of the Baggies’ latest FAWNL Cup clash. Supporters can enter through the East Stand blocks before taking their seats.
The club shop will be open from 5pm-8pm, with a special discount of 10 per cent off all full-priced items available to supporters entering during that time, too.
And there’ll be plenty for fans to enjoy before the game. In-house DJ Andy Gulch will provide the entertainment, while Baggie Bird will be on hand for photos, along with an Albion Women player for a ‘Meet & Greet’ in the concourse - keep an eye on the club’s social media feeds to find out who it is.
As for refreshments, there will be pies, hot dogs, beer and soft drinks available to purchase from the kiosks in the concourse.
How to follow
Supporters can secure their seat at the Shrine, with tickets on sale for £6 Adults, £5 Seniors (65+), £5 20-25s, £4 17-19s, £3 Under-17s and £2 Under-14s. Disabled tickets are priced at £5.
They can be purchased online now, in person from the East Stand Ticket Office, or by calling 0121 227 2227 - the Ticket Office will also remain open on the day of the game until kick-off.
The match is a rearranged fixture after the initial date was postponed due to poor weather; any supporter who purchased a ticket on the gate at Ray Hall Lane, and is able to provide proof of purchase can contact the Ticket Office to revalidate their ticket for the new date.
For those unable to attend, coverage will be provided across Albion Women’s social media channels, as always.
The match report, reaction and match highlights will be available on the club website in the coming days.
