Albion Women will look to bounce back from two defeats in their opening FAWNL Northern Premier matches when Peterborough United come to town on Sunday afternoon (ko 3pm).
Charlie Fripp’s side had the chance to do just that in midweek, but their FAWNL Cup clash with Birmingham City PGA was postponed due to poor weather conditions at Ray Hall Lane.
After their first two league matches, the Baggies will be raring to get their first league win on the board at Redditch United's The Valley Stadium, but will have to overcome a strong Peterborough United side to get there.
Last time out
It was a tough trip to Teesside when the Baggies met Middlesbrough in their last league encounter.
Olivia Watt’s strike from a Boro free-kick was enough for the hosts to take all three points from the clash, despite plenty of chances for the visitors.
The opposition
Visitors Peterborough United are enjoying their first season in the third tier.
Jake Poole’s side romped to the FAWNL Division One Midlands title, and secured top spot with a 12-point cushion to second-placed Boldmere St Michaels.
The Posh won’t be able to rely on the goalscoring efforts of Tara Kirk as they did in recent years, with the forward having scored over 50 goals for the side prior to her move to the Baggies in the summer of 2026.
Even still, United have had a mixed beginning to their third-tier campaign, losing 5-0 on opening day to Rugby Borough, before reversing their fortunes for their second match.
They beat Liverpool Feds 3-2 at PIMS Park last weekend, where former Baggie Ellie May got on the scoresheet twice alongside Evie Driscoll-King - a result the Posh will aim to replicate when they visit the Valley on Sunday
Pre-match thoughts
Jess Collyer knows what it takes to battle with Peterborough United, having enjoyed plenty of promotion tussles while at Loughborough United.
The two sides spent a large chunk of time competing for the right to play in the third tier, and those fiery affairs will only fuel Collyer’s appetite to get off the mark at her new side.
The Baggies could be deemed unfortunate not to have scored this season, and having joined the club to provide a goalscoring touch, the young attacker believes “goals are on the way.”
And there’s only one place to start, as the 21-year-old looks to get off the mark in navy-blue-and-white on Sunday.
She said: “It was really disappointing not to play in midweek. We were all really excited for a game under the lights and ready to get started in the FAWNL Cup. Everyone’s looking forward to building on the good performance from Sunday, and we’re hoping to get some goals too.
“As a squad, we wanted that test. It would’ve been a different one, and an opportunity to put things right, get some good minutes into the legs and give us a boost ahead of our next match.
“The mood in the group is still really positive, and everyone still believes in what we are trying to do. We have a great group of players and staff, everyone is so hard-working and wanting to improve the small parts of our game that’ll help us move forward. I’m feeling confident in the group that we can get to where we want to.
“As a forward player, it is really frustrating when things don’t go your way, but we have been working really hard as a team and a unit in training to build our connections so we can be firing them in on match days. I’m sure goals are on their way, and the results will soon follow too.
“It’s really good that we have had so much of the ball over the past few games, and it’s positive to see that we are getting into the right areas. It’s now just about us being more clinical and taking those opportunities, which we have been working really hard at, once it clicks, I’m sure everything will fall into place.
“I’ve really enjoyed being part of the group, it’s a great group of girls. Everyone is so encouraging to each other, and everyone pushes each other so much in training, which is only ever going to help us all get better. The vibes are really good, and everyone is still feeling really positive about the season.
“Loughborough and Peterborough United have quite a heated rivalry, so it was always a tight game when we played each other at my previous club. With them getting their first win on the board last week, I’m sure they’ll be full of confidence.
“We know in this league we have to be at our best to beat anyone, we can’t underestimate anyone. Peterborough’s result against Liverpool Feds shows that. We’ve had a tough start to the season ourselves, but we know it only takes one result to change that.”
How to follow
Tickets are 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 £5.
They can be purchased online now, or on the gate at the Valley Stadium on the day of the game.
Season tickets are also on sale ahead of Albion's 2026/27 home campaign. have remained frozen at £40 Adults, £35 Seniors (65+), £25 20-25, £20 17-19s, £15 Under-17s and £10 Under-14s. Disabled season tickets are priced £30 - they can be purchased here.
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 across the coming days.
