Albion Women will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat in 11 matches when they welcome Boldmere St Michaels to the Alexander Stadium on Wednesday evening (ko 7.45pm).
The Baggies had their Women’s FA Cup efforts halted at the first hurdle by Notts County last weekend, and will surely be in the mood to right the wrongs of their competition exit.
Still, their winning streak in the league goes on, with Wednesday’s hosts having won their last six FAWNL Northern Premier matches - and remaining second in the division too.
Last time out
Charlie Fripp’s side battled through a physical encounter to beat Norwich City in their last league meeting.
Their grit and determination to get all three points was clear to see, as Monique Robinson’s penalty and Riya Mannu’s second-half screamer were enough to grab a victory at The Nest.
The opposition
Boldmere St Michaels have won just one league match on their return to the third tier so far.
Their only victory in the division to-date came at home to Middlesbrough on the opening day of the campaign, but amidst their four defeats, they’ve claimed creditable draws against the likes of Norwich City, Loughborough Lightning and Hull City Ladies.
Karl Henry’s outfit have conceded the most goals in the league with 21, but have been able to rely on the likes of Maia Clark, who joined the club in the summer from Worcester City, and Natasha Bailey, who contributed to the Mikes’ promotion last term - for goals, with both claiming three apiece so far.
In their FAWNL play-off match in 2026, Boldmere beat Cheadle Town Stingers 3-0 at the Pirelli Stadium and consolidating their place in the third tier beyond 2026/27 will be top of their agenda this term.
Previous meetings
Albion Women 5-1 Boldmere St Michaels - October 2025
The two teams last met in the first round of the Birmingham County FA Challenge Cup, as efforts from Hannah George (2), Naomi Sharp, Simran Jhamat and Phoebe Warner secured a convincing win for the hosts.
Albion Women 2-0 Boldmere St Michaels - February 2023
The Baggies also came out on top last time they and Boldmere were in the same division - with Delphi Cole and Hannah George on target to ensure all three points.
Boldmere St Michaels 1-2 Albion Women - January 2022
Jenny Sugarman’s side were deserved winners after the short trip to Boldmere in January of that same season; George notched another against the Mikes, while Shannon Stamps also scored.
Pre-match thoughts
Midfielder Naomi Powell, just like the rest of the Baggies squad, knows Sunday’s defeat to Notts County fell far below the expectations they’ve set for themselves in 2026/27.
It was a loss halted a run which spanned across both league and cup competitions since August 30, with the aim of reigniting another positive trail of results top of the priorities.
The 27-year-old is a senior figure within the Albion ranks having been part of a tier-three promotion battle with Nottingham Forest previously, while her main bulk of experience has come at the likes of Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian and Portland Thorns.
And although they’ve suffered a setback in missing out on further FA Cup clashes this term, Powell insists she “believes” in this group to bounce back - starting with Wednesday’s midweek clash with the Mikes.
She said: “It was a really difficult one to take. We knew Notts County would come in with a game plan, and fair play to them, they executed it well. They kept numbers behind the ball and it was hard to break down.
“Anybody can beat anybody on any given day and it doesn't matter if they’re a league below us - we need to hold ourselves accountable to ensure we keep our standards. I believe in this team, and we will bounce back.
“We’ve got to react quickly for Wednesday. We’ll do the right things, analyse the game and go forward to hopefully right those wrongs. We take the stance that whatever the last result is, we go into the next match knowing this next game is the most important one.
“We’ll pick our heads up knowing there’s a lot of football left to play this season.
“We need to keep our standards up and work hard to perfect our performances, which we’re still working towards now. We want to have each other’s backs and be relentless together in the pursuit of winning the league this year.
“We’re a very hard-working team, and sometimes we’ll have these kinds of setbacks - that’s football.
“We’re all feeling the sting of this result, and our greatest strength can be sticking together, looking ahead to this week’s matches.”
For the fans
The Alexander Stadium (What3Words: spent.backs.shades) is an inclusive venue which is easy to get to from around the West Midlands. For directions to the Alexander Stadium, visit this link, or you can find the stadium's accessibility information here. On-site parking is available in the South Car Park, and entry for the game is through the middle entrance in the West Stand to the left of reception.
Once inside the ground, refreshments will be served from the middle kiosk, including pies, chips and hot drinks, alongside a selection of crisps, chocolate and sweets. The latest edition of ‘Albion News’, the club’s official matchday programme, containing a featured interview with full-back Ella Haughey - will be on sale around the ground. Presenter Paige Eagle will also keep supporters up-to-date over the PA system throughout the match.
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 at £5.
They can be purchased online now or on the gate at the Alexander Stadium on the day of the game.
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.
