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The Lionesses are back in action once again this Sunday, as they prepare to take on Durham at Princes Park.
Durham
As starts of the seasons go, Durham have only now just started to grow into their stride.
A 1-1 draw in the north-east derby against Sunderland kicked-off their campaign, but they were unable to build on it, falling to a 2-0 defeat away to Sheffield United.
Yet following the postponed weekend, they seemed to find their rhythm again, grabbing a 3-1 win at home against Blackburn Rovers.
That game saw forward Saoirse Noonan grab her second and third goals of the season, in a campaign where she is set to play a key role for Durham.
Last season saw Durham prove a tough test for the Lionesses, with the north-east side getting the better of City in both fixtures, in games which swung either way several times.
Indeed, with the transitioning into a full time set-up for this season, it’s clear that they’ll present an even greater challenge.
The summer of change also saw new arrivals through the door of note, such as goalkeeper Tatiana Saunders from Lewes, Maria Farrugia from Sunderland, and forward Jess Clarke.
Time will tell if this season, the club is able to build and improve upon their 6th place finish last season.
London City Lionesses
The Lionesses go into the game this weekend, fresh from a frustrating afternoon away to Lewes.
The contest at The Dripping Pan ended in a 0-0, and whilst defensively, it was a strong performance, going forward, City were just unable to land that killer stroke.
However, the team persisted, and the opportunities they created, showed the same flair that was demonstrated in the 3-4 win over Charlton.
One of the players who got on the scoresheet in that game was Jamie-Lee Napier.
Speaking on her start to the season, she said:
“It’s definitely given me a lot of confidence getting off the mark so quickly, and I think that was really something I struggled with last season.” said Napier
“I’ve always found it’s harder to get that first goal, but once you get it then you’re able to kick on and start to build that momentum.”
Yet, whilst many things are the same for Napier this season, one difference is the bolstering of the Scottish contingent here at Princes Park, with the arrival of Sarah Ewens and Lois Heuchan.
“Having the girls here has been great,” said Napier, “I’ve known them both since my Celtic days, so it’s great that that club has been able to bring them in, because they’re not just great players, they’re great people.
“The staff at the club recruited really well over the summer, and so it’s great that they’ve been able to bring in players of that quality who’ll be able to continue to raise the bar.”
That quality is certainly going to be a deciding factor going into Sunday, when the Lionesses get set to take on Durham.
“We know Durham are one of the more physical teams in the league and we know that it’s going to be a tough test on the weekend, but I back us and I back our style of play.
“In games such as this we know how we want to play, and we’ll just be focusing on ourselves, and if we do that I know that, as a team, we manage the game and see it through.”
Head Coach, Melissa Phillips
“Durham always presents a physical challenge for us and we know this contest will be no different.
“We are looking to build on the performances of our recent results and clean sheet while being back at Princes Park.
“We’ve had a very difficult run in playing mostly top half opponents last season and now this match presents an opportunity for us to respond and really start to build our own momentum.”
Remember London City fans, there are still some tickets left for Sunday's clash against Durham! Click the link to get yours now!
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