Lasses Match Preview: Sunderland face Lewes FC Women in final league home game of 2022

20th November 2022

Sunderland AFC Women v Lewes FC Women

FA Women’s Championship

Eppleton CW Ground, Hetton-le-Hole, Sunderland

Kick-Off: 11:30am

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Tickets & Match Coverage

Travel: Take the number 55 bus from Sunderland Interchange (Stand K) to Houghton Road-Caroline Street, Hetton.

Coverage: The game will be broadcast live on Twitter via @SAFCWomen

Highlights: The FA Player will have highlights and a full match replay from Monday afternoon.

Podcast: All things being well, we will have the Lasses Podcast Live as usual on Monday night, 8.30-9.30pm.

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The Build-Up

Today’s game against Lewes and the upcoming away game against Coventry United are incredibly important and set the goal of not only obtaining six points, but potentially securing six points against possible relegation rivals.

It has been a difficult start to the Lasses campaign so far and despite the positivity of four out of four preseason wins and an impressive display against A690 neighbours Durham, Sunderland have struggled to showcase their abilities and illustrate the talent in our squad.

Despite the 1-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers last week, we have seen a much better performance from the team over the last few weeks. Whilst statistics don’t reflect everything, they do evidence the improvements which were visible to see, such as retaining more possessing and passing more.

It is essential that the Lasses get their first home win of the season, particularly against a side that is only three points above them in the table. It would do wonders for team confidence and hopefully allow us to see the year out on a high and kick start 2023 in good, positive form.

Photo by Henry Browne - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

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The Lasses

It was always going to be a difficult start of the season, playing numerous games in a row against full-time professional teams that are all anticipated to contend for promotion. We have only managed to score five goals thus far and the last goal we scored was over 270 minutes and three matches ago, in an impressive 2-0 away win against Crystal Palace.

Since then, the goals have dried up and whilst it is important to note we are only eight games into the campaign, the Lasses have struggled in the final third and to truly test the opposition goalkeeper.

However, the loss to fellow part-timers, Blackburn Rovers, would have been a tough one to take and was a winnable game on paper. The Lasses simply gave Blackburn too much time on the ball, allowing them to dominate possession and register 508 passes (79.12% accuracy) compared to their 245 passes (54.69% accuracy)

It has not been helped by having several players out with injury, including long term injuries in Faye Mullen, Emily Hutchinson, and Abby Towers - although hopefully, we will see the latter two before the end of the season following their ACL injuries.

We have also been without team stalwarts and leaders in Abbey Joice and Keira Ramshaw which has seen a relatively young squad being called upon.

After a 14-day hiatus from league action, following an international break. The hope is that the squad will have had not only time to rest and recuperate but to also work on key issues and weaknesses.

Photo by Henry Browne - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

During the game against Blackburn, the lasses did register several shots at goal, but only one was on target, indicating the area which the team will be looking to improve on.

We are yet to see Allison Cowling start in goal this season after she and her fellow goalkeeper Claudia Moan both saw an equal number of games played in the last campaign, so we may well see a change between the sticks.

Forward Nicki Gears hasn’t found the back of the net yet and has recently been brought on as a substitute, so perhaps some rest will be beneficial for her in the build-up to this game against the Rooks and she can find her scoring boots.

Blackburn’s winning goal the other week is one that could have been avoided, and I’m sure that the coaching staff and players have worked on their defensive line during the last two weeks, as well as looking to work on attacking play and transitions.

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The Opponents

The Rooks come into this fixture sitting eighth in the league, with ten points after seven games, during which they have scored eight and conceded seven. They have picked up eight points from the last five games, both home and away.

The Sussex side head into this game in fine form, having only lost one game so far and will be looking to keep up the momentum after winning their last two.

The Rooks like to play down the wings and look to catch the opposition out with through balls in between the backline or balls over the top and into space for forwards to run onto.

Despite playing a passing game, Lewes also like to cross deep into the box from the wings or when moving forward. The Lasses will have to either time the offside trap well or potentially look at playing a deeper backline to counter this tactic.

The lasses will definitely need to take the game to Lewes and exploit the space they can leave behind when going forward, catching them on the transition. The danger players Sunderland will need to watch for are Amber-Keegan Stobbs, Ellie Mason, and Amelia Hazard.

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Recent League Form

Sunderland: LWLLL

Lewes: DDLWW

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Head to head

(All venues, all competitions, including friendlies)

Played: 2

Sunderland Wins: 0

Draws: 1

Lewes Wins: 1

Sunderland Goals: 1

Lewes Goals: 3

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Last time out

Lewes FC Women 2 - 0 Sunderland Women - 23rd January 2022

Isobel Dalton 5’

Ellie Mason 40’

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