It’s another big derby night in store at the Boleyn, as Dean Ammi reports.
West Ham’s women will look to replicate what the men did as the Hammers host Tottenham Ladies under the lights at Upton Park in a 7.45pm kick-off on Tuesday night.
For the first time ever, the Iron Ladies will play in front of a Boleyn Ground crowd as opposed to their usual home in Hornchurch. Large numbers of fans are expected to attend the encounter, ahead of the club leaving the stadium in the summer, giving an opportunity for the locals to witness potentially their final game at the ground.
Strategy
Prior to the game, I spoke to the co-chairman of the club Stephen Hunt. Discussing the decision to play at Upton Park, as well as what we can expect on the night, he said:
“It’s part of a strategy to bring the different parts of the clubs together. This was a natural step for us to take.
“We can beat them [Spurs]. We have had three games with them already. One we lost in the 96th minute and another we lost on penalties. So we and Spurs seem destined to have very tight matches.
“Whatever happens, as long as it’s a tight, entertaining match then the result will be a bonus. We’ve got plenty in our locker to win, but you can never tell. It’s a new pitch, it will mean so much to so many people. [Manager] Marc Nurse is going to have a challenge to make sure the players are prepped.”
Eventful
The Ladies ply their trade in the FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division, which is the third tier of women’s football, and have had an eventful campaign thus far. Julian Dicks left his post as manager in the summer to work under Slaven Bilic, with the men’s team after finishing 6th in the division. Dicks was replaced by Nurse.
The team have had some twists and turns, particularly when several players left the club in the winter, including Captain Stacey Little, who joined Essex rivals CK Basildon. A busy transfer window brought many fresh faces to the club, including French import Cindy Ferreira.
However, the East Londoners will be looking to maintain a mid-table finish. They currently occupy the eighth-placed spot in the 12-team league, two places below their upcoming visitors Spurs who are in 6th. The two teams have already met three times so far this season, with two of those coming this calendar year.
History
One of the stories of the season has been goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan, who made history when she became the first female footballer from India to play in England. She has also played football at international level for the Indian national team. The 23-year-old also juggles her sporting career whilst studying at Loughborough University. Visa issues means she is unlikely to feature for the rest of the campaign.
January was when the two teams last met, with Tottenham narrowly edging the game 7-6 on penalties in the Cup after a 1-1 draw after extra time in Upminster.
The game will see midfielder Danni Ritson take to the field on her 21st birthday. Captain Katie Bottom will look to rally her troops, whilst Vice-Captain Hannah Wheeler will need to be solid in her centre-back role at the heart of the defence. For all of the players taking part, it will be a one in a lifetime occasion that they will look to be a memorable one.
With the Hammers yet to beat Tottenham in 2015-16, this fixture presents the perfect opportunity for the Claret and Blue outfit to achieve revenge. Tickets are available for purchase at the doors, costing £5 per adult and £1 per child for what promises to be a fabulous night in East London.