Two local teams face off this weekend for a chance to get through to the third round of the Women’s FA Cup.
Bristol Rovers Women’s host Keynsham Town L.F.C. on Sunday – they haven’t met before, and Rovers captain Libby Bell said they were unsure of what to expect of their opponents.
Keynsham L.F.C.’s manager, Barrie Newton, said that the game will be ‘tough’ and there aren’t ‘any underdogs’ when it comes to the FA Cup.
The stakes for Rovers and Keynsham are high, as the FA has recently increased the prize pot for the next round onwards – the winning team this Sunday is in with a chance of taking home £30,000 if they win their next game.
This come as the FA and Department for Culture, Media and Sport have recently announced £30 million to support grassroots women’s football.
Rachel McCarthy, a physiotherapist for Rovers, said it’s a ‘really big deal’ for the team as this round marks the furthest the team have ever gone in the Women’s FA Cup.
Keynsham L.F.C. captain, Naomi Clipston, shared that ‘quite a big crowd’ is expected to turn out for them at the weekend and ‘[Keynsham] had a great first half last week so hopefully [they] can replicate that on Sunday and continue that for 90 minutes’.
Local support for grassroots football is crucial to keeping teams like these alive, as Rovers manager Nathan Hallett-Young credited the ‘community trust’ that funds the club with offering essential support.
The game kicks off at 1pm on Sunday.
