Belles head coach Zoey Shaw feels another cup game is just what her sides needs as they travel to Bolton Wanderers on Sunday in the first round of the FAWNL Plate.
The Belles head to the home of Atherton Collieries for the game against the Trotters, and Shaw believes a psychological break away from league action and the opportunity of a cup run is something that can help her side.
“We’ve had a lot of games over the last seven or eight weeks, we have an opportunity now to head into Sunday with some fresher legs perhaps and give one or two a little rest because I think that’s just what is needed,” she said.
“Hopefully it’s a challenge that we can overcome on Sunday and we can get that win we are searching for so desperately, but I know how well Bolton can play football and they’ll play it well so we have to learn quickly how to respond.
“It’ll be nice to have that psychological break of having a cup game and not having that pressure of needing to get points on the board, the pressure is off a little bit for now but hopefully a win, and a cup run, can help them to build up that confidence again.”
Bolton currently sit seventh in Division One North, though they have played just four games in the league so far, and Shaw knows having played against them in the past that her side are in for a tough physical battle at the weekend.
“Bolton are a tough team, I’ve played against them myself in the past so I know what they’re all about, they’ve always fielded a very strong squad and they have a very physical way of playing,” she added.
“They play some very good football and so we need to make sure that our players get that little bit of a rest and then come back on Sunday and be ready for the game because I know we’ll have a difficult test in store.
“It’s been a quick turn-around for us what with it being Wednesday into Sunday, the recovery is going to be key because it will be such a physical battle out there at times, I want us to have that bit of bite about us.”