Sunday 7th October 2018 | Kick-off 2pm
Mill Farm Sports Village
Fleetwood Road
Wesham
Preston
Lancashire
PR4 3JZ
Telephone: 01772 598855
Entrance: £5 Adult | Free U16
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| Fylde are back playing all of their home games at Mill Farm Stadium this season |
Fylde Results
Fylde 2-1 Huddersfield Town
Fylde 4-1 Sheffield FC
Bury 0-5 Fylde (CUP)
Hull City 5-2 Fylde
Fylde 0-1 Blackburn Rovers
Fylde 9-0 Burton Albion (CUP)
Fylde 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Sunderland 0-1 Fylde
Derby County Results
Derby County 1-0 Sunderland
Derby County 4-2 Doncaster Rovers
Stoke City 1-1 Derby County
Derby County 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Derby County 3-1 Bedworth United (CUP)
Hull City 2-2 Derby County
Middlesbrough 0-3 Derby County
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| Emily Hollinshead in action against Huddersfield Town |
Focus on Fylde
The Coasters
Derby County travel to Preston this Sunday to face Fylde, who find themselves in good form with 11 goals in their last three matches since their 5-2 loss away at Hull City on the 16th of September. As with Derby's previous opponents, in which the Ewes produced their finest display of the season to nail down a 1-0 win against in-form Sunderland who had won their previous 6 matches, Fylde will be an extremely tough encounter buoyed up by their return to the magnificent Mill Farm Stadium.
Led by Captain Danielle Young who played three times for Everton, having signed from Manchester City, and who subsequently took a break from football in July 2015, there is some real quality in this squad.
Manager Conrad Prendegast who made 9 changes to the squad over the summer; retaining 11 said: "We have made considerable changes to the squad once again this season. I am delighted that 11 core players have stayed with us for the upcoming season. They have all been fantastic during pre-season and have really led by example to the new players we welcome to the Club. Nine new faces will be seen at Mill Farm this season including our new No.1 Brittany Jackson, and prolific goalscorer Nikki Berko. Improving our squad was not the only focus over the summer. We've also worked tirelessly to recruit and secure professional, experienced and enthusiastic Coaches with the aim of increasing our standards to help the team succeed."
You could almost be forgiven for thinking the Fylde squad had been taken from the veritable football's 'Who's Who' for pedigree. With a squad of 20, Fylde have no less than 6 internationals, 3 ex-Manchester City, 8 ex-Everton, 4 ex-Sheffield FC, and 5 ex-Blackburn Rovers players in their ranks.
Internationals
Emily Hollinshead (Wing Forward)
UEFA Women's Euro 2017 Qualifier | Wales v. Bosnia and Herzigovina
Everton, Sheffield FC
Kimberley Turner (Midfield)
Northern Ireland, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Sheffield FC
Laura Merrin (Defence)
New Zealand, Everton
Olivia Fuller (Defence)
Wales U19, Sheffield FC
Grace Burke (Goalkeeper)
Wales U17, Manchester City
Sophie Charlton (Midfield)
England U15
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| Captain: Danielle Young |
Despite having some real class in the teams fielded though, Fylde have flattered to deceive at times, and although winning away to Sunderland 0-1 in their first match of the season, Sunderland argued that they had been badly affected during the course of the game by the one hour injury stoppage to one of their key players, Centre Back Courtney Stewart, who was taken to hospital for suspected diabetes. In saying that, to come away with any kind of result against Sunderland away is an achievement. They drew 0-0 against Nottingham Forest, lost 1-0 at home to Blackburn Rovers, and lost 5-2 away to Hull City. So it's arguably a difficult prediction here. For what it's worth, over the last two seasons Derby have won 2 at home and drawn 2 away, so we have a good record since Fylde finished runner's-up to West Bromwich Albion in the 2015-2016 season.
For me though it's current form that counts, especially in view of the fact that both squads have changed considerably over the past year. This season Fylde have scored 9 goals and conceded 8 in the league, as opposed to Derby's 12 for and 5 against, although in league and cup, prolific striker Nikki Burke, a new signing from Guiseley Vixens, has notched up 4 goals and received 1 Opposition Player of the Match (OPOM) award. Emily Hollinshead has scored 3 goals but has also won the OPOM in each of the last 4 matches, while Jenna Carroll and Sophie Charlton have both scored 2 apiece.
Emily Hollinshead said of last night's 2-1 home win against top of the table Huddersfield Town: "Another big test, but I've got a lot of belief in this team, and I think we can grind out another result against Derby. Against Blackburn and Huddersfield I thought we played well as a team. It's all about the team."
Hollinshead went on to remark about how they like to play the ball on the ground, so I feel that will suit Derby, who play their best football at the feet. Both teams will be full of confidence and spirit, and both will be wary of each other which goes without saying. I do feel though that if Derby turn up with the same hunger and passion they showed against Sunderland, they will be in with a magnificent chance to register another win. I can't see Derby losing this on ability and flair, but to beat a team like Fylde at Mill Farm we will need to do what we have done all season and out-face them. We do that we win.
Prediction: Fylde 1-2 Derby County
FYLDE
From
01. Brittany Jackson (GK) Bolton Wanderers
02. Olivia Wild (D) Sheffield FC
03. Emily Hollinshead (F) Wales, Manchester United, Everton, Sheffield FC
04. Hannah Forster (MF) Blackburn Rovers
05. Olivia Fuller (D) Wales U19, Sheffield FC,
06. Jenna Carroll (D)
07. Danielle Young (Capt.) (D) Manchester City, Everton
08. Holly Kelsh (MF) Blackburn Rovers
09. Sophie Charlton (MF) England U15, Everton
10. Alyse Hinchliffe (MF)
11. Laura Merrin (D) New Zealand, Everton
12. Erin Staunton-Turner (D) Everton
13. Jen Myler (GK) Everton, Blackburn Rovers
14. Sasha Rowe (MF) Everton, Liverpool Feds
15. Chloe Adams (F) Fylde (Year out)
16. Lucy Staunton-Turner (MF) Everton
17. Megan Taylor (MF)
18. Nikki Berko (F) Blackpool, Guiseley
20. Grace Burke (GK) Wales U17, Manchester City
21. Kimberley Turner (MF) N.Ireland, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Sheffield FC
DERBY COUNTY
From
01. Sarah Morgan (GK)
13. Leah Kellogg (GK)
18. Moira McIntosh (D)
02. Amy Sims (D)
19. Louisa Abbey (D)
03. Camilla Newton (D)
15. Rachael Ball (D)
05. Grace Harrison (D)
06. Karagh Tait (D)
10. Hannah Ward (Capt.) (D)
04. Emily Joyce (MF)
07. Cara Newton (MF)
08. Stephanie Smith (MF)
12. Callan Barber (MF)
17. Monique Watson (MF)
14. Nicole Ledgister (MF)
11. Jodie Redgrave (MF)
16. Kirsty Allen (F)
20. Olivia Mitcham (F)
09. Andrea Bell (F)
