Lincoln City Women’s boss Richard Cooper says that he is looking forward to his side’s return to action in the FA Cup this weekend.
City’s last game came on November 1, their last before a second national lockdown was imposed in England. They ended on a high, as a 2-0 win against Holwell Sports in the FA Cup set up their tie with Solihull Moors this weekend.
After the enforced break, Cooper is looking forward to the return to action.
“Well, I can’t wait!” said the Lincoln manager.
“We’ve had three sessions now since lockdown, so we are well on track with the preparations.”
Cooper’s side face an in-form Solihull Moors, who only sit above the Imps on goals scored. City thrashed the Moors 6-0 in March, which was coincidentally their last game before the first national lockdown.
However, Cooper is still respectful of their league rivals and believe they will offer a tough game on Sunday.
“It’s going to be a really difficult game,” he said.
“Solihull Moors have improved no end, they were a team that were fighting relegation last season, but they’ve recruited well in the summer. They’ve picked up some good players and they have definitely come on a million miles from where they were.
“We are not anticipating that it is going to be an easy game in any shape or form, but Solihull haven’t really played anyone like us yet this season.
“So as much as they are coming full of confidence to us, we are very confident in getting a result as well.”
City women have enjoyed a successful start to the season. They currently sit fifth in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands table, with their only defeat coming against top of the table Wolves.
Speaking about their start to the season, Cooper said: “We were always going to have a difficult start to the season playing some of the top of the table sides, we knew it was always going to be tough.
“But, we are quietly confident really with the start we have made.
“We would have liked to have got three points against Long Eaton in the first game, which ended up being a disappointing draw, but the way the game panned out it was a very unusual one.
“And then to lose against the league leaders Wolves in the 97th minute, when nobody has tested them like that for as long as I can remember, was another gut-wrencher.
“But there is still plenty of positives, and we’ll still keep pushing for the rest of the season and will still try and keep as much pressure on Wolves as we possibly can.”