Wolves Women column: Dan McNamara on consistency, fan impact and the club's cup ambitions

It’s great to be writing my next column for the Express & Star, after what has been another really positive few weeks for Wolves Women.

My first column a couple of weeks ago was before our home fixture with Stoke City in the league and despite a good scare against an opposition that went down to 10 – and then nine players – we held out for a 2-1 win. It was a different kind of victory to previous weeks when we had looked more comfortable, but it was three points nonetheless that maintained our spot at the top of the table. Importantly as well we did not see a drop in the attendance with the men playing at the same time which shows we have a really dedicated core supporter base at Telford.

Following the Stoke victory we have played two more games in two competitions – the FA WNL Cup and the Birmingham County Challenge Cup and have come away from both with comprehensive victories. Firstly we had a local derby against Sporting Khalsa which saw us win 5-0 in the first knockout round of the rebranded competition. Previously it had been a straight knockout competition but the new group stage added by the league has been really successful and added more fixtures to a women’s football calendar that can sometimes be sparse. We were delighted to get through without too much trouble and will now make a long trip to AFC Sudbury in the next round.

At the weekend we made another short trip to Hednesford and we were pleased with how routine the victory was. The county cup – though only a local accolade – is still a competition we very much want to win and it was great to kick off with a 12-0 win. It is a huge testament to the squad we have built this year that we can make changes to it and still see that consistency on the pitch. It was also great to welcome Anna Morphet back to the pitch after her injury lay-off. Our club captain, she is a huge asset to the group and we are delighted she is back available for selection.

Our final cup competition of the month is one we all have very fond memories of – the FA Cup – and we have been drawn one of the toughest possible opponents in the first round. Rugby Borough are an excellent side and ran us close in the league encounter in August, so we will have to show resilience to get through on Sunday. None of us will ever forget the incredible run that saw us face Manchester United in the competition last season, and over the last week we have been talking to the girls about some of the brilliant results we have had in the FA Cup. From the Covid season that saw us win 4-1 away at top-of-the-league-above Watford to a scalp over Reading last year, we have enjoyed so many memories in this competition over the years and we want to ensure we can share more special moments this time around.

If you can join us at Telford on Sunday, please head over to the Wolves ticket site and book your place for what is hopefully the start of another incredible FA Cup journey. Your support means the world to this team, and it makes a huge difference. 

Macca