U's look to build on opening win
Oxford United Women make their longest trip of the season this weekend as they face Durham away from home on Sunday (12pm), looking to continue their positive start to the season. The U's won their FA Women's Super League 2 opener at home to Watford last week and manager Les Taylor is hopeful of carrying the momentum gained into this weekend.He said: “The atmosphere has been really positive this week in training. We’ve got great team spirit, everyone is fit and well and we’re raring to go. It’s great to see everyone so positive and we just want to carry that on this weekend.”
Durham were beaten 3-0 by a strong Doncaster Rovers Belles side in their first match of the season and are still looking for their first points of the 2015 campaign. But Taylor feels that will only make them more dangerous opponents when the two sides face off on Sunday.
“Obviously we don’t want to take Durham lightly just because they lost their opening match,” he said. “We hope to go there well prepared and if we approach the game right hopefully we’ll come away with a good result.
“We know they have some good players, so we won’t underestimate them. I think they have a point to prove after last week, both teams are probably of a similar level and so they know they have a chance of getting a result against us.”
A sickness bug swept through the United ranks in the build-up to the Watford opener, ruling out last season's top scorer Lauren Allison and defensive stalwart Amy Chivers. Fortunately, the U's have suffered no such disruption this week, as both return to the side looking to make their first league appearances of the season. Laura Nichol remains sidelined with a toe injury, but is expected to be fit for next weekend's home match with Yeovil.