Champions Moneyfields Women eyeing up cup glory and defeating city rivals Portsmouth while boss Karl Watson explains reasons behind club pulling out of League Cup final contest

Moneyfields Women boss Karl Watson is eager to end a title-winning campaign with some more silverware and score a victory over city rivals Pompey Women in the process.
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Southern Region Premier Division champions Moneys head to the PMC Stadium - home of Baffins Milton Rovers FC - to take on the two-divisions higher Blues in the Women's PDFA Cup final tomorrow night (7:30pm).

Preparation has been far from ideal for Watson and his side, who were forced to pull out of their scheduled League Cup final meeting with Abingdon United on Sunday as they were without 11 squad members for the planned contest.

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As well as that, Moneyfields Women will come up against Jay Sadler's Pompey side having not played a competitive fixture since defeating Bournemouth Sports 1-0 in the League Cup semi-final on March 20.

However boss Watson reckons his freshened squad could reap the benefits of having gone such a long period without a match, as they look to cause a shock against the Blues and make it a double-winning season ahead of making the move up to Women's National League level.

‘We've got the chance to take the bigger scalp, to end the season on a real high or at least to put in another real, strong performance just to set the bar again for next season. It would be a great way to finish,’ said Watson.

‘The weekend was massively disappointing and not ideal for anyone (League Cup final pull-out). With two cup finals in three days, this would be the one you want to win.

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‘This five weeks off could form as a good rest for us, a lot of people have had a chance to get some life in the legs, a lot of people could be fresh - you never know which it'll go for you.’

Moneyfields Women manager Karl Watson is hoisted in the air by his players after the club's title win last monthMoneyfields Women manager Karl Watson is hoisted in the air by his players after the club's title win last month
Moneyfields Women manager Karl Watson is hoisted in the air by his players after the club's title win last month

Watson also explained the ‘freak’ week he faced which led to the club being forced to pull-out of their League Cup final on Sunday as they were unable to raise a team.

He added: ‘Last week was the week from hell. I knew I had four on holiday, which wasn't ideal, because we haven't had a game for five weeks so some of the girls booked trips away which you have to work with. One of the girls is in the navy so you have to work with that.

‘We had both of our goalkeepers (Lauren Sayler and Emma Dillon) both missing because of injuries. Emma Pinner and Ellie Kirby had just got over bad Covid and had been wiped out. I ended up 11 players short with the holidays which was ridiculous so we just couldn't field a side. I just had a freak of the week where I just couldn't get a side together.’

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