Portsmouth could ring the changes for Women’s Senior Cup final against Moneyfields

Charmaine True, right, could play a part in tonight's Portsmouth & District FA Cup final against Moneyfields after recovering from injury. Picture by Jordan Hampton.

Jay Sadler is planning to give some of Pompey's promising development squad a taste of first-team action in tonight's Portsmouth & District FA Women’s Senior Cup final.

The Blues take on two-divisions lower Moneyfields in the delayed 2019/20 season showpiece at Baffins Milton Rovers' PMC Stadium (7.30pm).

And Sadler has promised to use some of the club's bright young things and squad members needing minutes a chance to shine against their cross-city rivals.

Pompey launched a development team in the summer and the boss sees this competition as an ideal chance for them to showcase their abilities on the first team stage.

It also looks as though fit-again duo Charmaine True and Laura Ingram, along with new signings Abi Mason and Cat Cunningham, will be handed much-needed minutes.

But Sadler stressed resting some of his first team regulars for the final does not mean he is under-estimating Moneyfields.

‘We’re going to look to treat this as any other game,' said Sadler.

‘We’re going to go in with the ultimate aim of winning the game.

‘But we do want to use it as a platform to develop some of the younger players and give other players minutes who haven’t had game time.

‘The obvious thing is to try to go out full strength and team to try to win.

‘But when we look at the bigger picture of what we’re trying to do with the younger players, this is a good opportunity to give them that game time and get them ready for their first team opportunities in future weeks and months.

'We’ll treat the game with the level of respect it deserves, we obviously want to go on and win and we want to get back to winning ways, but we’ve got to be smart with the way we do it too.’

Blues head into the final on the back of a 2-1 Women's National League Southern Premier defeat at Chichester & Selsey last midweek.

Pompey called off their trip to Cardiff last Sunday because of Covid-19 concerns.

Now Sadler is targeting some early season silverware and the chance to retain the cup they won in April 2015 with a 15-0 slaying of Horndean at Baffins.

‘It’s one we’re looking forward to,' he added.

‘Obviously we want to get back on the pitch after last week’s unfortunate defeat, we want to get back out there as soon as possible to right the wrongs.

‘But also the fact now we can finally compete in a cup final is brilliant for us.

'We know Moneyfields will be a strong opposition. They play a very physical game and they’re there to upset us.

’We’re the obvious favourites and we all know they want to beat us.'