Durham Wildcats bid for FA Cup glory (From The Northern Echo)

Durham Wildcats bid for FA Cup glory

9:00am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Durham By Mark Tallentire

A UNIVERSITY’S women’s football team is hoping to achieve an FA Cup giantkilling act this weekend.

Durham Wildcats, a squad of Durham University students who squeeze in matches and training around their studies, have raced through three qualifying rounds and two “rounds proper”, beating teams which are leagues above them 3-0 and 4-1.

Now into round three, with 40 of the 278 original clubs left, the Wildcats – the lowest ranking team remaining – face Preston North End, who play four leagues above in the Premier North, on Sunday.

Head coach of the Durham County League team, Richard Warburton, said: “I think we’ve got a good chance.

“If we play as well as we did in the last round, we’ve got every chance.”

Round two saw the Wildcats – part of a multi-sport group headed by the Durham Wildcats top-flight men’s basketball team – beat Sheffield Wednesday Ladies, three leagues above them, 3-1.

The team features five US girls – including player-assistant coach Lorraine Quinn, capped by the US at under-21 and under-23 level.

There are also four English players recently returned from US football scholarships, including Sunderland-born Laura Stockdale and Cheryl Canavan, along with Bishop Auckland-born first year undergraduate Leah Curry.

The Wildcats first entered the Durham County League last year. Having finished second, they were denied promotion as this season began while their players were still on their summer holidays.

This year, the girls have won all but one of their league games.

They also sit top of the universities first division and yesterday won through to the universities cup semi-final, beating Edinburgh University 4-1 at the Racecourse, in Durham City.

The squad plays twice a week and trains up to four times a week.

On their FA Cup run, Mr Warburton said: “We’ve got that unexpected element. No one really knows what we’re about.

“We’ve been used to going into games and getting on top of sides. We’ll have to be ready for Sunday. It will be a big first 15 minutes.”

Sunday’s Women’s FA Cup third round tie will be played at the Brewery Field, Spennymoor. Kick-off is 2pm. Entry costs £5 for adults, £2 for concessions.