The thrill for aggressive soccer is again with a bang.
St Johnstone WFC start their 2022/23 league marketing campaign on Sunday with a house recreation in opposition to Queen’s Park.
Plying their commerce within the second tier of Scottish girls’s soccer, Saints have accomplished pre-season preparations and are hopeful of creating a constructive begin to lay the foundations for a robust yr.
Defender Hannah Clark (20), a key participant for the group in latest seasons, is relishing the return of matches the place factors are on the road.
“The ladies are in nice spirits,” she defined this week.
“From the top of final season to the beginning of this season, the usual, tempo we play at and health has improved a lot.
“We’re all simply wanting ahead to getting began and we have now a mindset that there is no such thing as a cause why we are able to’t be difficult on the prime finish of the desk. We've got a group with robust high quality and I feel we have to set our ambitions excessive.
“Different groups will most likely be favoured over us however we all know inside ourselves how good we could be, the expertise we have now acquired and the assumption we have now. So long as we're backing ourselves, we don’t care about anybody else.”
Clark continued: “Pre-season is nice, the friendlies are nice, however there's nothing like that first league recreation the place you're going out to win the factors. Everyone seems to be buzzing to have that aggressive feeling once more and being again on the pitch. Hopefully the trouble that we’ve put in throughout pre-season goes to repay.”
This Sunday’s match takes place on the Riverside Stadium, dwelling of Jeanfield Swifts.
Queen’s Park have been acquainted opposition for Saints final time period however Clark admits it may be onerous to gauge how groups are going to line-up in the beginning of a brand new season.
She defined: “Firstly of the season it may be troublesome to know what the opposite groups are going to be like.
“They'll have been working simply as onerous as us throughout pre-season and might be in excessive spirits as effectively.
“You don’t actually know what to anticipate however we consider in ourselves that we are able to go and get three factors.
“However on the identical time, you may’t underestimate any group on this league as a result of everybody offers you a superb recreation. You may by no means simply count on to rock up and take the three factors.”
Saints head into the curtain-raiser with out the providers of final season’s captain Nicola Jameison, who just lately departed for prime tier aspect Spartans.
Clark is backing the Perth squad to step up, boosted by gifted youthful gamers who're coming by way of the pathway at Jeanfield Swifts.
She stated: “The younger women that we have now introduced as much as the group have been completely sensible - their angle and energy. They're simply so glad to be taking part in soccer they usually hear to each instruction given to them.
“We do have a superb vary of expertise and youth.”
Regardless of her younger years, Clark has loads of expertise behind her in a Saints equipment and is able to cross on data.
She smiled: “I’m nonetheless younger however will most likely be one of many ones who has been right here the longest. I really feel like I’m getting previous!”
Kick-off on Sunday on the Riverside is 12.30pm. Admission is £5 (money solely) however Saints season ticket holders, concessions and U16s go free.