The Women’s FA Cup fourth round brings in the Women’s Super League clubs and among the nine ties that feature top-flight teams, one stands out as different. Manchester City face a trip on Sunday to Durham, a rare team in the game’s upper echelons without any affiliation to a men’s side.
A second-tier club since their formation in 2014, Durham are known for a cult-like fan following and the ability to pull off cup shocks, including against Manchester United and Everton. Since the recent boom in popularity of women’s football, Durham have struggled to keep pace with some Championship rivals who benefit from an association with a men’s team. But they have never faced a relegation battle and continue to punch above their weight, often being competitive against WSL opponents in the FA Cup and Continental Cup.
Some Championship clubs are receiving major backing into squads and facilities as investors try to capitalise on the game’s growth by propelling teams into the WSL. Durham, on the other hand, rely on experienced heads, up-and-coming players, savvy partnerships and support from the “Blue Army”. Tickets for City’s visit to Maiden Castle sold out within a day – a club record.
“There are some people who have literally been coming since we first played in the league 10 years ago so it’s really special for them,” says the captain, Sarah Wilson, who joined in 2014. “I just think for some of the young girls in the area to come and see literally the best players in the world is going be an incredible opportunity for them just to see what the club is all about.”
After an inconsistent first half of the season Durham lie sixth, albeit six points off the top and above the only other sides in the top two divisions not attached to a professional men’s club: Lewes, who have a seventh-tier men’s team, and London City Lionesses. Durham’s troughs – notably a 9-1 drubbing at Crystal Palace in September – have been just as pronounced as the peaks, which include a penalty shootout triumph against their local rivals Sunderland in the Continental Cup in November.
There is a feeling Durham are beginning to gain momentum. The head coach, Claire Ditchburn, has returned from maternity leave, the club legend Beth Hepple is back after an ankle injury and the forwards Eleanor Ryan-Doyle and Amy Andrews are starting to find goalscoring form.
The squad blend experience at the back with new faces further forward. Wilson has been a mainstay in defence, alongside Becky Salicki and the Northern Ireland international Sarah Robson. This backline has frustrated high-quality attackers but keeping players such as Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Khadija Shaw quiet is another task all together. Salicki firmly believes they can manage.
“What I notice when we play top teams is that level of finishing,” she says. “That one moment you switch off they’re in. I spoke to Rachel Daly and a few others after the [5-1 Continental Cup loss to Aston Villa] and they were saying how we were actually one of the best defensive teams they’ve come up against so far this season and that’s including the top division so I think that’s something that we can be really proud of.”
Ryan-Doyle and Andrews are the form players but the most exciting prospect in attack is the 18-year-old Poppy Pritchard. Her fearlessness and ability to cut in from the left and take on defenders could provide a headache for City.
Pritchard has underlined her credentials as a future Lioness, frequently scoring for England’s youth teams. It is surely only a matter of time until she is in the WSL. Chances to show off her quality on a big stage have been few and far between but Sunday offers a chance for the winger to make headlines.
The odds will be against Durham. Their defence recently got steamrollered by Daly, and facing Shaw and co is no easier task. Should the match go the distance, though, Durham boast an excellent recent record at penalties.
Regardless of the result, Sunday will be a landmark day for Durham. The financial reward of a sell-out crowd, combined with exposure from the BBC broadcasting the match live, will provide a springboard for the club’s push towards the WSL. Whatever happens, they are standing out from the crowd.
