Durham midfielder Beth Hepple says that the club will always believe that they can cause a cup upset on home soil given their past experiences.
The Wildcats play host to Barclays Women’s Super League heavyweights Manchester City in the fourth round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup this afternoon.
Durham defeated Manchester United on penalty kicks at Maiden Castle last season while they have also enjoyed closely-contested cup ties against the likes of Everton, Liverpool, Chelsea and Aston Villa on home soil in the past. When speaking to WSL Full-Time ahead of this afternoon’s game, Durham midfielder Hepple said that the team can draw belief from past performances against higher-ranked opponents.
“Yeah, of course, the experiences from the past give you a bit of confidence and it gives you that hope,” Hepple said. “We always have that behind us, there’s always belief in the group but that being said, we are playing against Manchester City and we are under no illusions of how difficult it is going to be.
“Hopefully, history can repeat itself and we will come out on top but we know it is going to be a really tough game.”
Reflecting further on past cup successes, Hepple said that Durham will need to work hard if they are to get a result against Manchester City. Nobody can afford an off-day against the former Adobe Women’s FA Cup winners.
She said “There has to be a sense of belief but also, everyone has to be on it. You’re not just playing against some of the best in the country, you are playing against some of the best in the world.
“You have to have a bit of luck along with some grit and determination. You can create your own luck and hopefully, we can do that.”
A record crowd will be in attendance at Maiden Castle with the game attracting interest from across the North East. While it is a huge occasion for women’s football in the region, Hepple is most-pleased for the club’s loyal fans who will be able to see their heroes go toe-to-toe with some of the world’s top stars.
“It’s a huge occasion for the club to be playing a top team in Manchester City,” she said. “It’s great for the fans who turn up week in, week out regardless of the opposition. It’s nice for them to see some of the Lionesses and other international players first-hand.
“In the North East, we love our football, so an occasion like this is always going to be a good one. It’s good for the area, good for the club and positive for women’s football.”
Durham’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth round tie against Manchester City kicks-off at 12.30pm. The match is a complete sell-out.
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