The Wanderers Westfield W-League team are back in action this Sunday when they travel to McKellar Park to take on Canberra United.
With the regular season slowly drawing to a close in four matches time, a win this Sunday is crucial for the Red & Black to keep their finals dreams alive.
But first, they must face off against a very strong Canberra United side.
The match will also mark the first time the Wanderers Westfield W-League team will meet with Canberra United this season with history showing that United have had the better run of results against the Red & Black.
Out of the seven matches played between the two sides, Canberra have won five and drawn two against the Wanderers.
The match will also mark the first time Wanderers co-captain Ellie Brush and Kahlia Hogg will face their former club.
Brush joined the Wanderers at the start of the season after an extensive playing career saw her spend the last nine seasons with Canberra, leading them to win the Westfield W-League Premiership back in 2012.
Hogg, like Brush, joined the Wanderers at the start of the season and has spent her senior career split between Canberra United and the United States College football system where she received a four-year athletic scholarship with Florida State Seminoles.
Pressure will be particularly on Brush who will receive not only a veteran’s welcoming when she arrives to McKellar Park on Sunday but also a serious test against the likes of Michelle Heyman, Toni Pressley and Ashleigh Sykes who will all be pushing themselves to breakthrough the Wanderers backline.
The Wanderers have leaked 20 goals into the goal in their past matches against Canberra and have unfortunately only scored four.
United have also bolstered their defence this season with the acquisition of former Wanderer and Matilda Ellie Carpenter.
Carpenter had joined the Red & Black at the start of the 2015/16 Westfield W-League season and burgeoning career has seen her make the move to Canberra at the start of the season.
After a week’s off to prepare for the match thanks to last round’s bye, the Wanderers will be hoping to bounce back from a 93rd minute upset to Melbourne City.
The loss wasn’t reflective of the team’s performance which was compact and organised from the outset, restricting City to a few genuine insights on goal.
A lapse in concentration for the Wanderers ultimately cost them and they must stay focused against United as the punishment could be a lot worse.
A victory for the Red & Black has the potential to push the Wanderers into the top four with a finals series appearance still on the cards. But a loss could almost certainly end their hopes of making club history.
