Womens Premiership

WOMEN'S PREMIERSHIP: GAMEWEEK 16 PREVIEW

24 Aug 2021
football
The Danske Bank Women’s Premiership continues on Wednesday night with a full round of matches in gameweek 16.
 
After last season’s shortened campaign due to the pandemic, this season sees a full restoration with each of the sides in the top-flight playing each other four times.
 
Cliftonville are two points clear at the top of the standings and host Linfield, while champions Glentoran - back from Champions League action - have a home fixture against Sion Swifts.
 
Elsewhere, basement side Derry City Women will be looking to build on their three points to date this campaign as they host third-placed Crusaders.
 
Derry City Women v Crusaders Strikers 
Crusaders Strikers have won all 14 meetings between the sides but needed a 94th minute winner from Emily Wilson when the two sides met at the Brandywell in June.
 
This will be the four time the two sides have met this season - the Crues ran out 4-1 victors at Seaview prior to that 1-0 win at the Brandywell and won 3-0 in North Belfast last month.
 
The visitors will be favourites for this game with Derry looking to cause an upset.
 
The Crues can cement their top three status with a victory.
 
Glentoran Women v Sion Swifts Ladies 
Sion Swifts pulled off a shock against the Glens last month when they edged them out 2-1 in Strabane.
 
Since that match, Glentoran have won all four league matches - scoring 23 goals in the process and not conceding a goal.
 
Sion have won four meetings of the last six meetings between the two sides although there has been a great deal of change on the respective playing staffs during that timeframe.
 
Billy Clarke’s side have won both meetings between the pair this season - including a 4-1 win at Ashfield Boys High School in June - as striker Kerry Beattie netted a remarkable four goals.
 
Indeed, Beattie has hit eight goals in three games against Sion this campaign - having bagged a hat-trick in their meeting in Strabane in May.
 
Cliftonville Ladies v Linfield Ladies 
Cliftonville know that if they win their remaining five matches they are champions and they get that run underway as they host Linfield.
 
The Reds have won all four meetings against the Blues this campaign and the games are action-packed - 22 have flown in, with Cliftonville netting 15 of those.
 
Prior to this season, Linfield had won 14 successive games against their opponents but have endured a tough campaign - losing 10 of their most recent 12 outings in all competitions.