LADIES ENERGISED

 From one FA Cup tie to another. Above is the Chelsea ladies squad winning last season's final and below is the sign of the energy business sponsors, SSE.
Just a few miles over the "watershed" from South Yorkshire's Penistone, where yesterday I watched the town team lose in the men's FA Cup, lies West Yorkshire's Hepworth village.
With a population of a couple of thousand, Hepworth is nestled in the Holme Valley (some of you may remember "Last of the Summer Wine"-the soul of the area was well documented in that long standing series). Hepworth United Football Club punches well above its weight at all levels. It runs three senior mens' teams and around 15 youth teams and two Ladies/Girls' teams, with a third in the pipeline.

Today, the Ladies First team are involved in their first SSE FA Cup, meeting Chesterfield FC Ladies at 2pm in the Preliminary Round. Hepworth's success is due mainly to the energy of the Hepworth's team manager, John Field and his coaching staff, who have built a reputation over the past decade or so.

It may be a chastening experience for the Chesterfield Ladies and supporters, whose 50 seater coach will not get anywhere near the Far Lane ground, which is sited on a very narrow country road on the edge of the village.
John Field has arranged to meet the coach about a mile away from the ground and guide them "by foot" to the venue. It is raining steadily.....no perhaps need to paint changing rooms dark pink (blue??) or turn the heating down!!

Should the home ladies win, they are drawn against the Yorkshire Amateur Ladies next week in what will be the First Round Proper, in which 73 ties are scheduled. Thanks to SSE for their sponsorship and thanks to John Field and his "team" for their energy!!