ITFC Women will be aiming to return to the top of the FA National League Southern Premier Division on Sunday afternoon when they face Bridgwater United at Fairfax Park (KO 2pm).
The Tractor Girls, fresh from securing a Vitality Women’s FA Cup quarter-final tie at home to West Ham, were knocked off the top of the division on Tuesday when Oxford thrashed table-propping Hounslow 7-0.
The Blues are a point behind the U’s having played the same number of games with third-placed Southampton, who Town defeated in the FA Cup on Sunday, in third, nine points behind Joe Sheehan’s side but having played five fewer matches.
Oxford aren’t in action this weekend so the Blues will return to the top if they draw on Sunday. The U’s host Southampton on Wednesday.
Bridgwater, who won 2-0 at Keynsham Town in midweek, are fifth and were beaten 1-0 by the Blues at the Goldstar Ground in October, Natasha Thomas grabbing a late winner.
Thomas says everyone in the squad is on a massive high following last Sunday’s cup success.
"We are, I think it’s great, everyone at training tonight, it was just a massive buzz and we’ve got to look to take that into Sunday’s game now,” she said, before reflecting on drawing the Hammers, who will be at the Goldstar Ground on Sunday 20th March.
"It’s amazing, to be honest. We wanted a big team, we’ve got one of the big teams, so it will be good to test against them and see how we go.”
But before then, the Blues all-time top scorer says she and her team-mates have to turn their attention to other matters.
"It’s now about refocusing on to the league now, that’s our priority at the moment,” she added. "We’ll refocus and we’ll go and try and get the three points on Sunday.
"I think we need to do a lot better [than in the home game against Bridgwater] and play a lot better on Sunday, get the three points and score earlier.
"I think every game is challenging in its own way, so we’ll always take the challenges and do what we need to do to get the three points.”