Barnsley FC Ladies are hoping to secure more success for the town when they face Huddersfield Town in the Sheffield Cup final at Rotherham United’s New York Stadium on Sunday from 3pm.
The two clubs have met in the last four finals, with the Reds winning in 2016 then losing the next two. Barnsley completed their season with a 2-1 win at Newcastle United which left them fourth in Division One North of the National Women’s League.
Manager Chris Hamilton is hoping they are the latest Oakwell-based side to taste glory after the men secured promotion to the Championship. Hamilton said: “Some of the girls go to watch the men regularly and I have been a few times. They have had an excellent season and we’re all really happy they have been promoted. It’s better for us and it’s better for the town. “Barnsley FC is a brilliant club to be a part of. Hopefully we can bring the town more glory on Sunday.”
Huddersfield finished sixth in the league above Barnsley this season. Hamilton said: “They are a very good team but we’ve done a bit of homework on them and we’re not going into the game just for the experience of playing a cup final at a nice stadium. We’re going there to win and we believe we can. Huddersfield will start as favourites but we’ve had a really good season and now we want to cap it off by winning the cup final.”
The Reds will have visited two clubs relegated out of the Championship this season as they played a league game last week at Bolton Wanderers’ ground. Hamilton said: “It felt like perfect timing. We all have recent experience now of going to a big stadium and playing on a pitch like that. It’s a bigger ground than Rotherham’s so that won’t seem so intimidating to us. It’s worked out really well.”
In Newcastle, the hosts took the lead after five minutes but Barnsley’s Player of the Year Drew Greene levelled just before the break then a second half own goal settled the contest. They lost six of their first seven games this season but have only lost two of the next 23, winning 16.
Hamilton said: “When I took over, the team had just stayed up on goals scored. So for us to be fourth in the league is a big improvement. It’s an absolutely brilliant season. “We had a slow start because everything was new. I only met my assistant manager on the first day of pre-season and we had to make quite a few changes to the squad. But we were always playing well then the wins started to come.
"Hopefully next season we can make a better start and compete for the title. We’re looking to maybe add two or three quality players which will make the difference. It won’t be easy because there are seven or eight clubs who will be thinking the same. But we’ve made massive improvements in the last year and the next step is to get promoted. Anyone who watched the team a few years ago then watches us now will see a huge difference.”
