Sutherland and Brora Rangers to kick off Highlands and Islands League season with county derby at Helmsdale
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SUTHERLAND and Brora Rangers are set to kick off the Highlands and Islands League season with a county derby in Helmsdale.
The two teams will look to get their campaigns off to a winning start when they take to the field at Couper Park on Sunday.
Sutherland Women made their debut in the competition last season and made a big impact, finishing third and winning the Highlands and Islands League Cup beating Clachnacuddin 3–2 in the final.
Brora Rangers will be looking to improve this campaign after finishing in seventh place in the nine-team division with just one win during 2021.
Sutherland manager John Smith says his team have set their sights on retaining the League Cup, but also wants to put in a challenge for the league title and push champions Inverness Caledonian Thistle Development closer than they did last season.
“We want to continue as we started and be as competitive in the league and cup as possible,” he said.
“The lassies want to hold on to the trophy to prove it was not a one-off.
“Our expectation is to do as well as we possibly can in the league, we know that it will be tough against the two Inverness teams.
“But we want to close the gap on Caley Thistle Development and give them a bigger fight this time around.
“This season, we will be playing all the teams home and away compared to playing them just once like last season where one slip-up made it hard to make it up again.
“But with the full league, you might get away with a bad result, but we will be giving it all against everyone.
“The girls are all up for it that is for certain and we have 18 players available for selection.”
Brora Rangers have appointed Keiran Bellis as their new head coach to lead them into the 2022 campaign where they will be looking to improve.
He said he has a talented squad which is capable of achieving positive results.
“I previously coached the under-15 squad and a number of those players have now moved into the senior section,” he said.
“We have got through a period of rebuilding and we have a good mix of youth and experience.
“They have a hunger and desire to put a marker down this year to move forward as a unit.
“We know it will be a difficult challenge taking on Sutherland in the first game of the season.
“It will be an unpredictable game, but the girls will give 110 per cent.”
Speaking about this season’s objectives, he said:”We want to improve every week and everybody is up for the fight and we are looking to lay a marker down for the rest of the season.
“We have had good pre-season games and we want to continue that momentum.”
The match is scheduled to kick-off at noon but the time could be subject to change. For any updates visit the Sutherland Women Facebook site.
