Stevenage FC

Stevenage will travel to Haringey this weekend in a match that has traditionally provided goals galore. Here are all the facts and figures you need ahead of the League Cup match!

Battle of the Boroughs

Haringey Borough were formed at the turn of the millennium with “friendlies” being played for that first season. However, come the Summer of 2000 they merged with Mill Hill United and into the Eastern Region Women’s Football League (ERWFL). The merged club eventually took the name of Haringey Borough.

Head to Head

Stevenage and Haringey have a rich history of success and disappointment and no more so than when the head to heads are examined. With all but 3 of their games over the last 11 years taking place in the ERWFL Premier division. There was little to choose between the two teams in the 2012-13 season with just three points and one position separating them as they finished 7^th and 8^th respectively with both sides winning their away fixture.

The following season saw the advent of the high scoring games that so often appear in this fixture. There have been 5 or more goals in this game in 6 of the 13 games played and In the 13/14 season Boro’ won both games with the second of the two won by a margin of 6 goals to 3 with Nicole Perschky netting 4 – the first of 6 hat-tricks scored in this fixture.

In 14/15, Haringey had the better of the duels. A tight 1-0 win at home, followed by a 4-1 victory in the League Cup 3^rd round – with a Marianne Sheena hat trick – gave the bragging rights to the London side. A 6-1 home victory for Boro’ though, may have taken the edge off the barbs.

The next season saw Stevenage win the ERWFL Premier and gain promotion to the WNL South East Division 1. Again, the away side was victorious in  both fixtures with Stevenage taking advantage of a red card to Klesha Darroux to win 0-3 and Haringey utilising the 2 own goals scored by Stevenage in the return fixture in a 1-3 win – the third goal scored by Zhane Amoatea.

Therein followed a brace of seasons with no games due to the difference in league status. The battles would recommence in the 17/18 season though as Haringey themselves won promotion to the WNL with 43 points – the most they have secured in a season since 2013. The joy of promotion was a stark contrast to the season that followed as Haringey found the step up a step too far as they went on to lose all 22 games with a goal difference to make eyes water. Boro’ did their bit to add to that by knocking ten past their opponents in both games that season – which is where the remaining hat tricks appear. Leah Littlechild with 4 in the away fixture and at home, a hatful for Nicole Emmings, Paige Logie and our current number 9 – Amy Makewell. A hat trick of hat tricks in one game – eat your heart out Premier League of last week! Thos two results skew the head to heads vastly. Without them, the wins are equal and the goals scored is also a much closer prospect.

Haringey struggled to recover from that relegation and were one of two teams to have a goal difference of beyond -100 the following season, the other being current ERWFL Champions – AFC Sudbury! Proof that much has changed since those days as after COVID and Boro’s own fall from grace in 2022 the head to heads returned once more. Haringey shared a thrilling match with Stevenage at The County Ground last season in a 4-4 draw that had everything. Victoria Campbell, Kylie Manktelow and a brace from Shakira Kafero Roberts was matched by a brace from the triple crown award winner Vicky Neal, a goal from the lesser spotted Jodie Southby and last week’s nemesis once again Becky Shephard. The return fixture was a quieter affair, with Haringey triumphing through another goal by Manktelow despite being a player light following Megan Peters dismissal for two yellow cards.   

This season, Boro found themselves on the end of a beating. Five-nil down at half time in the first home game of the season would have seen most teams give in. Boro’ came out with a renewed sense of vigour and did net twice through Holly Greenwood and Anna Baker-Re, but it was too little too late as they conceded the sixth.

Team News

Stevenage will be missing the usual suspects of Lucy Webster and Sophie Hendy. Sarah Payne will also be missing, although she underwent surgery successfully this week and so begins her road to recovery.  Mia O’Brien will be hoping to keep her jersey after a good performance against St Albans and there could be a debut for a new signing this week.

Haringey may have lost last season’s top scorer, but they are still going great guns this season. Victoria Campbell and Kylie Manktelow are expected to play as the top goalscorers alongside Tayla Dennis, Liamara Hensel-Burg, Rimini Lowe and Lola Shack who are all ever presents.   

Ones to watch

Stevenage FCW

Goals Scored 23-24 – All competitions

Hannah Nebbitt scored her first goal ever in the league for Boro’ last week, but has two to her name in her cup career. The top four goal scorers are all available for selection and likely to feature.

Haringey Borough

Goals Scored 23-24 - All competitions

Having seen four of the top five goal scorers, and also Rimini Lowe score against Boro’ in past meetings – it is fair to say these are some of the big names we should be looking out for this weekend.

Tale of the Tape – The Season So Far…

Stevenage

Boro’ missed the opportunity to pull away from the relegation zone last weekend thanks to a Beck Shephard penalty cancelling out Hannah Nebbitt’s worldie. With league results inconsistent, the cups have also not been kind as Boro left the County Cup to Royston Town and the FA Cup to Real Bedford. The League Cup represents the last realistic chance at silverware this season and so therefore carries an additional layer of want and desire. The draw last weekend saw Stevenage put an end to the run of three defeats, but it moves on to four games without a win. Boro’ will be hoping that today ends that run too.

Haringey

Haringey are third in the league and flying high once again. However, they remain eleven points off top spot with one game in hand and so this also represents a chance at silverware for the side from London. Having gone two weeks without a game – the last being the FA Cup exit to Moneyfields – Haringey will be ready for a game of football! Their form has also been patchy, having lost the last two league games to Luton and Wroxham. 

Around the Grounds

It is the League Cup day across the ERWFL this weekend, although there will be a league game and one FA Cup match too!

ERWFL Premier

Barking v Kings Lynn Town

League Cup

AFC Dunstable v Real Bedford

Watford Ladies Development v Needham Market

Haringey Borough v Stevenage FCW

Harpenden Town v Bowers & Pitsea

FA Cup 3^rd Round

Luton Town v Keynsham Town

U23 watch

The U23s have also missed two weeks of football so will return this weekend with a game at The County Ground as they face fellow stragglers Wootton Blue Cross Lionesses. A win would pull Boro’ closer to safety with Mulbarton Wanderers in League Cup action. Entry is free so if you can’t make it to London, please come down and support our girls!