Mighty Hants provide big test

GUERNSEY women face a baptism of fire as they take on the strong Hampshire outfit in their first South and West Counties Champ-ionship match tonight. Hampshire have without doubt been the best team in the SWCC for the last eight years.

So far in the 2006-7 competition they have smashed Gloucester-shire 8-0 and then Dorset 10-0 before drawing with the Army 0-0.

Their squad is predominantly made up of Portsmouth and Southampton players who compete in the FA Nationwide Premier League Southern Division week in, week out.

Island coach Steve Ogier knows that his side have a real challenge on their hands.

'It's going to be a massive learning curve for us,' said Ogier.

'They are a big county and it's going to be a really difficult game for us. Their record speaks for itself.

'We know we're up against it but we're going to be looking at the girls to see how they perform.

'The girls will know afterwards what standards they need to reach to be competitive and what they need to do to succeed.'

Ogier has one injury concern and that lies with his captain, Lisa Sylvester. The Sylvans midfielder has an ankle problem and her coach puts her chances of playing at 50/50.

However, a number of his other players have come down with the bug that has been doing the rounds in the island recently.

'This flu does drain you physically and a couple of the girls have been off work last week with it,' he said yesterday.

Hampshire themselves will be without prolific goal scorer Zoe Nash who is out with shin splints. Kim Hier steps up to take her place.

Ogier's opposite number at Hampshire, Vanessa Raynbird, said that she and her team were not taking Guernsey lightly.

'I treat every game as a normal game,' said the Hampshire and Portsmouth manager.

'They are all big games, especially when you don't know the opposition. I wouldn't go out with any other intention than to score as many goals as possible.

'We'll play to our strengths. I wouldn't underestimate the opposition as I don't know what Guernsey are going to put out.

'I've not got a clue.'

Raynbird points to her defence that has not conceded a goal in the SWCC this campaign as the side's strength. She singles her two centre backs, captain Laura Froggatt and Fiona McMillan, as ones to watch this evening.

'We've got two very good centre backs: they are two tall, strong girls,' she said.

'We're looking forward to the game and we're looking forward to the trip.'

Squads:

Guernsey (from) Corrina Le Noury, Lauren Saunders, Julie Palmer, Lisa Sylvester, Eleanor Holden, Rochelle Vaudin, Lucy Sebire, Anna Robert, Kari-Anne Riber, Katie Robert, Catherine Hennessy, Vicki Rang, Toni Osborne, Stacey Coulter, Eleisha Gettings, Jemma Crouse, Michelle Le Prevost, Natalie Grainger, Kirsty Davidson, Sarah Millard

Hampshire: (from) Sadie Blakely, Gemma Hillier, Lizzie Laws, Laura Froggatt (capt.), Fiona McMillan, Kirsty McGee, Charley Wilson, Lucy Keil, Roxanne Roberts, Zoe Nash, Leeta Rutherford, Nadine Welland, Brooke Chaplen, Cassie Thorp, Kim Hier (all Portsmouth Ladies); Krystal Whyte, Daisy Burnfield (both Southampton Saints); Michelle Niven (Portsmouth Uny)