City gear up for Battle of Britain

Scottish Women’s Premier League champions Glasgow City will host treble-winning Arsenal Ladies in a Battle of Britain later this month.

The pre-season friendly at Petershill Park, Springburn, on Sunday February 19, will bring together the two dominant teams either side of the Border for the first time.

City head coach Eddie Wolecki Black said: “Pre-season is a very important time for every club, and whilst we have arranged some very challenging matches I think it’s fair to say that the ones against Liverpool and Arsenal will capture the imagination of the public.

“Of course the Arsenal game will be viewed as a Best of Britain game, however it’s important to treat it for what it is, a pre-season friendly, win lose or draw that’s all it is.”

Arsenal Ladies won the Women’s National Premier League Division seven years in a row before becoming semi-professional and competing in the inaugural Women’s Premier League in 2011.

Laura Harvey’s side emerged victorious at the end of a 14-match championship, despite being behind Birmingham City Ladies for much of the season.

The Hertfordshire-based side, which includes Scots trio Julie Fleeting, Kim Little, and Jennifer Beattie, then secured a domestic treble after defeating Birmingham in the inaugural Continental Cup.

City will ramp up their pre-season the week before as they travel to Skelmersdale to take on Liverpool Ladies, who finished bottom of the Women’s Super League.

City striker Jane Ross, who scored en route to a 3-0 victory in their last meeting in November 2010, told The Journal: “I’m sure the match against Arsenal will provide us with a good challenge for pre-season and will benefit both teams in preparing for the season ahead.

“I think the squad as a whole gained a lot of experience from our run in the Champions League last year which hopefully we can take into the games this season, no matter who our opponents are.”