Ex-England winger Sue Smith is on Sunday aiming to shoot Doncaster Rovers Belles to what would be an incredible Women’s Super League promotion triumph.
By Tony Leighton
Second in the table Donny, two points behind leaders Sunderland, visit bottom team London Bees for their last match of the WSL2 season while across the city the Black Cats finish their campaign at Millwall.
Sunderland should take the title and with it, the only promotion place.
But Smith said: “Liverpool made up three points on Chelsea on the last day of the WSL1 season to win the league, and hopefully we can do the same.
“We’ve taken maximum points from our last six matches, including a win at Sunderland, and we’ve got a much better goal difference than theirs so the pressure is definitely on them.”
That win at Sunderland three weeks ago could prove the pivotal point in a WSL2 promotion race that the Black Cats had comfortably led all season.
They were eight points ahead of the Belles going into that match – though Donny had a game in hand – and victory would have seen the WSL2 title and promotion clinched quite conclusively by the Wearsiders.
But with the divisional winners’ trophy ready to be handed over on the day, Donny refused to follow the script and won 2-1.
Their game in hand was then won last week, Smith scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory over Yeovil Town to set up what could be a last day of the season to almost match the drama of the WSL1 climax a fortnight ago.
Smith said: “It was lovely to get two goals in the Yeovil game, but what was far more important was the three points we got to keep our promotion hopes alive.
“Now we are absolutely focused on winning at London Bees, and if we can get an early goal or two that could put pressure on Sunderland in their match at Millwall because they’re bound to be keeping up with events in our game.
“It’s surprising how psychological football can be in situations like this, and mindset might be as important as skill in these two games.”
If Donny snatch the title at the death it will put them back in WSL1 after being controversially relegated last term, Manchester City taking their place in the top flight for financial and marketing rather than footballing reasons.
“The way we got relegated was devastating,” admitted Smith, “but we put it behind us and it would be so sweet to bounce back at the first attempt.”
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