by Sam Tabuteau
Sunday’s game presents a tale of two cities, the revolutionary inner-city dwellings of Paris have been replaced by the equally avant-garde quarters of Sheffield as AFC Unity play host to a delectably Dickensian spectacle of football and rebellion. Their opponents Worsbrough Bridge Atheltic are the high flying antithesis pushing to disrupt Unity’s recent run of form.
The possibility of resurrection and transformation both on a personal and societal level form the base from which Dickens and – pretentions aside – Unity draw inspiration from. It, therefore, seems a no better time to draw such similarities than the week in which Unity push forward with fundraising for Sheffield’s Campaign to Stop & Scrap Universal Credit.
Truly a club enveloped in revolution both on and off the pitch, Unity’s surge up the table will be met with stern opposition from Worsbrough, a team themselves reaping the rewards of a progressive possession-based ideology familiar to football purists across the league.
Away from my own premonitions of literary grandeur, we return to the football. Unity are currently riding an unprecedented wave of optimism having resoundingly dispatched of Hemsworth Town Reserves last weekend. Coupled with the return of Jo Wadsworth, who scored twice against Hemsworth, Unity are in a buoyant mood ahead of their game against Worsbrough, despite the two clubs contrasting league positions – whilst Unity sit 9th in the table Worsbrough are currently third with three games in hand over league leaders Sheffield Wednesday Development.
Stacey Leigh has joined a growing injury list and at time of writing Katie Mishner is also in doubt, whilst Lisa Gray is in line to make her 50th appearance for Unity, as Jay Baker contends with tempering expectations ahead of what will almost certainly prove to be one of Unity’s toughest assignments this season.
Squad:
1. Hannah Lamb
3. Jane Watkinson
5. Jaimee Reeve
6. Sarah Peck
11. Becky Gay
14. Chloe Burditt
15. Jodean Wadsworth
16. Lizzie Smith
17. Kirsten Vizor (captain)
18. Ruth Kennedy
22. Pippa Joseph
27. Michelle Garrigan
29. Kristina Rankine
33. Lisa Gray
37. Rachel Rodgers
45. Katie Mishner