'The job's not done'

Preston North End v Sunderland
The FA Tesco Women's Premier League Northern Division
Sunday 17 May 2009
Bamber Bridge

Top flight football beckons Sunderland as they prepare to face Preston North End in the last match of The FA Tesco Women’s Premier League Northern Division season.

The Black Cats will travel to Preston on Sunday knowing that victory will clinch the title and with it, promotion to the National Division.

On the back of a three-match winning run which has followed their fine FA Cup Final display despite a 2-1 defeat by treble winners Arsenal, Mick Mulhern’s team will be expected to beat Preston to fulfil their season’s main ambition.

But the Lilywhites won 5-2 at Newcastle United last Sunday and Black Cats boss Mulhern says: “There’s no way we’ll be going to Preston with our happy heads on.

“I was very pleased with the way we played against Arsenal and obviously it’s great that we’ve won our last few league games to give ourselves a chance of promotion.

“But the job’s not done yet and we’ve got to beat a decent Preston team. Anybody who can put five goals past Newcastle has to have something about them and we’ll give them all the respect they deserve.

“Preston’s win at Newcastle was probably the best thing that could have happened for us, though. If Newcastle had won the game easily it might have been a bit difficult to get our girls focused for this Sunday, but now they know they’re in for a tough time.

“We have to go there feeling confident that we can get the result we want, but every player in the squad knows we’ll have to be at our best and I won’t accept anything less than total concentration and commitment.”

If Sunderland get the win they need to edge past current leaders OOH Lincoln for the title they will climb back to the top flight following a two-year absence.

And having seen his young team beat National Division sides Bristol Academy and Chelsea on route to the first FA Cup Final in the club’s history, Mulhern would be confident of maintaining their new-found status.

But he insists: “First things first – we’ve had a really good season up to now, but it will only be a great season if we finish the job on Sunday.”