Huddersfield Town Women’s promotion charge is about to kick into gear
With new signings, injuries reducing and big players stepping up, Town Women’s final ten games could be special.
Sunday’s big 1-0 win over Leeds United saw Huddersfield Town Women take a hold of top spot in the race for promotion from FAWNL Division One North.
And with 10 games to go, Town are in prime position to kick on and finish the job this season - starting against Durham Cestria on Sunday.
Squad finally coming together for Town
Boss Glen Preston has hailed the resilience of his squad - who played most of the first half of the season with 12 or 13 available players.
And in a season dominated by injuries, realistically, Town should have struggled - instead, they’ve gone top, despite still waiting to hear the outcome of their appeal on their two-point deduction.
In fact, the game at the weekend was only the second time this season that Preston has been able to name a full bench.
This has meant Town’s youngsters and fringe players have had to fill in and been thrown in at the deep end given the club’s expectations this season - and what a job they’ve done.
Hannah Burgess has bagged nine goals in all competitions despite having to lead the line at times when she’s more naturally a wide player. Molly Firth has done a sterling job when called upon on either wing and even right back and Alise Gindra began to make the right back spot her own having never really played there before.
The versatile squad has proved pivotal in keeping Town’s promotion hopes alive. And Preston was quick to heap the praise on the squad who’ve given his side the platform to be able to kick on.
He told We Are Terriers: “I can’t praise the squad that’s played the first half of the season enough. We’ve played with 12 or 13 players available and they couldn’t get a rest. We couldn’t rotate or change formation.”
The positive for Town is the extended break due to postponements has allowed influential players like Laura Elford and Beth Ibbotson to return to action as well as being able to dip into the market to bolster the squad.
In come the permanent signings of Neve Birtwistle and Kacey Bolton-Woollam, as well as the loan signings of Tamira Livingston and Jess Lightfoot.
In Birtwistle they’ve brought in added steel to the midfield - joining from promotion rivals Cheadle. She’s shown her class already with a battling performance in the middle of the park against Leeds supporting the ever-present Ella Duffield.
Bolton-Woollam, has rejoined after her loan spell with Town in 2024/25. She’s spent the first half of this season at York City and brings extra depth in the goalkeeping department.
Livingston, on-loan from Manchester United, has brought extra pace and class out wide, already showing what she can offer with a hat trick and three assists on her full debut in the County Cup.
And Lightfoot joined on-loan from Everton after spending the first half of the season at Cheadle and already looks to be another step up in quality in her brief outings so far.
With Serena Fletcher and Lauren Griffiths still to return too - things are looking up.
Town’s players step up to the mark
It feels like a weekly occurrence that we’re talking about Town picking up three points thanks to a Rhema Lord-Mears goal. Whilst the squad has dwindled, the players available have dragged their side into a position to challenge - despite no real chance for a rest.
Lord-Mears being one. Six goals in 10 games from midfield is a fine return but what’s even more impressive is she’s delivering at the big moment every time. In November her late strike ended Wythenshawe’s long-standing unbeaten home record to give Town an important win - just as she did on Sunday away at Town’s biggest rivals.
And at the back Town boast the best ‘keeper in the league. Bethan Davies has single-handedly won Town points this season with remarkable displays - bringing much needed assurance and leadership.
Last season Town fell off. When the tight games or challenging conditions came around, they couldn’t get it over the line. Notably failing to beat Norton and Stockton Ancients in either fixture - beating them 5-0 away already this time around.
Fliss Jones is another who rises to the moment when things look to be going against Town. Her last minute winner against bottom side Blackburn in December could prove to be a huge goal come the end of the season.
Louise Biggins and Hannah Burgess have both bagged double figures in all competitions so far with Lord-Mears, Jones and Laura Elford all in the chasing pack for the golden boot.
This season feels different for Town. It feels like the big moments are going their way and it’s not through luck. They’re a squad playing for one goal. To win the league.
Impressive youngsters continue development elsewhere
With the squad looking stronger Preston has even had the luxury of allowing three youngsters, who all played their part in the successful first half of the season, to head out on dual contracts to continue their development.
Molly Firth has joined Bradford, Alise Gindra scored on her debut for Fylde and Franc Brown had moved across to Sheffield United U21 PGA - all of whom Preston sees as big players in the future.
He said: “We want to continue their development. They’ve been vital for us but we recognise they’re teenagers and we don’t want to stop that development of limit game time for them now we’ve got a stronger squad.
“We’ve found exceptional clubs for them who have good coaches so we feel they’re good moves for them.
“Molly and Alise in particular were huge for us in the first half of the season. We’re top of the league and it’s players like those who helped get us into this position.
“They’ve been vital here but now the squad’s in a stronger shape it’s important for them to continue their development and get more games.”
The County Cup could provide the icing on the cake
And if a promotion push isn't enough, Town face Barnsley Women in the semi final of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Women’s Senior County Cup in a big to regain their title.
Beating Rotherham United 10-0 in the quarter final sent them to two wins away from another title they won three times in a row between 2022 and 2024.
Last season, however, they went down 5-0 to Sheffield United U21s in a disappointing display so Glen Preston’s side will want to put that right this year.