Lancaster City Ladies prepare for cup clash with Wigan Athletic Women

A high-flying Lancaster City Ladies side will take on a side in the league above in a crunch cup tie.

Kyle Young’s side will face off against a team in similarly dominant form in the quarter final of the Lancashire FA Challenge Cup at their Willow Lane ground on Sunday (January 18).

They take on Wigan Athletic Women, who convincingly won the Lancashire Women’s County League Championship last season.

They won 16 and drew one of their 17 games - which included two wins over Lancaster - and earned promotion to the County League’s Premier Division, in which they have had a perfect and remarkable start. 

The Latics’ Women sit top of the table and have won all eight of their league games, scoring 67 goals and conceding just two. 

They have three games in hand on their closest challengers in second, Accrington Stanley Women Reserves, and also boast having the top two scorers in their division in Ellie Cleary and Holly Mason.

To get to this stage, they defeated Carnforth Rangers Ladies 22-0, the unaffiliated Wigan Athletic LFC 6-0 and Preston North End Women 3-0.

However, Lancaster City Ladies have had a fantastic first season under the management of Young so far.

They brought in several new players in the summer while also keeping the bulk of a squad that have progressed year on year since reforming in 2022.

The Dolly Ladies completed the double in their first season back in competitive football in 2022/23 under Scott King, winning promotion from the LFA County League Division One North/West and the League Challenge Cup.

Paul Winstanley, now Morecambe Football Club’s first team physiotherapist, and Becky Upjohn - who remains at the club as assistant player-manager - guided the team to seventh and sixth placed finishes in the Championship in 2023/24 and 2024/25. 

This season, they are top of the table, having won seven and drawn one of their eight games.

They have scored 46 goals across the eight games - with captain Kayleigh Young scoring 15 and fellow long-serving Dolly Lady Jody Campbell finding the net nine times.

A highlight of the season so far will undoubtedly be a 14-1 over Radcliffe Women, which came a week after a 7-0 away win at Chipping.

The team haven’t played at the end of November due to poor weather conditions, and this is sure to be an exciting yet challenging way to return to action.

The Dolly Ladies have defeated Whinney Ladies 7-2 and Manchester Football League Premier Division side West Didsbury & Chorlton Women Reserves 1-0 to get to the final eight.

Kyle Young spoke to Beyond Radio in November about the visit of Wigan Athletic Women and said: “The draw came through and our attitude was ‘let’s go and challenge them’.

“I watched both games that the girls played against them last year and they will have changed the squad, no doubt about that, because they have gone up a level and they are a big club.

“They have got a good backing and we know what they’re about.

“We’ll train hard and just really enjoy the occasion, hopefully get a good crowd down and have a right good go.

“We would always rather be in a game where we are challenged but we will enjoy the moment.

“You just never know in cup football, it’s a crazy thing and you can be under-estimated like we were [in the last round].”

Lancaster City Ladies v Wigan Athletic Women in the quarter finals of the Lancashire FA Challenge Cup kicks off at Coronation Fields, Willow Lane (LA1 5TP) at 2pm on Sunday (January 18).