McConville delighted to be back in the matchday squad after nearly five months on the sideline.
Peterborough United Women are set to return to action in the FA Women’s National League on Sunday afternoon (2pm), over 100 days since their last league fixture, as they welcome Long Eaton United Ladies to the Abbey Lawn, and although it has been a frustrating time with postponements in the early weeks of the New Year, manager Dan Lawlor has the opportunity to welcome back an old face to the squad after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Midfielder Stacey McConville will be available for this weekend’s visit from Long Eaton United Ladies, her first matchday since the 4-0 win over Wem Town Ladies in August, where she broke her arm in the early parts of the second half. This hasn’t been her first serious injury and has been out on the sidelines for numerous months over the last two seasons, but she’s excited to be back and ready to get going once again.
“I’m extremely excited to be back in the matchday squad this weekend,” McConville said. “I was gutted last week when the game got cancelled as I think that would’ve been a good game to come back into, however, this weekend is even more special as it’s at home and we are back in league action, so I’m just eager to get going now.
“It has been an extremely difficult journey. I’ve played very little football in the last two and a half years due to covid and injuries. I was only back for about four or five games after five months on the sidelines after doing the ligaments in my ankle before I broke my arm.
“I wasn’t even back fully fit when I did this injury, so it has been tough physically and mentally and that is still something I am battling with now. Hopefully, that’ll change when I’m back playing and getting plenty of minutes on the pitch.”
Following a magnificent run in the FA Cup, which saw Posh Women reach the third round, the attention turns completely on the league and will be looking to climb the table from eighth ahead of a busy second half of the season, and McConville is hoping to she can play a part in helping the team achieve their goal this season.
“We have such a long journey ahead of us as a team. I suppose I’ve been lucky not to miss plenty of league matches, with some fantastic runs in the cup. It’ll be nice to be a part of the league run we have coming up and contribute in anyway I can to help us finish as strongly as possible.
“It’s the second half of the season and it’s the most important part now. We have new players coming through the door and players returning from injury, which is increasing our strength in depth and that’s really important for us. We’ve been excellent over the past couple of months and that’s something we need to continue and that starts on Sunday. It’s a must-win game and those three points will be vital."
Tickets are priced at £4 for adults, £3 for seniors, £2 for under 18s, and free for under 12s. Supporters will be able to pay on the gate, with cash or card payments available.