AFC Women Manager Scott Booth previewed Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie against Montrose at the Balmoral Stadium on Friday afternoon.
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The winter break
“The break came at the right time. It gave the players a chance to switch off a little and spend some time with their families, which is important after a demanding period. That said, they have still been training through the break to a degree, which has also been important, especially with the challenges we have had from the snow and ice since coming back.
“In that sense, we have managed things quite well. We have been able to get into the Sports Village, which helped us keep training. In a strange way, the weather has almost worked in our favour because school closures meant a number of players who are involved with schools have been available for afternoon sessions. That meant we had good numbers at training, pretty much a full compliment of players, which has been a positive.
Recruitment
“In terms of the squad, we are always looking to strengthen. We brought a number of players in over the summer, but that process never really stops. There are always situations where contracts are coming to an end or players may be looking elsewhere, so you have to think ahead and be prepared to add again if the opportunity is there.
The challenge of Montrose
“Every game against Montrose is a big game, and adding the fact it’s the Scottish Cup into the mix makes it even bigger.
“It is a good fixture to start the second half of the season with, especially given how the league game played out earlier in the season. That was a frustrating day because I do not think we were at our best, but I also do not think we deserved to lose. Montrose pose a very specific set of challenges and the players now fully understand what they are going to face on Sunday and what they need to do to deal with it.
“We can still take a lot from that previous game. Last season we had a squad that knew exactly what those challenges of playing Montrose looked like, but with the changes we made in the summer, some players experienced that for the first time. They have now had the experience of both winning and losing in those types of games, so we expect them not to be taken by surprise and to be ready for what is coming.
The second half of 2025/26
“For the rest of the season, success for me comes down to two main things. The first is consistency. We have shown in spells that we can do some really good things, but we need to reduce the periods where we drop below the level we know we are capable of. The second is cutting out individual errors. If you look back at our games, a number of very close losses have been decided by those moments. That is something we all have to take responsibility for as a group.
“We have shown against top half teams that we can compete. It may still be a big ask for us to consistently win those games at this stage, especially against full-time sides, but if you compare this season to last season, those matches are much closer on a far more regular basis. That shows progress, even though we know there is still a lot of work to do.
The home support
“The crowd at the Rangers game was really encouraging for us. It’s brilliant we set a new record attendance. I’m disappointed not to be able to reward that support with at least a point, especially as I felt we played well for large spells of the game. Having that many fans turn up makes a huge difference, and we will need them again on Sunday.
“We want to try to make the game a bit prettier than it normally is against them, because when we do that, it usually means we are more in the game. That takes nothing away from Montrose. They play a very clear style, they have players who suit it well, and they understand exactly why they play that way. Our job is to meet that challenge, but also to impose our own style and put our own imprint on the game.”
