The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
BUCHAN LOOK BACK ON MIXED CAMPAIGN
Buchan Ladies coach Mark Forbes believes they proved they can give any team “a good game” but admits they struggled for consistency in SWF Championship North.
It wasn’t an ideal start to the season as Buchan lost the first four games of the campaign, but a 9-0 win against Dundee City West in October boosted their prospects.
That victory was one of three on the bounce, including an impressive 4-1 win against East Fife – who eventually finished in second and are in the running for promotion to SWPL 2.
Buchan finished the season with seven wins, and despite a tough run of defeats at the end of the campaign the Peterhead outfit finished Championship North in fifth place.
A win against East Fife proved they can compete against some of the best teams in the league, but Forbes admits it’s difficult to maintain that standard without squad depth.
The Peterhead outfit struggled with availability due to other commitments and injuries, which affected showings in the league.
“It’s been a hard season, coming back from Covid and lockdown. Fitness wasn’t what it was and players were picking up niggling injuries,” he explained.
“On our day, if everyone is available, we can give any team a good game. But consistency is the thing you need at this level.
“And we can’t really attract players like some of the rest of the teams in the league. We rely on local players looking for a team or young ones coming through the ranks.”
Scottish women’s football will look different next season with SWPL teams moving under the SPFL banner, while the SWF Championship looks set to change.
The SWF Championship is split into two regional leagues, North and South, with the North section including teams from as north as Inverness and down to Fife.
Forbes said: “If it was to go to a national league, rather than regional, it’s going to be a big strain on clubs like us.
“You’d be looking at trips down to Glasgow and Edinburgh every second weekend. I don’t know how that would go because it’s obviously more costly.”