Dalton’s dream teams: Simply the best

Part two of Sent Her Forward’s look back at the players who have most impressed and made me smile in best part of six years of reporting on women’s football

Deanna Cooper (centre) and Jay Blackie (right), two of the finest footballers I’ve seen, make both my first XIs (Photo: Kevin Richards)

I must have seen at least a dozen of those who took part in this summer’s Women’s World Cup in live club games.

Yet my selections for my Best Ever Team represent a footballing universe far broader than the game’s top global competition – or even just the Women’s Super League.

Wasps’ FA Cup showdown with Arsenal highlights gulf in women’s game

Part two of Sent Her Forward’s preview of women’s football’s big day out in Crawley

Faye Rabson (left) has been a regular scorer for Wasps over the years but now shares the goals with the likes of Sian Heather (Photo: Ben Davidson)

When Crawley Wasps entered this season’s Women’s FA Cup competition, thoughts were on a little run that would perhaps get their name more widely known as they continued their remarkable journey towards the big time.

Wasps prefer home comforts to cash bonanza for Arsenal tie

Part one of an in-depth look at preparations for a massive day for women’s football in Sussex

Parking at Oakwood FC is limited

Crawley Wasps have rejected the chance to cash in on the biggest day in their history by making their Women’s FA Cup tie against Arsenal a potential money-spinner at Crawley Town after players and officials insisted they wanted to take on the Super League giants on their own turf.

Pompey star Hillier bows out with ultimate club accolade

Hillier led Portsmouth Ladies in their first ever game at Fratton Park in December 2013 (Photo: Jordan Hampton)

For a footballer who means so much to a club, Gemma Hillier’s retirement from Portsmouth, the team she has represented for more than 17 years, was a rather ill-fitting anti-climax.

Powell relishes return to football after recovering that sparkle

Ambition mission: Hope Powell wants to manage Brighton in WSL 1 (Photo: Sent Her Forward)

Hope Powell has seen it all before. As England manager for what now seems an unimaginable 15 years, she led the country she once played for to unprecedented heights, twice winning the Cyprus Cup but more significantly, reaching the European Championship final and the World Cup quarter-finals twice, all while helping to knock the neglected England Women’s set-up into shape.

Brighton targeting Super League 1 licence – Hope Powell

Hope Powell is aiming for the top tier of English women’s club football after a successful career as England manager (Photo: Sent Her Forward)

Brighton are targeting WSL 1 football next season before their maiden Super League campaign has really got going.

And it may not be their on-field performances that get them there.

Sussex County League backs down over results

Youth team results are back little more than a week after they were banned from Full-Time

The Sussex County League has reversed its decision to ban the publication of youth-team results on the official FA website after a wave of protests from club officials and players.