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\n Birmingham City head coach Amy Merricks says that the team will be fully-focused on bouncing back when they play host to Chatham Town in the fifth round of the Adobe Women\u2019s FA Cup on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n
Blues slipped to a 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace in their latest Barclays WSL2 fixture on Monday night. Birmingham City still have plenty of work to do if they are to seal a long-awaited return to the Barclays Women\u2019s Super League.<\/p>\n
Birmingham City have a good opportunity to return to winning ways against Chatham Town this weekend and head coach Merricks says that the team\u2019s focus is on producing a response.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a lot of disappointment and frustration in both the result and performance [against Crystal Palace] but that game is done now and what we have to concentrate on is responding,\u201d Merricks said when speaking in the pre-match press conference.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have real belief in this squad. I believe in the playing group, the staff group and I believe we have exactly what we need. Our objective doesn\u2019t change; we\u2019ve got to go back to basics and what we are good at. We are focused on that and making sure we deliver the DNA and the principles that we need to see in a Birmingham side.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs you\u2019d expect, we were frustrated but we are driven to respond and make sure we respond really well this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n
Latest opponents Chatham Town are semi-professional and play their football in the FA Women\u2019s National League Division One South East. Despite facing a lower-ranked opponent, Birmingham City boss Merricks says that the preparation remains the same.<\/p>\n
She said \u201cNo matter who we play, we do our homework. We are very diligent. I\u2019ve watched four of their games so far this season and they have a number of players that I have not only coached throughout my career, I\u2019ve also played with some of those players. I also know Keith Boanas really well. They used to be Gillingham and that\u2019s who I used to play and coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve done our homework, we\u2019ve done the work that we would usually do on any opposition and we take the game very seriously. We know we are going to have to earn the right in the performance, our approach doesn\u2019t change. For me, we need to respond within our performance but equally, we want to earn the right to get into the quarter-finals of the competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not taking them lightly at all. We know we have to be at our best and we want to be at our best. I have no doubt that they are focused on what they want to do but we are focused on what we want to do. We want to pull on our strengths in this game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victory will send Birmingham City into the quarter-finals. Merricks reiterated the fact that her side must first perform well and earn the right to reach the last-eight.<\/p>\n
She said \u201cIt\u2019d mean everything to the club but we have to do the work and earn the right. Our focus right now is on the performance that we put in.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve won this competition previously, we\u2019ve got great history in this competition. For us, we want to get as far as we can and speak about winning the competitions that we are in. That doesn\u2019t change and I have full belief in the squad, full belief in what we have and what we do. It\u2019s about getting the performance right and that\u2019s what we need to do on Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Birmingham City\u2019s Adobe Women\u2019s FA Cup fifth round tie against Chatham Town kicks-off at 5.15pm on Saturday evening. Tickets remain on-sale and can be purchased by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n About The Author<\/p>\n
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