West Women Preview | FC United of Manchester (H)

West Women v FC United of Manchester

• Sunday 30th August 2026
• 2pm kick-off
• NWWRL Premier Division, Matchday 5
• Brookburn Road, M21 8DP
  
• Admission
  • £4 Adults
  • £2 Concessions (16 and 17, over 60s)
  • Free for Under 16
• Free entry for West Season Ticket holders

At the midpoint of the August Bank Holiday weekend that also encompasses Manchester's Pride festival, West celebrate by welcoming FC United to Brookburn Road.

In midweek, a strong West performance condemned recently promoted Nantwich Town to only their 5th league loss since the start of the 2024/25 season. Our best football was arguably played in the first half, but squandered chances meant it was 0-0 at the break. A rocket from Ava Bushell broke the deadlock shortly after the restart, before Howarth eventually forced the ball home in a passage of play that could've otherwise ended in a West penalty. The Dabbers pulled one back with 10 to go with a well struck freekick, but it was a deserved second victory of the league season for West.

Sunday's visitors FC United of Manchester have quietly put together one of the better starts, currently sitting in third place. An emphatic opening day 8-2 win away at Poulton Vics was an eye-catching scoreline, but taking a point away at pre-season title favourites Mancunian Unity will have turned more heads. Bury FC gave a reality check with a 6-0, though a midweek home win over Darwen may have raised hopes for the self-styled Red Rebels again.

FC United have found their way out of this division twice: once via upwards movement post-pandemic, and once by winning the league in 2022/23, both resulting in relegation the season following. Until this campaign, they've come closer to exiting again to the tier below, and their 2024/25 second-bottom finish would have seen them drop in some other seasons. They improved to fourth bottom last time out, but their fast start may have them dreaming of former glories.

This will actually be the second time that FCUM have travelled to Chorlton over the course of the summer, as the teams met at the start of pre-season with West winning 4-1 on Hardy Farm. There are very few teams that West have played as often as Sunday's visitors since forming in 2017. Excluding friendlies, the two sides have met 13 times over the decade. FCUM came out on top on each of the first 10 of those encounters, but West remain unbeaten in the last three. Two of those were memorable wins at Broadhurst Park, and the most recent league meeting was a 1-1 draw at Brookburn that coincidentally took place during last year's August Bank Holiday.

West therefore are still without a competitive win on home turf against FCUM, and we hope to see you there on Sunday as we aim to put that right.

Other points to note

• Our exclusive scarf and badge set - included in Season Ticket & Membership packages for the 2026/27 season - will be available for collection at this match from the main entrance.
• All West Women's home matches are included as part of our season ticket offering - season tickets and memberships remain on sale HERE.