The Isle of Man national women’s football team will play their first match of the calendar year this coming Saturday.

The team will travel off island to play Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium, a match which forms as part of the side’s preparations for this year’s Island Games which take place in Orkney later this summer.

These two teams met at the same venue two years ago in a game that finished in a 1-1 draw. The Manx outfit will be looking to maintain their momentum following on from their success in the Cherry Godfrey Cup last year.

One person who is unavailable this weekend is manager Wayne Lisy who will miss his first game in charge.

As a result of this, his coaching staff and trusted lieutenants Ruairi Mooney and Dylan Birks will take charge of the team for the first time in his absence.

Making their Isle of Man debuts will be teenagers Rosabel Cardy and Pippa Wallis, while Lydia Shaw and Sarah O’Reilly make welcome returns back in to the island fold.

The 17 players who are making the trip to the Lancashire club have all been named in the squad travelling to Orkney this summer.

Kick off is 2.30pm at the Wham Stadium.

Squad: Kayleigh Greggor, Caitlyn Beaty, Sarah O’Reilly, Shannon Groves, Becky Corkish, Tia Lisy, Stevie Mallon, Anna Shaw, Lydia Shaw, Lisa Costain, Louise Gibbins, Holly Stephen, Rosabel Cardy, Holly Sumner, Millie Dawson, Rebecca Cole, Pippa Wallis.

A report from the match will appear in next week’s Isle of Man Examiner, on sale Tuesday morning.

- The Island Games take place in the Scottish archipelago between July 12-18.

The Isle of Man women’s team have been drawn in a group involving hosts Orkney, Maltese island Gozo and Norwegians Froya.

PAUL HATTON