Preview: Sunderland (H).

Bristol City are back home at Ashton Gate this weekend as they welcome Sunderland on Saturday, January 31st (5:15pm).

The Robins have made a positive start to 2026, and are currently unbeaten in the calendar year after away wins at Nottingham Forest and Southampton as well as a point on the road last weekend against Ipswich.

Despite the unbeaten run, City boss Charlotte Healy is hoping for more from her side Saturday night after a hard-fought point against The Tractor Girls last weekend.

She said: “We're disappointed with the performance at Ipswich, we didn't hit our levels, but we have to find more quality and more end product.

"Our levels have got to go up, we have to demand more from each other but the response from the girls this week has been really positive."

OUR OPPONENTS: SUNDERLAND

With the founding of the FA Women’s Super League for the 2010-2011 season, Sunderland were a part of the FA Women’s Premier League with the likes of Reading, Nottingham Forest and Watford, and were dominant during 2011 and 2014, winning this league three times.

Following a revamp of women’s football in 2014, Sunderland won the inaugural FA Women’s Super League 2 title.

This resulted in promotion to the top flight and the Black Cats made their presence felt, enjoying four successive seasons in the top tier where striker Beth Mead spearheaded the side with an unforgettable scoring record. 

Sunderland were eventually demoted from the WSL 1 to the third division after the Club’s bid to apply for the FA licence was rejected.

Long-serving Head Coach Mel Reay guided the Lasses to a solid 2023-24 season in WSL2 as they went within five points of returning to the top flight.

Formed: 1989
Stadium: Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground
Nickname: The Lasses
(Interim) Manager: Melanie Reay
Finish Last Season: 7th (Barclays Women’s Super League 2)

MATCH DETAILS

Where: Ashton Gate
When: Saturday, January 31st (5:15pm)
Competition: Barclays Women’s Super League 2

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Fabio Roque
Assistant Referee: Gareth Dunn
Assistant Referee: Jason Smith
Fourth Official: Harley Hetherington