SAINTS Women face a Championship audition when they host Bristol City in the FA Cup on Sunday – with star Ella Pusey admitting the Robins are “opposition where we really want to be”.

Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side will be running out at St Mary’s for only the second ever time with the former Women’s Super League side their opponents in the fourth round.

Bristol City were only relegated from the top-flight at the end of the last campaign and are sitting sixth in the 12-team second division this season.

Pusey and her Saints teammates have Championship ambitions of their own and could go top of the National League, if they were to win three of their four games in hand on leaders Ipswich.

Daily Echo: Ella Pusey, 21, is recorded by Saints as having scored 14 goals in 12 matches this season (Pic: Southampton FC)Ella Pusey, 21, is recorded by Saints as having scored 14 goals in 12 matches this season (Pic: Southampton FC)

Saints Women’s all-time top goalscorer Pusey has been honest in her preview of the tough cup clash, telling the Daily Echo: “It’s one that we’re looking forward to.

“Getting to test ourselves against opposition where we really want to be to be honest.

“We will see where we can match ourselves against them, see what we’re good at and see what we’re not so good at it. It’s a challenge.”

She continued: “These are the kind of games you dream about, playing in the FA Cup is a great experience and we can’t wait to get a big crowd there.

“Like I said, to test ourselves against great opposition and to see where we can put ourselves.

“We will set out to play how we normally do, that has brought us success in the past and I think if we go into it and give it everything we have got I don’t see why we can’t come out with a good result at the end.”

Saints go into the match off the back of an 8-0 victory over Chichester & Selsey, with help from a Sophia Pharoah hattrick.

It was the fifth time this season Spacey-Cale’s side have won by five goals or more in the National League.

Although Pusey did not feature herself last night, she revealed that the head coach keeps onto her side about being “ruthless,” and transitioning from big victories into tougher tests.

“Marieanne goes on about it in training and how we prepare, we just want to be as ruthless as we can,” Pusey admitted.

Daily Echo: Marieanne Spacey-Cale (Pic: Southampton FC/Virgin Media))Marieanne Spacey-Cale (Pic: Southampton FC/Virgin Media))

“The defence, not conceding. In front of goal, whether that’s assisting or being ruthless in the final third we just have to be at our best and keep our standards as high as we can.

“The result will then take care of itself.”

Most importantly for Saints, it will be another chance to showcase the development of the Women’s side in front of what they will hope will be a bumper crowd.

Pusey is clear about the importance of this visibility.

She added: “When I was a youngster, it wasn’t really very big or spoken about.

Daily Echo: Ella Pusey will hope for a goalscoring return after missing out midweek (Pic: Southampton FC)Ella Pusey will hope for a goalscoring return after missing out midweek (Pic: Southampton FC)

“I remember being the only girl in many boy’s teams for many years.

“Now, it’s great to see that there is loads of girls playing,” Pusey added, smiling.

“There’s loads of girl's teams and leagues and stuff like that. I think the women’s game is definitely growing and it is great to be a part of that in Southampton and everywhere.

“We just want to keep growing it and growing it, progressing with getting the games on TV and getting more people involved.”

The FA Cup fourth round clash between Saints and Bristol City will kick off at 1PM on Sunday, January 30.