'˜FANTASTIC' DRAW FORSUNDERLAND IN FA CUP

New signings Dominique Bruinenberg (left) and Anke Preuss happy in their new surroundings at the Stadium of Light. Picture: SAFC.

Carlton Fairweather’s side will take on the Lady Villans on Sunday March 21 at the Eppleton CW ground in Hetton.

The Lady Black Cats are currently a club in transition having announced their intention to go to a part-time model, having been mix of full-time professionals and part-times for the last two seasons.

So the head coach will be relieved his new-look side have avoided the big guns in the draw.

Not that Aston Villa will be easy given they are a good mid-table WSL2 side.

Villa won 1-0 at Coventry United in round four on Sunday.

The tie against the Villans will give Sunderland fans the opportunity to see new signings, Anke Preuss and Dominique Bruinenberg.

Both players have arrived on Wearside with good pedigrees and Fairweather says the club have pulled off two very shrewd pieces of business, especially with the WSL1 Spring Series getting under way in April.

German keeper Preuss played for Frankfurt while Dutch midfielder Bruinenberg has joined from Verona in Serie A.

Preuss, former Under 20 international, brings UEFA Women’s Champions League experience having won the competition in 2015 with Frankfurt.

Bruinenberg too has international experience for the Netherlands up to U19 level and also has played in the Champions League.

“The two new girls have settled in very well,” said Fairweather. “I’m very happy with them.

“It is a fantastic draw in the FA Cup.

“Aston Villa are a good side and very organised, they did well in WSL2 last season.

“We expect it to be a tough match but we are very much looking forward to it.”

Sunderland enjoyed a good run in the competition 12 months ago, beating Yeovil and Reading without conceding a goal to reach them last four.

But having got to within 90 minutes of Wembley, the wheels came off in the semi, losing 7-0 at Arsenal, who would go on to lift the cup.

FA Cup draw: Notts County Ladies v Yeovil Ladies; Liverpool Ladies v Everton Ladies; Arsenal Ladies v Tottenham Hotspur Ladies; Sunderland Ladies v Aston Villa Ladies; Birmingham Ladies v West Brom Women; Bristol Women v Millwall Lionesses; Man City Women v Reading Women; Chelsea Ladies v Doncaster Rovers Belles.