Mel Reay opens up on Sunderland's derby-day test, season so far and long-term goals

The clash with Durham Women at Eppleton will bring the unique demands of a derby game, one that Mel Reay says will be 'extra special' because of the strong links between the two playing squads.

It’s also a stern challenge given that Durham went close to promotion last year, and are the early pace-setters again in the Women's Championship.

Reay's side are very much in the early stages of a long-term journey and it was a message she was keen to stress this week.

“It'll be a tough game," she said.

"I think our aims for the season are very different in terms of the league.

"They're obviously looking for a promotion so they are coming looking to get three points.

"We'll try and make it as difficult as we can for them to do that. I think the pressure is on them, we're very much the underdogs coming into the league season and we'll give it a good go."

When Sunderland flew out of the blocks, seven points from three and top of the league at the first international break, Reay was eager to manage expectations.

This season is about consolidation and progress, a young squad taking their first steps in what for many is a new division.

There would, she insisted, be ups and downs along the way.

A first defeat at Bristol City last weekend underlined that, and the previous week there had been frustration within the Black Cats camp that they had not been able to offer more against Lewes.

But in both games the margins were fine, as they had been in the weeks previous.

"On any given day in this league, anyone can beat anyone and we've seen that from a lot of the results," she said.

"To have eight points from five, we're where we wanted to be if not better off, so we've set our objectives and in-house everyone knows them.

"One setback doesn't define who you are.

"There's a long way to go, a lot of points still to play for so we'll just take it one game at a time and make sure we can just keep climbing up the league."

Sunday's derby is set to be played in front of a bumper crowd and will mark the latest significant moment in Sunderland's return to the top tiers.

It's a reminder, too, of the importance of the long-term project when you consider some of the former Sunderland prospects in Durham's ranks.

Sunderland's RTC currently has eight youth internationals, with 16-year-old Grace Ede this week joining the first team.

The aim is to ensure that when these players reach senior football, they have the platform to realise their potential in a Sunderland shirt.

"We need to sustain ourselves at this level and then grow into a bigger team from there, and one that can push even higher," Reay said.

"That's so important for the pathway.

"It's important for the girls who are in the U8s now that in eight years time, they can maybe have a career in the game.

"That's our job now, to get the club into a better place so these opportunities are there when they're older."

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