Gunners date for Streetley

7:20am Friday 8th August 2008

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Braintree Town Ladies have secured a prestigious friendly against Premier League and FA Cup champions Arsenal.

The match, to be played on Sunday, will see the Iron take on an Arsenal side drawn from the club’s Senior and Academy squads.

Braintree manager David Streetley was pleased with the fixture.

He said: “It’s a game that has been set up with the backing of Arsenal first team manager Vic Akers, and for a team like Arsenal to offer to host the game shows the respect within the women’s game that Braintree Town Ladies are starting to establish.”

The game will be played at Queenswood School, Potters Bar, with a noon kick-off.

“We know its going to be extremely tough because the Arsenal squads are packed with full and junior international players, but an opportunity like this doesn’t come along very often and it will be a great experience for our young local squad to test themselves against some of the best players in Europe.”

The game is part of a challenging set of preseason games before the team begins its first season in the Eastern Region Women’s Football League this year.

The Iron Ladies, current Essex County Women’s League champions, kicked-off their pre-season on Sunday with a narrow 2-1 win over Eastern Region title favourites Hethersett Athletic.

Following the Arsenal game they entertain a Colchester United XI at Cressing Road on August 17 (2pm kick-off), before making the short trip to Chelmsford City (August 20, 7.15pm kick-off), with one final friendly on August 24 before they kick-off their Eastern Region campaign at home to AFC Kempston Rovers on Sunday, August 31 (2pm kick-off).

More information can be found on www.braintreetownladiesfc.co.uk