We take to the Kingston grass for the first time in 2025 as our FA Cup campaign begins against the Championship side on Sunday.

Bompastor believes the Addicks – eighth in the second tier but only five points off top spot – will prove tough opposition for the Blues as we go in search of a 17th consecutive matches without defeat.

In her pre-match press conference, our head coach outlined how she was feeling in the build-up to the encounter, her first-ever in the dugout for an FA Cup clash.

‘Really excited,' Bompastor said ahead of her cup debut. 'I’ve heard a lot of good and positive things about the FA Cup in England. As a coach and a squad, we are all very excited to start this competition.

'We feel ready for the game on Sunday. We are again ready to face an opponent who are ready to give us a tough game.

'Charlton as a team have experience and have some physical strengths. So, we are ready for that and excited because we know how big the FA Cup is in England.

'It’s a trophy to win and this second part of the season is about that. We take it game by game and we put in all of the elements in each game to win competitions and titles.'

There will be no sense of complacency from Bompastor and her players going up against a side in the Championship. And, as ever, our head coach will play the strongest XI available to her and a team she believes will win us the game.

'I always look forward to putting out the strongest team I can,' Bompastor said. 'The players who are ready, the ones who were performing during the week in Portugal and now at Cobham, will be the ones who will be starting the game.'

Bompastor continued: 'Every game is a priority because every game can help bring a trophy for the club. I'm lucky enough to have a strong squad which makes me rotate players across all competitions and we can still be competitive.

'That's the most important thing. Now, starting the second part of the season, we have more competitions with the cup competitions, so we need to be ready for that with the players and the squad we have while also studying some opportunities in the transfer window.'

The Blues host Charlton with a 16-game unbeaten run to boast. Come Sunday evening, Bompastor and her side will be hoping that stands at 17. Yet to do so, she insists, they will have to perform to a high standard.

Our head coach believes her players have put themselves in good stead for doing just that following a five-day winter training camp in Portugal which saw the majority of our match-focused preparations take place.

'The main thing for us is to stay focused on our strengths and our squad to make sure we play the level we want to play,' Bompastor said. 'Making sure we execute our game model the best we can.

'It will be the first game in the second part of the season. It's a cup game and mentally that is always a different game. We need to be ready for that.

'We worked really hard in Portugal, so mentally and physically we are ready. We're ready to start the game with a lot of intensity.

'We're expecting Charlton to maybe have a low block and waiting to hit us on the transition. We've been working really hard, as I said, but also tactically we are prepared for that. Now on Sunday, it's time for us to show that instead of talking.'