JEMMA PURFIELD made history at 16 when she became the youngest person to play in the WSL for Doncaster Rovers Belles in 2013.
And now the Bristol City ace wants to make her mark again by helping the Robins win their first League Cup against Chelsea.
Jemma Purfield wants Bristol City to ‘rise to the occasion’ against Chelsea in the Conti Cup finalCredit: Rex Features
It is a contest that will see the Twerton Park side – second from bottom in the top tier – take on a Blues outfit who have lost just once in the league this term.
And Purfield, 24, thinks Chelsea’s surprise loss to the Seagulls proves an upset is not impossible.
Purfield told SunSport: “Brighton showed that anything can happen if you’ve got the right game plan, you are all on the same page and the work rate and communications are there.
“It’s been a good lesson to us to let us know that whatever happens it’s going to be an occasion
“And we’re going to rise to the occasion, hopefully, and make it an exciting game for the viewers and hopefully go on to win the trophy.”
Purfield, who moved to the Robins in July 2020 after spending the previous season at Liverpool, is looking forward to locking horns with her old Doncaster team-mate Millie Bright.
The Chelsea vice-captain was on the pitch on the day the Yorkshire-born full-back who started made her Women’s Super League debut.
Purfield added: “I went to train with Doncaster when I was 15. And they said, ‘as soon as you turn 16, do you want to sign a contract and play for us?’.
Purfield hopes Bristol can make history by winning their first league cup trophyCredit: Rex Features
“It was a great experience for me as the team had a lot of big characters.
“Back then I was playing with people like Millie Bright – who I will play against on Sunday – and Sue Smith who is a legend of the game for England.
“Although women’s senior football wasn’t full-time professional at the time it was still a big step up.”
Purfield, who played university football in the USA from 2015 to 2018, has been taking inspiration from her favourite cup final upsets ahead of Bristol’s clash with Chelsea.
And the Robins ace regards Everton’s dramatic Women’s FA Cup win against Arsenal in 2010 as one of the best matches she has ever seen.
In that encounter the Gunners were stunned by a last minute extra-time winner netted by Natasha Dowie.
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Purfield and her team-mates will take on Man City after their clash with ChelseaCredit: Represented by ZUMA Press, Inc.
Purfield said: “I went to the Everton and Arsenal cup final and it ended up a 3-2 win for Everton.
“I remember Natasha Dowie scoring a couple of goals in that and I thought she was a brilliant player.
“I think with cup finals in general anything can happen. That’s what we are living for on Sunday. We’re the underdogs.”.
If given the choice between a Conti trophy win and Bristol staying in the top flight, Purfield reckons it would be a tough decision to make with league survival being vital.
Purfield is taking inspiration from Natasha Dowie’s performance during Everton’s 2010 Women’s FA Cup win against ArsenalCredit: PA:Empics Sport
The Bristol City star added: “Staying in league is obviously vital as that’s the week-in, week-out stuff that we get to do.
“Cup finals are once in a lifetime or you might get to play a few if you’re lucky.
“They don’t come around often so that’s a tough one.
“But we definitely do not want to be relegated and we’ll fight for everything.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
