Fresh from an incredibly positive 2024 and a Christmas break, Bolton Wanderers Women return to action when facing Workington Town away on Sunday afternoon.
It's a long trip to Cumbria for Myles Smith's side to open up 2025, with the Whites wanting to continue their perfect league record of 11 consecutive victories at the Fibrus Community Stadium this weekend.
Wanderers finished last year away at fellow promotion contenders Accrington Stanley, running out 5-2 winners to cement their place at the top of the table (available here) - with Faye Knox, Eboni Bradshaw, Caitlin Clarke, Katie Holt and Neishai Gordon all getting on the scoresheet in Lancashire.
But as alluded to by Whites' boss Myles Smith in his pre-match preview on Wanderers TV this week - click here for full interview - Wanderers need to remain focused if they are to start 2025 in the same manner in which they finished the previous year.
"Stepping into this new project and getting 11 wins from 11 - there's no doubting we're extremely happy with where we're at and the progress we've made on and off-the-field in 2024, but we're only at the halfway mark," the Wanderers Women boss said.
"We have to keep reminding the players of that. They have come back in after the Christmas break and they have been brilliant, to be honest. The break has been positive for everybody and a chance for us to recharge and refresh - and that's what the squad look like at the moment - refreshed.
"We blew the cobwebs out in the first couple of sessions and everyone is in really good spirits. Credit must go to the players for the way they have repaid the trust that we put in them and gone away and done the right things in the break.
"But looking at Workington, they have changed a lot since we faced them on the opening day of the season. Paul (Mackenzie - manager) has done a great job with them and you only have to look at their recent results to see that.
"They've drawn with Preston and just lost out to Accrington whilst scoring lots of goals, so they need respect. It's a tough place to go and we have to make sure we are focused and ready to go.
"We have confidence in what we do and we'll have our game plan, but in any game of football you don't get given points - you have to work for them - and the team have to do that this Sunday."
Town come into this fixture against the Whites in 5th place, with six wins from their opening 13 games and on an impressive three-game unbeaten run - having comfortably defeated both Blackpool and Radcliffe in December.
In their last outing, they secured a battling draw against Preston North End, with Beatrix Barber's 84th minute equaliser earning them a well-deserved point on home soil.
Wanderers ran out 6-0 winners on the opening weekend of the season at the Dreams2Reality Stadium, but know that Workington will provide a sterner test on Sunday afternoon - in what could be challenging weather conditions - and go in search of ruining the Whites' winning run in the Division One North.
Match Information
Date: Sunday 5th January
Kick-Off: 2pm
Location: Fibrus Community Stadium, Workington, CA14 2HG.
Tickets: Cash donation on entry into stadium
Programme: £2
Food/drink: Available in-ground
Match updates: Available across BWFC Women's Social Media Channels