THE head coach of Bayside Ladies has welcomed the return of the Pars to the senior women's game as they prepare for their first competitive match of the season this weekend.

Ross Wortley believes that this season's SWFL (Scottish Women's Football League) North/East Division is going to be fiercely competitive as his team attempt to retain the title won last year.

Bayside won 12 of their 15 matches, losing just once, on their way to the league crown in 2021 in their first full season together, which also saw them go all the way to the SWFL Cup final, which they lost to Bishopton FC Ladies at Livingston's Tony Macaroni Arena.

On Sunday, they will make their first move to try to repeat that cup feat when they host Falkirk Development in their Group Two opener, but Wortley believes it will be a tough ask for his side to match last season's achievements.

That also includes winning the league, which kicks-off on March 27, but he told Press Sport that the inclusion of Dunfermline – who announced last month they had entered a team into the division for the 2022 season, having withdrawn from the SWF Championship North in October last year – was good for the game.

"Four more teams in the league is brilliant. To have 10 teams in the league is a good number," he said.

"Dunfermline, Stonehaven, Forfar and Alloa are all new teams, and it's good to generate that interest. Dunfermline brings the massive derby factor as well, so they should be good games to watch.

"Our preparation has been quite good. We lost a few players at the end of the season because of uni and work and things like that, which can't be helped. We've recruited a few, which is good, and it's a case of trying to bed them in.

"I've said to them that, although we won the league and got to the final of the cup, don't think it's going to be as easy this time. It wasn't easy, don't get me wrong, but we had momentum.

"All the teams have recruited well, and there are four teams we know nothing about. We'll have to work our backsides off to retain the title.

"It would be nice to defend our title, of course it will, but it will be a tough season, for everybody. I think there will be three or four teams in there fighting.

"I'll definitely be pushing them; they know themselves I'll be pushing them on."