Glen Harris has warned his squad that last season’s comfortable wins over London Bees will have no bearing on this weekend’s FA Cup third round clash.
Belles welcome the Bees to the Keepmoat Stadium on Saturday (6.30pm) in a curtain-raiser to the 2015 season - Harris’s first competitive game in charge since taking over from Gordon Staniforth.
Doncaster won 9-0 at London on the final day of last season and also eased to a 7-0 victory in the reverse fixture.
However, Harris says it is vital that his team erase those games from their memory and approach the tie in the right manner.
“One thing we need to be clear about, and we’ve stressed this to the players, is that the 9-0 win last season has nothing to do with this game on Saturday,” said Harris.
“This is a new season and a new beginning.
“That’s what they’ll be saying at Bees and it’s what we’re saying here at Belles.
“We just need to manage that and make sure the mindset is positive.
“I’m sure it will be. It’s the FA Cup and everybody will be up for that.
“It’s the first competitive game of the season so hopefully we’ll have everyone focused and we’ll get the right result.”
Midfielder Sophie Barker is in line to make her Doncaster debut after leaving Sheffield FC to be reunited with Harris, who she played under at Lincoln.
“The aim has got to be promotion, that’s one of the massive things I came here to do,” she said.
“The Belles just missed out last season but hopefully I can be that key player in the team and help push on and get promotion this time round.”
Belles have also signed midfielder Emily Roberts on loan from Notts County for the 2015 season.
Doncaster will start their FAWSL2 season at home to Durham on Thursday, March 19. They will end the campaign at home too, with Millwall the visitors on October 18.
Tickets for Saturday are priced £5 adults, £1 concessions.