Following their summer break, the Imps started their season preparations on the 3G pitch at the LNER Stadium on Tuesday evening, with Mitchell impressed with the player’s attitude to the session. 

He said: "These girls love playing for Lincoln and they love football, so it’s not difficult to get them up for it. When the season is over it’s nice to finish, but it’s not long before you’re wanting to get back and these players are no different. 

"Some of them were ready for time off, and some were gutted we were having so much time off. But everybody’s back, smiling, ready to go, and you can see the tempo – it’s brilliant."

Mitchell is also enthusiastic about his side's prospects following a five-game unbeaten run to close out the 22/23 season.

He added: "We want to test ourselves. We’re looking forward to that because that’s where you can try things and test things out for the season. 

"The good thing is that they’ve already got that installed in them because of last season, and the way we finished the season was very competitive – I think we were five unbeaten against some good sides. 

"I know we’ve got a good squad, and I know the players are excited about this season, but it’s going to be competitive. 

"No season is the same, Donny (Belles) have moved into the North, new teams have come down, and teams have come up, so you don’t know what you’re going to get. 

"It will be one game at a time, and it all starts with the pre-season games and building confidence in what we want to do this season."

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