BURNLEY-born goalkeeper Rachel Brown will be hoping to earn a starting place in England’s first match of the Women’s World Cup tonight.

Brown, who started her career with Accrington Stanley Ladies and now plays for Everton, was a regular starter in the England team that progressed to the Euro 2009 final two years ago.

But the 30-year-old now faces serious competition from fellow keepers Karen Bardsley and Siobhan Chamberlain, and will wait to see who manager Hope Powell selects for England’s opening game in Group B against Mexico in the German city of Wolfsburg at 5pm.

Brown was close to missing out on the tournament altogether after a season of injury worries.

And the lifelong Burnley fan could also have been ruled out of the first three matches of the because of suspension after being controversially sent off in the game that saw England qualify for the tournament. Brown was dismissed for pulling striker Ramona Bachmann’s hair in England’s 3-2 play-off win over Switzerland in September.

But the ban was overturned after video evidence showed she had done little wrong, with Bachmann later apologising for going to ground too easily. Brown has 73 England caps to her name and has already been part of her country’s squad for the European Championships in 2001, 2005 and 2009 as well as the 2007 World Cup.

She helped England to the final of Euro 2009, when they were beaten 6-2 by Germany – the hosts of this summer’s World Cup.