Arsenal Ladies 2-0 Bristol Academy By Kev Monks
Arsenal won the Women''s FA Cup Final with a 2-0 victory over Bristol Academy.
The final of a competition which saw both finalists who play their football in the breakaway league that is the Women''s Super League, not come in until the quarter-final stage, when sides like Coventry City Ladies had already exited the competition.
All four stands at the Ricoh Arena were in use for this match of which around 5,000 tickets were distributed free of charge to local clubs etc. Bristol, who had drawn 2-2 with The Gunners nine days ago, had the opening corner before Arsenal took a stronghold winning three corners and then taking a 19th minute lead when Kim Little did well to create space on the edge of the area and score with a low drive.
A cracking run by the excellent Ellen White saw her unselfishly cross for Fleeting who had a 23rd minute shot blocked. Julie Fleeting hit the bar just after the half hour mark and a Chamberlain save was scrambled away for an Arsenal throw.
When the throw came in, Fleeting dived to head Arsenal, managed by former Coventry City Ladies youngster Laura Harvey, into a two goal lead. Arsenal who only beat Coventry City Ladies 1-0 in a friendly back in October, controlled the play, only allowing Bristol a 67th minute free kick which Bleazard struck onto the Jewson Stand cross bar.
A 71st minute pitch invasion by a lone individual from Block 28 of the CT Stand momentarily took the focus away from a tight game as did the obligatory Mexican wave, whillst the brought in tannoy announcer carried on reading his newspaper suppliment.
Chamberlain made a wonderful save with ten minutes to go of a game that was not played with the passion and desire that one expects from league women's football and took a good catch in stoppage time to ensure that favourites Arsenal won the Womens FA Cup by one two goals to nil.
Teams:
Arsenal: Byrne, Houghton, Flaherty, Grant, Nobbs, White, Fleeting (Beattie 79), Yankey (Carter 90), Little, Chapman, Fahey, Subs Tracy, Spencer, Coombs.
Bristol Academy: Chamberlain, Yorston, McCatty, Bleazard, Daley, Heatherson (Green 84), Fishlock (Bilson 46) , Dykes, Hoogendijk, Culvin (Clark 67), Rose Subs Windell, Jones.
Referee- Sian Massey (Coventry)
Goals Kim Little (19), Julie Fleeting (32)
HT Arsenal 2 Bristol 0
FT Arsenal 2 Bristol 0
Att 13,825
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM
Covsupport News Service's coverage of Coventry City Ladies will continue next season.