 |
|
Sunday March 16, 2008; FA Cup Semi Final. Everton Ladies v. Leeds United Ladies Everton: D.Hill, B.Easton, L.Johnson, E.Westwood, R.Unitt, J.Scott (J.Potter 70), A.Kane, F.Williams, J.Handley, N.Dowie, M.Evans (T.Duggan 66). Leeds: C.Telford, N.Emmanuel, S.Bradley, J.Wright, A.Culvin (M.Sutcliffe 48), S.Smith, J.Moore (K.Holtham 48), S.Walton, S.Houghton, O.Thackray, A.Barr. Having ended Arsenal's domestic stranglehold by lifting the League Cup a few weeks earlier Everton Ladies would have been keen to win through to the FA Cup final and, in all likelihood, earn themselves another crack at The Gunners. Standing in their way at Southport's Haig Avenue were Leeds United Ladies who had made it through a tough draw in which they had twice needed penalties to progress. Everton started in positive fashion with Jody Handley sending over a wicked centre from the right which Carly Telford just got a hand to and when Rachel Unitt returned the ball from the left hand side the Leeds defence was at full stretch to clear. Everton quickly pressed again with Emily Westwood picking out Handley with a great crossfield ball and when the striker looked to burst into the box she was blatantly taken out by a crude challenge from Alex Culvin. Fara Williams stepped forward to take the penalty but sent in a feeble low effort that was parried by Telford. The ball bounced straight back to the penalty taker but her next effort was just as weak and Telford gathered gratefully. Had Everton scored at this stage it would have forced Leeds to come out and play a bit but as it was the underdogs were able to stick to their containing gameplan and the afternoon ended up being a long one. Leeds did manage the next attack and carved out their one truly clear chance of the game. Amanada Barr sent over a cracking centre which found Stephanie Houghton at the far post and she fed Olivia Thackray an inviting chance but the shot was high from seven yards out. Everton continued to do most of the probing but their efforts were mainly hopeful with the Leeds defence protecting Telford diligently. Williams failed to test Telford from distance on two occasions while Jill Scott and Michelle Evans were also off target from around the edge of the box. Everton might have been offered another chance from the penalty spot on two seperate occasions as Williams went down under challenges but the referee was content to let play continue. Westwood was forced into a superb headed clearance by a good centre from Sue Smith before Everton produced a sweeping move which punctured the Leeds defence. Lindsay Johnson's searching long ball released Evans whose first time centre picked out Natasha Dowie but her volley just cleared the crossbar. There was a flurry of activity with half time approaching which was instigated by the referees' ludicrous decision to penalise Telford for taking too long clearing her lines. If Telford had taken longer than six seconds it could only have been by a fraction of a second and it was a decsion the official would never have had the nerve to give if he had been refereeing men. The Leeds wall charged down the free kick to ensure justice was done and then survived when a neat flick by Dowie released Williams whose shot was again straight at Telford. The half ended with a booking for Culvin after she had taken out Williams by the touchline but Leeds had reached half time with the game goalless and their first objective had been achieved. Half Time: Everton Ladies 0 Leeds United Ladies 0 Fara Williams, despite not being at her best, remained at the heart of the action as the second half got under way. Having made room for herself on the edge of the box with some lovely footwork the midfielder then dragged her left footed shot wide of the post and was then fractionally wide with a free kick awarded after a foul on Michelle Evans. Leeds took the unusual step of making a double substitution just a couple of minutes into the second half with Mel Sutcliffe and Katie Holtham replacing Culvin and Jade Moore and this change did inspire an improvement in their play. Houghton was wide of the mark from twenty yards as Holtham began to help Leeds towards parity in midfield. Goalmouth incidents became even more infrequent as the second half progressed and the introduction of Toni Duggan and Jo Potter by Everton did nothing to break the increasing stalemate. Amy Kane produced a neat sidestep twenty five yards out but then fired her shot over the angle before Lindsay Johnson was forced into a last ditch clearance after Danielle Hill just beat Barr to a through ball but could not clear properly. As the minutes drifted by without incident the most interesting aspect of the game was the increasingly erratic performance of the referee. Of his many dubious decisions, which affected both sides equally, his most bizarre was awarding Everton a throw in from his position in the centre of the pitch even though his linesman had not flagged. Finally, with the game entering the last five minutes of normal time, a sense of urgency returned to the play and it was Everton looking to snatch victory. The best move of the game was set in motion by Williams then carried on by Dowie and when Williams cleverly dummied on the edge of the area Jo Potter was suddenly face to face with Telford. Potter shot low towards the keepers' feet and Telford was able to get something on the ball which allowed Jess Wright to get back and clear. Another good move between Duggan and Dowie then gave Potter another shooting chance but from outside the box the effort was well off target. This sudden momentum was continued as Williams fed Dowie who showed a neat touch before forcing Telford into a low save and the last action of the ninety minutes saw Everton presented with another free kick in shooting range and Telford was alert to parry Potter's effort by the foot of her left hand post. Full Time: Everton Ladies 0 Leeds United Ladies 0 There was a fleeting chance for Everton at the start of extra time as the ball suddenly dropped at the feet of Natasha Dowie but the striker sent in a weak shot with Toni Duggan waiting forlornly in a better position. Other than this it seemed as though the first period of overtime would pass without incident until Leeds mounted a sudden attack as half time approached. The ball was slipped back to Holtham from near the goalline and her rifled drive was arrowing for the top corner until Hill flung herself full length to pull off a dramatic save. Leeds quickly attacked again but Houghton's volley presented Hill with a less demanding save. The second half of extra time saw Everton stepping up the pace in search of a winning goal. Jody Handley was the most dangerous attacking force and one of several forceful runs saw her cutting in from the left to fire a low drive for the far post which was brilliantly turned away by Telford who could only have seen the ball late as it flew through a crowd of legs. Jo Potter then set off on a determined run of her own and, having forced her way to the byeline she clipped over a wonderful cross that was begging to be finished at point blank range but Nicole Emmanuel lunged in to make a goal saving clearance in front of Amy Kane. The last chance to settle the tie without the need for penalties came when Rachel Unitt saw the ball rebound into her path having flicked on a free kick but the full backs' snap shot fizzed wide and the deadlock remained unbroken. And so to penalties and the standard of spot kicks was remarkably good. Out of the ten taken only one attempt was potentially savable and that was Unitt's. She drilled her effort hard and low but close to Telford who was unlucky to see the ball pass beneath her dive. Unfortunately for Everton, however, Fara Williams's penalty was only unsavable because it flew about five yards over the crossbar and after five perfect spot kicks of their own Leeds had booked their place in the final. For the record Emmanuel, Sophie Walton, Barr, Holtham and Sue Smith were the clinical takers for Leeds while Dowie, Kane and Handley also fired home without fuss for Everton. Ultimately then it was Football England Favourite Fara Williams who was the villain of the piece for Everton after missing penalties in normal time and in the shootout. Not a day Fara will want to remember for too long but there is little doubt that she will bounce back from the disappointment, perhaps she might start putting this game behind her when England meet the Czech Republic on Thursday night. There was a slight irony in the fact that it was Sue Smith who sealed victory for Leeds by slipping her penalty into the wall of the Everton net as the BBC will now have to find somebody else to sit next to Gavin Peacock for the final. No doubt Everton's Jo Potter and Rachel Brown will be hoping for a call up. Full Time (aet): Everton Ladies 0 Leeds United Ladies 0 Leeds won 5-4 on penalties. Star Player: Carly Telford I was going to give it Lindsay Johnson again but I would have been in danger of being accused of favouritism. Johnson was superb alongside the equally impressive Emily Westwood in the heart of the Everton defence while Jess Wright put in a similarly commanding performance for Leeds.
|
