Sunday December 2, 2007; National Premier League

Everton Ladies 0 Arsenal Ladies 2

Everton: R.Brown, B.Easton (T.Duggan 87), L.Johnson, F.Whelan, R.Unitt, E.Westwood, F.Williams (A.Kane 25), J.Scott, J.Handley, N.Dowie (J.Potter 73), M.Evans.

Arsenal: E.Byrne, A.Scott, F.White, A.Asante, M.Phillip, K.Chapman, J.Ludlow (C.Grant 80), L.Sanderson, K.Carney, J.Fleeting, R.Yankey.

Once again this fixture, which looked mouth watering beforehand, failed to live up to expectations and was mainly a disappointing, somewhat tepid affair.

There were mitigating factors for this. Arsenal were without Kelly Smith from the start, Everton lost Fara Williams through injury midway through the first half just as they were suggesting they might trouble Arsenal and the conditions were awful with a fierce wind and driving rain making things extremely difficult for the players.

Yet it was still hard not to feel that the teams, particularly Everton, could have done more to make this game a spectacle. Given that Arsenal were without Smith you would have expected the home side to try and sieze the initiative from the start but instead Everton were tenatative in the extreme in the first half and although they roused themselves more consistently after half time they only really threatened from set pieces.

In open play the seemingly obligatory 4-3-3 formation barely ever posed the formidable Arsenal rearguard a problem. Natasha Dowie fought bravely to hold the ball up against Anita Asante and Faye White but patently had neither the strength nor the speed to unsettle her markers while Jody Handley and Michelle Evans barely caused the Arsenal full backs to break sweat.

When Mo Marley eventually replaced Dowie with Jo Potter and sent Handley inside to plough a lone furrow up the middle it was hard to see how this was going to make any difference to the overall scheme of things.

Perhaps it says in the current coaches' handbook that you will drop dead if you ever switch to 4-4-2 but surely it is sometimes worth changing things around and doing something different to unsettle a defence that is firmly in the comfort zone.

At the other end Arsenal were able to create far better attacking situations than Everton but were unusually sluggish in exploiting these which meant that neither goalkeeper found too much to tax them.

Ironically, given that the only real pressure Everton managed to create was from a series of second half corners, the game was settled in Arsenal's favour by two set pieces at the other end.

The first half was lacklustre in the extreme. Karen Carney and Rachel Yankey looked lively for the first few minutes but then quickly became peripheral.

For ten minutes Arsenal probed with Everton, playing against the wind, content to sit back and absorb pressure. Lianne Sanderson swung over a dangerous free kick that was well defended by Rachel Unitt under pressure from Jayne Ludlow, Carney cut inside from the left to shoot high and wide of the far post and it needed a saving challenge from Lindsay Johnson to stop Julie Fleeting from going clear.

It was ten minutes before Everton even hinted at a threat and they seemed unlucky to be halted by an offside flag as Becky Easton played Dowie into space through the middle.

The centre of the Everton defence was showing itself to be alert as both Johnson and Fern Whelan produced a series of blocks and interceptions to stifle the Arsenal attack and as Emily Westwood, Jill Scott and Fara Williams finally began getting to grips with the midfield battle it was the home side beginning to put together a few neat moves as we reached the midway point of the first half.

Just as they were appearing to get into their stride, however, Everton suffered a crushing blow as Ludlow launched a crunching tackle on Williams who was unable to carry on after treatment.

The challenge was of the old fashioned variety and looked fair enough to most onlookers although the referee did award a free kick.

Everton sent on Amy Kane to replace Williams but there was no escaping the suspicion that their hopes of getting anything from the game had probably received a terminal blow.

Things looked even bleaker for the Blues minutes later when Johnson produced another vital interception to prevent Sanderson putting Fleeting away but then stayed down holding her back.

Johnson would carry on despite this and other niggles sustained during the game to give an outstanding performance not only in subduing the Arsenal attack but also gamely trying to inspire her own side onto the attack.

Arsenal began to probe again with Katie Chapman firing well off target from distance before a good move saw Fleeting release Carney down the left and her cross looked inviting for Ludlow but she could only head wide of the target under pressure from Unitt.

The Welsh midfielder then had another decent chance. With the Everton defence stretched Johnson made a fine challenge to stop Fleeting but the loose ball ran stright to Ludlow inside the box to the right of goal. From this highly promising position her shot did not have the power to beat Rachel Brown who saved comfortably down to her right.

Everton lifted the pressure with an attack down the right which ended with Handley forcing a corner from which Jill Scott rose highest to head narrowly wide of the far post.

Arsenal responded again and Ludlow had another chance when Sanderson's free kick picked her out in front of goal but the header was straight at Brown who would have had little chance of saving had the effort been a yard either side.

Half Time: Everton Ladies 0 Arsenal Ladies 0

It was hard to imagine the second half being as tame as the first and the game did get better and more entertaining after the break. Chances were still hard to come by, however, as the central defenders on both sides held sway.

Everton made a more positive start to the second half with Emily Westwood dictating play for a period and the rangy, perpetual motion of Jill Scott becoming more of an influence.

Scott managed to squeeze a ball through to Dowie who had Handley in space to her right but the forward did not see the pass and was crowded out. Then Westwood strode forward to try her luck from 30 yards and was not far away. Next it was Scott trying her luck from slightly closer range and it needed a full length save from Emma Byrne to keep the effort out.

From the corner Michelle Evans came across to send in a wicked inswinger which Rachel Unitt was inches from meeting at close range.

Evans then produced a magnificent crossfield ball to send Handley clear down the right but Asante was there to block Dowie's effort when the cross came into the near post. This led to another Everton corner which Evans swung underneath the crossbar and Byrne was at full stretch to tip the ball behind.

Arsenal were having to soak up pressure for the first time but when they then came forward to win a corner of their own it was Everton's turn to feel the heat.

Arsenal took a short corner to the unmarked Alex Scott and her deep centre found the head of Faye White whose goalbound header was diverted wide by Johnson.

Rachel Yankey sent the resulting corner into the mixer and Westwood produced a last ditch challenge to deny Chapman in the scramble that followed.

Everton had not learnt their lesson, however, as another short corner gave Carney all the time and space she needed to measure a centre to the far post and when the ball dropped to Sanderson around the edge of the six yard box there was no-one close enough to stop the forward from turning to send a low shot beyond Rachel Brown.

Everton came forward straight from the kick off but it was no surprise to find the penalty area bereft of blue shirts when Jody Handley sent in a likely looking cente towards the penalty spot.

Handley was in an even better position moments later when Mary Phillip completely missed a through ball to leave the forward running clear in the inside right position but once again a highly dubious offside flag frustrated Everton.

Everton continued to look dangerous from corners of their own with Byrne tipping successive deliveries from either side by Evans and Handley over the bar under severe pressure and then there was a huge scramble from Evans's next ball in as the keeper disappeared under a pile of bodies.

Once again, however, Arsenal had the bodies back to block the danger.

Handley then wasted a fine move in which she had already been involved along with Westwood and Scott by crossing weakly at Byrne.

The Arsenal keeper immediately sent a weak kick upfield and when Westwood headed it forward Dowie was momentarily goalside of the defence. With Asante quickly gaining on her, however, Dowie shot from outside the box and the effort bounced wide of the post.

Everton played themselves into real trouble when Whelan decided to take a free kick short across the face of her own goal which was seized on by Fleeting and as Arsenal poured forward the ball was sent across the Everton goalmouth three times without anyone being able to profit.

With just over 15 minutes remaining Everton sent on summer signing Jo Potter for her first taste of action but within minutes the game was as good as over.

Carney went down the right to win a corner and when Yankey delivered it towards the edge of the box Katie Chapman was completely unchallenged as she rose to bury a fine header into the bottom corner.

Everton could feel aggrieved to be behind on the second half action and to their credit continued to come forward when possible. Potter, operating down the right, turned back onto her left foot to whip an inswinging centre towards the middle and saw it smack against the crossbar with Byrne struggling and then clipped a clever ball through to Handley whose turn and shot were smart but the effort flew straight into the goalkeepers' midriff.

Ciara Grant, on for Ludlow, was offered an inviting shooting chance from 20 yards out but got her effort completely wrong and the last action of the game saw the Arsenal defence again having to scramble to clear a dangerous Handley free kick.

Once again they were up to the task and, despite never approaching their best, the visitors were able to celebrate another win over their nearest challengers in the English game.

Everton will feel with some justification that a draw would have been a much fairer result but they might also feel they had not been brave enough to really have a go at Arsenal at a time when they had several things in their favour.

As it is any possible thoughts of challenging the Gunners for the league title are surely over for another season at least.

Full Time: Everton Ladies 0 Arsenal Ladies 2

Star Player: Lindsay Johnson

All the better performances came from defensive players, really. Emily Westwood was excellent in the holding role for Everton while Anita Asante's performance basically allowed Faye White to have the day off.
Against the more potent of the two attacks, however, Johnson was truly outstanding. Strong in the air, quick across the ground and quicker still in reading danger the Everton stopper thwarted the Arsenal attack time and again.
She also showed that there is more to her game than just defending as well with a series of impressive dashes out of defence in an effort to spark the Everton attack.
Johnson also had to battle through the pain barrier after suffering a series of niggles but carried on to produce a truly inspirational performance.

Wednesday, December 5
Let Us Entertain You

Watford Ladies continue to provide the best entertainment value of any side in the National Premier League and are proving a huge asset to the league after their promotion last season.

Having gained promotion Watford strengthened, and deepened, their squad in most quarters but it has been the capture of the exciting Ashlee Hincks from Charlton to go with their existing forward combination of Ellen Maggs and Helen Lander which has done most to turn the Hornets into such an attractive outfit.

Hincks is somewhat unpredictable but has real skill to go with good dribbling ability. Maggs supplies the craft and Lander is an out and out goalscorer.

Hincks and Lander, who scored twice, were on target last week in the clubs' 4-3 defeat against Chelsea and when they then travelled north on Sunday to take on Doncaster there was another treat in store for the spectators.

Watford came out with all guns blazing and were two goals up inside the first fifteen minutes. For once the goals came from another source on this occasion with midfielder Emma Thomas scoring both.

The visitors could not maintain this momentum, however, and the Belles got themselves back into contention shortly before half time through Liz Hansen's deflected free kick.

Just over ten minutes from time the home side were level. Hansen was fouled inside the box and Vicky Exley put away the penalty.

Now it was all Doncaster pressure but Watford held on to take a deserved point back south with them.

The weekends' big game did not provide such thrills as Arsenal produced a functional display to defeat Everton 2-0. A full match report on this game appears above.

Charlton still haven't found the net this season and having conceded seven to Arsenal in midweek they then shipped five more at home to Blackburn Rovers at the weekend with Katie Anderton bagging another couple of goals.

The other Premier League game on Sunday saw Liverpool and Chelsea battle out a gruelling 0-0 draw in testing conditions. Nicky Davies kept Liverpool in the game during the first half while the home side could have sneaked victory after improving significantly after the break.

The 3rd round of the FA Cup saw Leicester City FCW produce the performance of the round to knock out the Premier League North pacesetters Nottingham Forest by a single goal.

Zara Handley struck the decisive goal after a fine assist from Rachel Williams and although goalkeeper Laura Niblett produced a splendid display for the Foxes they were well worth their win overall.

Perhaps the biggest tie of the round saw Millwall Lionesses take on Crystal Palace and the home side won through 2-1 thanks to goals from Stacy Whitehead and Dionne Lennon im the run up to half time.

Lennon's strike was particularly memorable being a free kick from inside her own half. (shades of Harry Cripps)

Beth Curtis pulled one back for Palace late on but Millwall held on in a frantic finale.

The two clubs were then first out of the hat in the 4th round draw and will meet each other with Millwall enjoying home advantage.

There are plenty of ties which see teams from the second tier of the Premier League fancying their chances against teams from the top flight.

Sunderland, in good form of late, host Birmingham City, Barnet will be hoping to give Everton a decent game on their own pitch, Crewe take on Cardiff, Manchester City entertain Watford while WFC Fulham will travel to Charlton if they can overcome Whitehawk in their delayed 3rd round tie.

The biggest tie of the round sees Bristol Academy hosting Leeds United, two teams who would both have serious designs on a place in the last four.

Tuesday, December 11
Good Wins For Donny & Birmingham

The weather was the real winner in the womens game last weekend causing the postponement of both League Cup semi finals and a host of other games up and down the country.

Two games did go ahead in the National Premier League and there were excellent wins for Doncaster Rovers Belles and Birmingham City.

Doncaster turned in an emphatic display to defeat Blackburn 3-0 at the Keepmoat. Carla Cantrell scored twice with Liz Hansen netting the other in a fine display of attacking football.

Birmingham won with a last minute Heather Scheuber goal away at Chelsea to make it three wins on the bounce and overtook their opponents in the league table in the process.

Chelsea's season, which promised so much with their big name summer signings, is in danger of petering out completely and some real urgency is called for on the pitch to put things right as soon as possible.

Outside the top flight Lincoln City recorded an important win as they look to chase down Nottingham Forest in the Northern section, Jodie Snelson heading the only goal of the game in their victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

As for the League Cup ties they will go ahead, weather permitting, this Sunday with Watford hosting Everton and Arsenal entertaining Liverpool.

Saturday, December 15
Academy Almost Hold Arsenal

Bristol Academy almost held Arsenal to a goalless draw on Thursday night despite having to play Stef Curtis in goal. Curtis, normally a striker, began this season at the heart of the Academy defence before moving forward into her more accustomed position up front.

The West Country side have been struggling in the goalkeepers' position since Siobhan Chamberlain moved to Chelsea in the summer, however, and after an injury to Laura Barnes-Ellis it was left to Curtis to fill the breach.

Curtis, a big, strong woman, handled the situation extremely well as Bristol turned in a determined performance but her efforts, and those of her teammates, counted for nothing after Karen Carney planted home the winner with two minutes remaining.

I've said it before but Arsenal are a truly relentless team.

Everton look a good bet for the runners up spot again this season and came from a goal down to beat Doncaster Belles 3-1. Vikki Stevens gave the Belles an early lead but this was wiped out by an Emily Westwood double. Jill Scott confirmed victory after half time with a spanking shot in off the post as the Merseysiders nipped Doncaster's recent run of good form in the bud.

The other game played in midweek saw Blackburn emerge from something of a slump with a good 2-1 win over Leeds United. First half goals from Karen Burke and Katie Anderton were enough for Rovers despite Sue Smith's late penalty.

Leeds are a side who have progressed well over the past couple of years but look to be struggling to step up another level at the moment.

This weekend should see the re-arranged League Cup semi finals take place.

With all due respect to Liverpool, who have competed very well on their return to the top flight, it is impossible to see them avoiding defeat on their visit to Arsenal but the other semi could provide real drama.

Everton travel to Watford as strong favourites and enjoyed a comfortable victory over the same opposition in the league only a few weeks ago.

With Watford enjoying home advantage in this one and there being a lot more at stake I would expect a lot more to be seen of the Watford attack and the game could well be a real thriller.

Monday, December 17
League Cup Semis As Predicted

As I suggested in my post on Saturday there was no real drama in the League Cup semi final between Arsenal and Liverpool but plenty in the tie between Watford and Everton.

Arsenal ran out comfortable 4-0 winners over Liverpool. Jayne Ludlow had the Gunners ahead early on and Lianne Sanderson's goal shortly before half time effectively ended the contest.

Further goals in the second period from Rachel Yankey and Yvonne Tracy completed a regulation victory for Arsenal and sends them to yet another major final.

It took extra time to determine who would face them in the final as Watford pushed Everton all the way.

Everton had by far the better of the first half and after Natasha Dowie had seen a header from a free kick controversially disallowed for offside Jill Scott hooked home an acrobatic shot over her own shoulder into the corner of the net to give the visitors a deserved lead.

Watford's best effort of the opening half was a low drive by Emma Thomas from the edge of the box which rebounded from the foot of a post but they drew level after the break when Emma Beckett glanced a fine header into the far corner from a pinpoint left wing centre by Ellen Maggs.

The tension increased as the minutes ticked by but the scores remained deadlocked at ninety minutes. Everton looked the stronger as extra time progressed and were given the chance to take the lead when Dowie was brought down for a penalty but Marie Hourihan dived low to her left to make a superb save from Rachel Unitt's spot kick and it seemed as though it would take a shootout to seperate the sides.

Two minutes from the end, however, Scott made one last burst through the middle before feeding Toni Duggan who cut back inside one challenge and rode another before firing an emphatic shot into the top corner to break Watford hearts and decide an excellent contest.

Commiserations to Watford who had the consolation of showing once again what a positive impact they are making in womens football and congratualtions to Everton who now have the chance to put a dent in Arsenal's domination of the domestic game.

Arsenal will be strong favourites to retain the trophy but Everton are the only side with any real hope of beating them.

In the league it was another miserable afternoon for Charlton Athletic who lost again and have still not managed a goal all season.

The latest defeat was at home to Bristol Academy who eased to a 3-0 success with goals from Jess Fishlock, Justine Lorton and a Corinne Yorston penalty.

Wednesday, December 26
Charlton Put Gunners To Shame

It was appropriately ironic that Charlton Athletic should score their first goals of the season and collect their first point on the same day that Arsenal, the European champions, actually failed to fulfil a fixture.

While Charlton were battling back from two goals down to earn a draw at Leeds United the Gunners were nowhere to be seen having reported to the FA that they were unable to field a team for their scheduled game at Birmingham.

For Charlton, fielding a side has been the biggest challenge they have faced all season after being dumped in the summer by their parent club only to be saved at the last minute by new sponsorship arrangements.

This did not happen until the entire squad from last season, give or take a couple, had moved on to pastures new and the club was faced with patching together a squad of players from wherever possible.

Little could be expected from this hastily assembled, highly inexperienced team and they have suffered a series of comprehensive thumpings.

It cannot have been much fun for the staff and players involved but they have been prepared to show their faces and take the beatings and, as Fulham did last year in the same circumstances, they have improved markedly since the start of the campaign.

Until Sunday this improvement had been limited to staying in touch with the opposition for longer periods without actually managing a positive result or even a goal. That changed in the final quarter of an hour at Leeds, however, after the home side had finally appeared to have broken their resistance.

Leeds took the lead shortly before half time through Jess Clarke and then doubled their advantage with a Sue Smith penalty twenty minutes from time.

This appeared to be game over but four minutes later Charlton were boosted by their first goal of the season scored by Danielle Farmer.

Farmer is a young lady who seems to enjoy adversity having pitched in with Fulham last season when they were in the same boat Charlton find themselves in now and she was the one who broke her previous clubs' scoring duck last year.

Confidence is a wonderful thing in sport and, lifted hugely by the goal, Charlton were suddenly back on terms when Farmer scored again six minutes from time.

After a truly joyous celebration the Addicks held on for the last few minutes to secure their first point which no doubt made a lot of hard work and suffering seem very worthwhile.

Arsenal, on the other hand, took the easier option of not showing up for their match against Birmingham City. The club reported to the FA that they were missing fifteen players through injury, illness, pregnancy and absence.

They had managed to put out a near full strength team the week before to progress to the League Cup final, however, and it is hard to believe they could not send a team of some sort to Birmingham.

Maybe Vic Akers doesn't have the faith in his young players that Arsene Wenger has or perhaps he was just scared of losing a league game for the first time in years.

Had Arsenal taken a weakened team to Birmingham and lost it probably wouldn't have made any difference come the end of the season in terms of them retaining the title but it would have ensured that womens' football was not hit with this huge blow to its' credibility.

Birmingham were left out of pocket and I have to hope that I get a refund on the train ticket I had bought in advance to take me half way across the country to watch the game.

There is the possibility of action from the FA over this unfortunate event and a simplistic answer would seem to be that Arsenal simply forfeit the game. After all that is, in effect, what they did.

What the FA decide, if anything, will as always be very interesting but it will certainly be a long time before the bad taste left in the mouth by this episode disappears.

Arsenal Ladies; flag bearers of womens' football in this country, the inspiration for thousands of girls taking up the sport, European champions, holders of all the domestic trophies, runners up in the Sports Journalists' Team of the Year awards, winners of the Sunday Times' Sportswomens Team of the Year, Freepersons of the Borough of Islington. They are all those things but apparently cannot be relied upon to rustle up a team to play Birmingham City.

Disappointing to say the very least.

You can bet they were able to raise a quorum to attend all those functions mentioned above though.