Leeds Carnegie have collected the first domestic trophy of the season after they ran
out deserved 3-1 winners over Everton in The Final of The FA Tesco Women's Premier
League Cup.

Katie Holtham gave Rick Passmoor's side the lead on 14 minutes with a powerful
20-yard drive which gave the sprawling Rachel Brown no chance in the Everton goal.

The advantage was doubled by Ellen White just six minutes later as she scrambled
home Sue Smith's corner for her fourth goal in this season's competition. Leeds had
chances aplenty to put the result beyond doubt before half-time but were ultimately
not made to rue those missed chances by an Everton side who did not do themselves
justice on the night, though Fara Williams did give Everton hope with a cool finish
on 49 minutes.

The victory was sealed in the 85th minute when White broke on the counter attack and
showed a remarkable calmness that belied her 20 years. She raced towards goal,
ignored the attentions of the recovering Everton backline to cut back in on her left
foot to put Leeds' name on the trophy.

This was Leeds' first Final success in four attempts and it came courtesy of a
totally committed performance from Passmoor's charges.In the opening minute Everton's Michelle Hinnigan had the first sighter of a
bitterly cold evening, sending a right-foot shot harmlessly wide of Carly Telford's
goal, as both sides took a while to settle and accustom themselves to a very hard
Spotland surface.

Indeed, the surface almost cost the Toffees dear as early as the ninth minute as
Emily Westwood lost her footing, allowing Smith to scamper down the left flank. Her
cross was perfect, but an unmarked White was unable to direct her header goalwards.

Hinnigan again and then Fara Williams each sent a long-range effort goalwards as
Everton sought an early goal but Leeds hassled and harried the Toffees thereafter,
forcing Mo Marley's side to give the ball away on a number of occasions and
preventing them from building many potent attacking moves.

However, a defensive error was then committed by Carnegie, as Laura Bassett saw her
pass charged down by Natasha Dowie, but skipper, Sophie Bradley, was on hand to
spare the blushes of her centre back. Moments later Leeds went in front. The ball
was worked forward from Bradley's interception and found its way to White whose shot
was blocked by Lindsay Johnson. It fell invitingly for Holtham to power an
unstoppable, low shot beyond Brown and into the corner of the net.

By the 20th minute it was 2-0, and no more than Leeds deserved for their industry
and endeavour. White chased a seemingly lost cause down the left, forcing Fern
Whelan into the concession of a corner. Brown was unable to hold Smith's centre and
White bundled the ball home from close range.

Perhaps unnerved at finding themselves two goals down, Everton became sloppy in
possession and almost presented an opportunity for White to make it 3-0 before the
half-hour mark. Brown played a short ball out of her area but her backline were
unable to make anything of it and had White realised how much time she had, she
might have carried the ball into the area rather than placing a rather meek effort
at goal.

On 36 minutes Leeds thought they had got the third goal, following another corner,
as Brown stumbled over her goal-line with the ball in her hands but referee, Sian
Massey, believed Brown had been impeded in the process.

The left wing carried the greater menace for an increasingly confident Leeds outfit
and another chance was soon created from that position. Smith fed Carla Cantrell who
drove forward, cut across the edge of the box and found Jess Clarke, who, in turn,
set up Jade Moore to have a strike at goal but it just too high and zipped over the
bar.

Everton threatened only occasionally in the first-half and had claims for a penalty
rejected by Massey just minutes before the break. Dowie appeared to be pulled back
as she tried to latch on to Williams' through ball, but her appeals went
unsatisfied.

The final chance of the half fell to Williams but her free-kick sailed over the bar
to cap a disappointing opening 45 for Everton.

However, just four minutes into the second half and the Toffees were suddenly right
back in the contest. Rachel Unitt headed clear a Smith free-kick from the right and
a counter-attack soon ensued. Dowie raced on to the loose ball, played a lovely
weighted ball out right to her skipper and Williams kept her composure to slot the
ball beyond the advancing Telford from the edge of the box.

Showing the leadership and drive you'd expect from any captain, Williams got a bit
carried away in her attempts to haul her side level and was cautioned for tackle on
Smith soon after.

The goal sparked Everton into life and they took the game to Leeds half in the
second period, with Jill Scott driving forward from midfield to support Toni Duggan,
Jody Handley and Dowie up top. Duggan had an effort saved by Telford before a
delicate chip by Williams just evaded the target, but despite their second-half
improvement they failed to create many clear cut opportunities.

Despite facing a Blue onslaught, Leeds did look calm and comfortable when in
possession but brought on Remi Allen after 71 minutes to offer protection in
midfield, however a good save from Telford prevented an equaliser on 75 minutes
after the ball came through a crowd of bodies.

As the game raced to its conclusion, Everton made a substitute themselves as
Hinnigan was sacrificed for the more attack-minded Gwen Harries, but it was to avail
as White scored the decisive third goal with just five minutes remaining. With
Everton understandably pushing forward in search of the equaliser, they found
themselves exposed at the back and instead of holding on to possession to wait for
support she bore down on Brown, turned on to her left foot and passed the ball into
the far corner to seal an historic win.

footballgirl.com

 

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