Harvey praises Gunners after Ricoh redemption

Arsenal boss Laura Harvey lauded her side’s powers of recovery after they laid to rest the ghost of last season’s FA Women’s Cup Final defeat with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Bristol in this year’s showpiece.

Natasha Dowie’s extra-time strike gave Everton a 3-2 victory twelve months ago, but first-half goals from Kim Little and Julie Fleeting at Ricoh Arena helped the Gunners reclaim a trophy they have now lifted eleven times.

“The last 12 months have been tough,” said Harvey. “Losing The FA Cup Final was a really tough day. We said we wouldn’t forget that feeling from last year because we never want to have it again. We wanted to make sure we got The FA Cup back.

“First half I thought we were excellent,” she continued. “We played some good football [and] could easily have scored more goals. Second half we took our foot off the pedal which is the way we have been of late and something we have got to address, but I’m happy that, although we were under a lot of pressure, we still didn’t concede a goal.”

Little received the Player of the Match award for her performance from midfield, an area of the pitch Arsenal dominated throughout. The young Scot, stand-in captain Katie Chapman and England U19 skipper Jordan Nobbs overwhelmed Bristol in the middle of the park, laying the foundations for the win. Ellen White, the 22-year-old forward, was also a constant threat from her role wide on the right, prompting Harvey to praise the impact her younger players have made in recent weeks.

“They have stood up and been counted all season,” she said. “When they are young the more experiences they can get, the better. It’s a pressured environment to play in an FA Cup Final, especially when you play for Arsenal and the expectation that brings. Jordan Nobbs is 18 years of age and she has got no fear and that’s why she can play at the level she does.

Harvey also reserved a few words of acclaim for Little.

“Her goal sums her up. She was our rough diamond because Bristol hadn’t faced her this season. She’s world class, we know that. She’s had a tough season but she’s hitting form at just the right time. Against Doncaster two weeks ago she was excellent. Some of the football she can play is frightening and that was summed up by the way she took her goal.”