Arsenal 3-0 Charlton Athletic

The FA Women's Cup
Final
03 May 2004
QPR, Loftus Road

It was the Julie Fleeting show as Arsenal swept aside London rivals Charlton Athletic to win their sixth FA Women’s Cup final in 12 seasons.

Striker Fleeting was one of three Arsenal players who had been on international duty during the weekend, hitting her 88th goal in 78 Scotland appearances in a Euro 2005 qualifier which the Scots lost 3-1 to World champions Germany on Sunday.

She ended that game with a shin injury which threatened her place in the Gunners starting line-up and physio Kate Redhill had to work on the striker until past midnight after Fleeting had flown south to meet her club colleagues.

But barely 12 hours later the 23 year-old goal machine showed no ill effects as she tore apart the Charlton defence to score a hat-trick which took her Arsenal tally to 15 in nine games since her January transfer from Scottish club Ross County.

The former San Diego Spirit star, understandably delighted after her first FA Cup final, said: "I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself – I was never in doubt that I’d play but I have to thank Kate for working so late into the night on my injury.

"When we went out there I forgot my tired legs and adrenalin carried me through. It was a big day for me and a big day for all the girls – my hat-trick was all credit to the girls behind me."

Arsenal manager Vic Akers, a long time admirer of Fleeting before finally signing her, said: "I was worried last night that Julie wouldn’t be able to play, but from her performance you wouldn’t have thought she’d played a match yesterday let alone picked up an injury.

"She was tremendous, but it was also a good team performance – I was pleased with the way we started, we created a lot of chances in the first half, and when Charlton came into the game after half-time our defending was fantastic.

"That makes it 18 trophies in 18 years for us, and after winning no silverware at all last season it’s great to have the FA Cup again."

From the opening moments of a game played in continuous rain it was clear that Fleeting was going to be the most dangerous player on show.

Twice in the first five minutes she set up chances for strike partner Lianne Sanderson and also had a goalbound shot of her own blocked by central defender Karen Mills.

Charlton broke out for striker Carmaine Walker to force goalkeeper Emma Byrne into an 18th minute save from a well struck volley.

But five minutes later Arsenal took the lead when Fleeting swapped passes with Sanderson before sweeping the ball into the net off the arm of goalkeeper Pauline Cope.

The striker then provided Ellen Maggs, playing just behind the front two, with a goalscoring opportunity but her 18 yard shot flew narrowly wide.

The second goal was not long in arriving though – just two minutes after scoring her first goal Fleeting grabbed her second, pouncing on a Julie Fletcher mistake to cut in from the right and drive a 15 yard shot just inside the near post.

Charlton tried gamely to force their way back into the game. but Arsenal were now playing with supreme confidence and Fleeting twice went close to completing her hat-trick before half-time.

She had a 35th minute cross-shot brilliantly saved by the diving Cope then, seconds before the interval, the striker’s narrow-angled effort was deflected for a corner by Cope.

Charlton made a far more positive start to the second half and pegged Arsenal back in their own half as they looked to force their way back into the game.

Midfielder Jo Broadhurst had a 57th minute shot comfortably saved by Byrne, but five minutes later the keeper had to stretch to keep out a 25 yard free-kick by Fara Williams.

As the pressure built Walker had a 72nd minute header fortuitously saved on the line by Byrne, who almost let the ball slip between her legs into the net.

But 10 minutes from time Arsenal, with their first chance of the second half, wasted a glorious chance to wrap up victory. Fleeting unselfishly passed to the unmarked Maggs, but from 10 yards the England player hit the outside of the post.

Two minutes later, however, Fleeting took matters into her own hands to land the decisive blow. Twenty yards from goal and with colleagues again free inside the penalty area, this time the striker swept past two opponents before driving in a shot which deflected off right back Dani Murphy into the net.

Fleeting was given a standing ovation as she was substituted two minutes into stoppage time and seconds before the final whistle, which brought a mass celebration among the Arsenal players as their dejected opponents trooped off the pitch.

For the second time in successive seasons they had lost the final 3-0, but they do have this season’s Premier League Cup in their hands and are still in with a chance of winning the League.

They need Arsenal to draw their last League game with Fulham in order to claim the League crown and manager Keith Boanas said: "To be involved in three trophies right to the last couple of games of the season makes me very proud of the players.

"But today we just couldn’t deal with Julie Fleeting. We talked about the repercussions of our recent League game against Arsenal, when Fleeting scored the winner, but we didn’t do all the things we said we would do today and she was the difference between the two teams."

Team Details

Arsenal (3-4-1-2): Byrne; White, Asante, Champ; Pealling, Ludlow, Grant, Wheatley; Maggs (Lorton 90); Sanderson (Potter 73), Fleeting (Scott 90).
Subs not used: S. Williams, Harwood.

Goals: Fleeting 3

Charlton Athletic (4-4-2): Cope; Murphy, Stoney, Mills, Fletcher (Coss 70); F. Williams, Smith (Hunn 81), Broadhurst; Heatherson (Aluko 70); Barr, Walker
Subs not used: Law, Rea.

Attendance: 12,244