Arsenal 0
Charlton Athletic 1 (Heatherson 41)
11 August 2004
Attendance 1,487
ADDICKS AVENGE FA CUP FINAL DEFEAT IN SEASON OPENER
It was sweet revenge for Charlton Athletic as they collected the first silverware of the season at the expense of the side that had beaten them in May’s FA Cup final and then pipped them to the FA Nationwide Women’s Premier League title.
A 41st minute goal by striker Ann-Marie Heatherson was enough to give the Addicks a victory which handed them a massive morale boost ahead of their League meeting with the Gunners on 22 August, the second Sunday of the new campaign.
Charlton manager Keith Boanas said: "The girls gave me a tremendous performance – I couldn’t envisage anything as good as that but I’m immensely proud of them.
"It showed that we’ve got nothing to fear from anybody – Arsenal are a great side but so are we and I know that we can be in the shake-up for honours again this season."
Disappointed Arsenal boss Vic Akers said: "We didn’t play well all over the field. The girls have done really well in pre-season, but tonight we didn’t look ready or fresh and I thought Charlton were more hungry and more up for it than we were."
"Having said that, I felt that overall we created most of the chances but never really looked like scoring – it just wasn’t our night."
Akers’ team had enjoyed the better of the possession in the first half and might have broken the deadlock on a couple of occasions before Charlton took the lead.
A 13th minute mix-up between Charlton goalkeeper Pauline Cope and right back Danielle Murphy allowed midfielder Jayne Ludlow in for an angled shot that flew just wide of the far post.
At the other end, striker Eniola Aluko shot wide after she had broken through the middle, but then the Gunners wasted a tremendous 39th minute opening.
Striker Julie Fleeting helped a Ludlow cross into the path of the unmarked Clare Wheatley, but from 15 yards the winger directed a weak effort straight at Cope.
Arsenal paid the price for that miss two minutes later, when a fine pass by midfielder Jess Smith led to an Aluko shot which was going wide before Heatherson swept the ball home at the far post.
As they looked to hit back Arsenal started the second half brightly, but they then faded and it was the Addicks who controlled much of the second half.
Substitute Danielle Farmer came closest to increasing their lead, heading goalwards from an Eartha Pond corner but seeing her effort stopped on the line by goalkeeper Emma Byrne.
Midfielder Jo Broadhurst and player of the match Katie Chapman, on her Charlton debut following her transfer from Fulham, also went close with snap shots that went over the top.
Arsenal’s only second half threat came deep into stoppage time, when Fleeting headed wide from substitute Gemma Davison’s cross.
Fleeting had been the hat-trick hero of Arsenal’s FA Cup final win against Charlton, but on this occasion the Scotland striker was outshone by Addicks new girl Chapman.
"I loved it out there," said the England star. "Winning the first trophy of the season has made me feel brilliant and it’s convinced me that I made the right move by coming to Charlton – I feel very positive about our prospects for the season."
Arsenal (4-4-2): Byrne; Pealling, Champ, Phillip, Kemp; O’Connor (Lorton HT), Ludlow, Grant, Wheatley (Susi 85); Sanderson (Davison 90), Fleeting.
Substitutes not used: Burrows, Cripps.
Charlton Athletic (4-5-1): Cope; Murphy, Stoney, Hills, Pond; Aluko (Farmer 66), Smith, Chapman, Broadhurst, Heatherson (Hunt 72); Walker.
Substitutes not used: Rea, Morris, Nelson.
Referee: Mr S. J. Long
