ENI AT THE DOUBLE TO BREAK CHARLTON’S ARSENAL HOODOO

Arsenal 1 (Fleeting 75)
Charlton Athletic 2 (Aluko 28, 45)

FA Women’s Premier League Cup final
Causeway Stadium, Wycombe
5 March 2006
Attendance 3,506

Teenage striker Eniola Aluko bagged a brace to give Charlton revenge for Cup final defeats by Arsenal in each of the previous two seasons.

The Addicks had lost to the Gunners in the finals of both the 2003-04 FA Cup and 2004-05 League Cup.

But first half goals by 19 year-old Aluko, who had hit Charlton's match-winner in the 2004-05 FA Cup final against Everton, made it third time lucky for the Addicks.

Charlton captain Casey Stoney said: “Work rate and team spirit got us through, but if we've got Eni in our team we can win any trophy because she tears defences apart.”

Right back Stoney set up Aluko’s 28th minute opener, hoisting the ball forward for the striker to outpace her England colleague Mary Phillip and score with a neat lob.

Arsenal hit back in the search for an equaliser and Addicks goalkeeper Pauline Cope had to make good saves from strike partners Julie Fleeting and Lianne Sanderson.

Aluko doubled Charlton’s advantage in the final minute of the first half, sliding the ball past Gunners keeper Emma Byrne after fellow striker Sarah Snare had robbed England right back Alex Scott of possession to provide the opening.

Arsenal controlled most of the second half and, as the pressure built, Cope had to make goal-line stops from playmaker Kelly Smith and striker Julie Fleeting.

Cope was finally beaten in the 76th minute, Scotland international Fleeting collecting a Jayne Ludlow pass to shoot home from 12 yards. 

Despite further waves of attacks the Gunners were unable to find an equaliser, though they had loud penalty claims turned away after Fleeting had fallen in the area following a challenge by Addicks midfielder Jo Potter.

“It was a nailed-on penalty,” claimed Arsenal manager Vic Akers, though he conceded: “We were disappointing at both ends of the pitch. We had 80 per cent of the play, but you cannot defend the way we did in the first half and come out unscathed."

Charlton boss Keith Boanas was understandably delighted, especially as it had been an injury-hit team that had brought the club a third major trophy in three seasons.

“We had to shuffle our pack because of injuries,” said Boanas, “ but our game plan went as I wanted in the circumstances.

“Arsenal will be out for revenge big time when we play them in the FA Cup semi-final in a fortnight, but I had a gut feeling we would beat them today and hopefully we can do it again.”

As it transpired Boanas’ hopes were not fulfilled, Arsenal beating them 2-1 in the FA Cup semi then winning 5-0 against Leeds United in the final.

Arsenal (4-2-1-3): Byrne; Tracy, White, Phillip, Scott; Asante, Ludlow; Smith; Sanderson, Fleeting, Yankey (McArthur 77).

Substitutes not used: Pealling, Champ, Grant, Larkin.

Charlton Athletic (4-4-2): Cope; Stoney, Bertelli, Hills, Hickmott; Barr, Chapman, Pond, Potter; Snare, Aluko (Hincks 83).

Substitutes not used: Sinclair-Chambers, Cabey-Gooden, Adams, Cardin.

Referee: Mr P. Forrester (Bedfordshire)

RESULTS

Preliminary round
28/08/2005
Blackburn Rovers 2-1 OOH Lincoln
Langford 2-7 Curzon Ashton

First Round
11/9/2005
AFC Wimbledon 5-2 West Ham United
Aston Villa 4-6 Everton
Blackburn Rovers 5-0 Curzon Ashton
Cardiff City 1-5 Sunderland
Chelsea 3-5 AFC Team Bath
Doncaster Rovers Belles 4-3 Liverpool
Leeds United 1-2 Bristol Academy
Millwall Lionesses 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Newcastle United 3-4 Middlesbrough
Portsmouth 1-0 Crystal Palace
Reading Royals 0-6 Charlton Athletic
Stockport County 0-4 Birmingham City
Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Watford 3-0 Southampton Saints
WFC Fulham 5-6 Manchester City

2/10/2005
Arsenal 5-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Second round
9/10/2005
AFC Team Bath 3-2 Millwall Lionesses
AFC Wimbledon 0-3 Sunderland
Charlton Athletic 13-0 Portsmouth
Doncaster Rovers Belles 3-0 Birmingham City
Everton 2-0 Blackburn Rovers
Tranmere Rovers 7-0 Middlesbrough
Watford 2-5 Bristol Academy

23/10/2005
Manchester City 0-4 Arsenal

Quarter-finals
6/11/2005
Arsenal 5-0 AFC Team Bath
Charlton Athletic 1-0 Bristol Academy
Doncaster Rovers Belles 3-2 Tranmere Rovers
20/11/2005
Sunderland 1-3 Everton

Semi-finals
11/12/2005
Everton 0-2 Arsenal
Doncaster Rovers Belles 0-2 Charlton Athletic

Final
05/03/2006
Arsenal 1-2 Charlton Athletic

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/4776978.stm