LEEDS’ STOPPAGE TIME MISERY AS LUDLOW NETS ARSENAL WINNER
Leeds United 0
Arsenal 1 (Ludlow 90+2)
FA Women’s Premier League Cup final
Glanford Park, Scunthorpe
4 March 2007
Attendance 3,688
Stand-in Arsenal captain Jayne Ludlow hit a stoppage time winner to break the hearts of hard-working Leeds United in an evenly fought League Cup final at Scunthorpe United’s Glanford Park.
Ludlow, wearing the skipper’s armband in the absence of the inured Faye White, volleyed home a Karen Carney corner to give the Gunners their ninth League Cup triumph.
It might have been easier for the Gunners if Wales midfielder Ludlow’s 11th minute header had hit the Leeds net rather than the crossbar.
But Julie Chipchase’s young team, who had lost to Arsenal in the previous year’s FA Cup final and were now in their first League Cup final after producing a semi-final shock by beating holders Charlton Athletic, made the most of their let-off to go toe-to-toe with the clear favourites.
Midfielder Rachel McArthur and left winger Sue Smith might each have given Leeds the lead, while at the back Sophie Walton and Sophie Bradley both stood firm against the Arsenal attack.
As the game wore on, however, Arsenal had Kelly Smith and Carney efforts cleared off the line before Ludlow broke the deadlock just as extra time was looking inevitable.
Arsenal manager Vic Akers said: “I'm delighted to win the League Cup again, but credit to Leeds – they worked their socks off and made it very difficult for us.”
A distraught Leeds manager Julie Chipchase said: "I'm absolutely gutted. We had a defensive strategy and it worked fantastically well for 91 minutes.
“But we showed we've come a long way since Arsenal beat us in the FA Cup final. This performance will be a big confidence booster for us to take back into the League.”
Leeds United: Fay, Bradley, Culvin, McArthur, Wright, Preston (c), Emmanuel, S. Smith, Walton, Ward (Clarke 64), Burke (Sutcliffe 74).
Substitutes not used: Grundy, Owen, Tomkins.
Arsenal: Byrne, Scott, Phillip, Ludlow (c), Chapman, Asante, Grant, K. Smith, Sanderson (Fleeting 66), Carney, Yankey.
Substitutes not used: Spencer, Davison, Flaherty, Larkin.
Referee: D Roberts
RESULTS
Preliminary Round
27/8/2006
Aston Villa 1-4 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Barnet 3-2 Reading Royals (AET)
Curzon Ashton 3-1 Manchester City
Crystal Palace 3-3 Portsmouth (AET: Crystal Palace won 4-2 on penalties)
First Round
10/9/2006
Arsenal 4-1 Doncaster Rovers Belles
Birmingham City 2-1 Stockport County
Blackburn Rovers 6-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-5 Charlton Athletic
Bristol Academy 8-1 AFC Wimbledon
Bristol City 3-2 Keynsham Town
Chelsea 5-1 Watford
Crewe Alexandra 5-3 Tranmere Rovers
Curzon Ashton 0-2 Nottingham Forest
Everton 4-0 Crystal Palace
Leeds United 4-0 Cardiff City
Lincoln City 2-1 Sunderland
Millwall Lionesses 4-4 Fulham (AET: Millwall won 3-1 on penalties)
Preston North End 0-2 Liverpool
Southampton Saints 1-3 Barnet (AET)
West Ham United 2-0 Newcastle United
Second Round
8/10/2006
Arsenal 3-0 Birmingham City
Nottingham Forest 0-1 West Ham United
Lincoln City 2-2 Liverpool (AET: Lincoln won 5-4 on penalties)
Blackburn Rovers 3-6 Chelsea (AET)
Bristol City 1-1 Millwall Lionesses (AET: Millwall won 3-0 on penalties)
Everton 2-0 Bristol Academy
Leeds United 2-0 Barnet
Crewe Alexandra 1-5 Charlton Athletic
Quarter-finals:
4/11/2006
Everton 1-2 Chelsea
Leeds United 2-1 Millwall Lionesses
Lincoln City 0-6 Charlton Athletic
18/11/2006
Arsenal 9-0 Nottingham Forest (Forest had replaced West Ham, who were disqualified for using an ineligible player)
Semi-finals
8/12/2006
Charlton Athletic 2-2 Leeds United (AET: Leeds won 4-3 on penalties)
Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea
Final
4/3/2007
Leeds United 0-1 Arsenal
