KENDALL AT THE DOUBLE TO SEAL SAINTS’ DOUBLE
Huddersfield Town 0
Southampton 3 (Ware 45, Kendall 71, 83)
FA Women’s National League Cup final
Damson Park, Solihull
24 April 2022
Lucia Kendall bagged a second half brace to help Southampton complete a quick-fire League and Cup double.
Just four days after Saints had clinched the FA WNL Southern Premier Division title with a win against local rivals Portsmouth, striker Kendall followed up Alisha Ware’s first half strike to ensure a League Cup final win against Northern Premier Division opponents Huddersfield Town.
In a game that was more closely fought than the scoreline suggests, the Terriers gave as good as they got for long periods, particularly in the first half.
After chances went begging at both ends, Glen Preston’s team went close to opening the scoring in the 39th minute. Brittany Sanderson rounded goalkeeper Kayla Rendell, only to see her goalbound shot cleared off the line by Saints captain Rosie Parnell.
Saints responded well and got the breakthrough in the final minute of the first half, Ware tapping home an inch-perfect cross from Georgie Freeland.
Kendall almost got her name on the scoresheet 12 minutes into the second half, sending a header against the crossbar.
But Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side were not having it all their own way and Huddersfield should have equalised in the 71st minute; but in what proved the game’s pivotal 60 seconds, Laura Elford failed to take the chance.
Play switched immediately to the other end and Kendall finished off the breakaway by firing an 18-yard shot into the corner of the net to double Saints’ lead.
The striker then hit the victory clincher seven minutes from time with a shot from similar distance and into the same corner as her first goal.
The final whistle understandably brought wild celebrations from the now double-winning Southampton players, but Terriers boss Preston was able to reflect on a battling performance from his team. “We gave it absolutely everything,” he said.
“We lost to a better team, but for 60 minutes we went toe to toe with them. The players should be absolutely proud of themselves.
“They put in a monumental effort today, representing the club with everything you would expect: dignity, pride, class - they have been superb.”
Southampton’s celebrations did not end after their Cup win at Solihull FC’s Damson Park. Four weeks later they were to make the step up to the FA Women’s Championship by beating Northern Premier Division Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Promotion Play-Off.
Huddersfield Town: Davies, Griffiths, Housley (Abbot 87), Ibbotson (Fletcher 38), Marshall, Montgomery (Laughton 87), Parry, Stanley, Elford, Sanderson, Mallin.
Southampton: Rendell, Morris, Parnell, Rafferty, Mott, Pharaoh, Rutherford, Freeland (Williams 81), Pusey (Watling 75), Kendall, Ware.
FA WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE PLATE 2021-22
Goals by Rachel Brown and Becky Anderson gave Northern Premier Division team Nottingham Forest a 2-1 victory over Division One South East side AFC Wimbledon in the FAWNL Plate final, played immediately prior to the League Cup final in a double-header at Solihull Moors’ Damson Park.
Brown shot Forest into an early lead after collecting a Charlotte Greengrass pass, but the Dons hit back quickly for Kelly Highman to head home the equaliser from an Ashlee Hincks free-kick
What proved the winner arrived 12 minutes before half-time, Anderson sending a perfectly flighted free-kick into the top corner of the Wimbledon net.
The fourth tier Dons pressed hard at times for a second half equaliser, but Forest held out for victory and Player of the Match Brown said: “Throughout the season we’ve worked hard to be here. It was a great performance from us on the day. I think we deserved it in the end, and it just feels great to finally lift the trophy.”
