Leeds United Ladies FC 0-0 Aston Villa Ladies FC AET
Aston Villa win 5-4 on penalties
FA Women’s Premier League Cup Final
Sunday 05.05.13 from Bootham Crescent, K.O. at 2pm
For the second season running Leeds fell agonizingly short at the final hurdle of the FA Women’s Premier League Cup as they lost the 2013 Final to Aston Villa through a dramatic 5-4 penalty shoot out defeat after both sides drew a blank over 120 minutes.
Whilst this Final could never be described as a game for the purist what it lacked in skill it more than made up for in determination, passion and entertainment. Buoyed by Thursday nights debut win at Elland Road Leeds started brightly and almost snatched an early opener when the lively Danielle Sheen latched on to an under strength back pass. The pacey forward reaching the ball first but finding herself unable to poke it past a quickly advancing Megan Walsh in the Villa goal.
It was the second time in a week that these two teams had met following a 1-1 draw at Villa last Sunday in the league and it was clear both sides had learnt plenty about their opposition as any space quickly disappeared. Whilst there was a fairly equal split of possession throughout the game it was Leeds who created the better chances, particularly in the second half.
Leeds came closest to scoring when on two occasions they struck the frame of the Villa goal. First Emma Lipman went up to challenge for a cross in the box and aided by a deflection off her marker the ball looped up and over a stranded Walsh only to clip back off the far post. Then a few minutes later midfielder Rachel Lee unleashed a vicious 30 yard free kick and was unlucky to see it thunder back off the cross bar.
Although they showed plenty of intent Villa rarely threatened the Leeds goal with perhaps their best chance falling to Captain Dani Petrovic who headed wide at the far post from a well delivered corner.
With extra time beckoning Leeds almost snatched a dramatic late winner as with only minutes left substitute Olivia Thackray got on the end of the move of the game to volley narrowly over the bar. The move ignited by a lovely cross field switch from Rachel Lee that released a surging Bekki Bass down the right wing. The winger then beating her fullback and hitting the byline before crossing for the advancing Thackray to volley.
With both teams quickly tiring extra time brought no real clear cut chances which meant the Final was decided through a dramatic penalty shoot out. In a cruel twist of fate it was Leeds inspirational skipper Clare Sykes who was the only player to see her penalty saved as Leeds lost by 5-4.
“I’m incredibly proud of the team’s efforts,” said a dejected Leeds manager after the game. “It’s a cruel way to lose. We worked our socks off today and the back four in particular were great. I thought we created the better chances and had plenty of chances to win it but ultimately football’s a game of goals, we didn’t score and it cost us.”
Corner to Leeds. Is it time for the grand stand finish? huegett to swing it in…
ton of bodies go up for it and it deflects clear. Sheen collects and drills it back – Lipman with the header but its wide.
We’re into injury time now with 4 mins the allocated number.
Oh so close again for Leeds! great work from lee to release Bass down the right. She drills a lovely cross and Thackray arrives to hit it first time from 8 yards but puts her volley over the bar. Move of the game there and so close.
The attendance is in: 1257 – decent crowd.
Neither side can keep hold of the ball here at the moment. Its just pin ponging back between both defences. All of a sudden Bass breaks and whips it in, Rachel Lee arrives but its slightly behind her and she can’t quite rap her foot round it. That was a chance.
Sub for Leeds as thackray comes on for Rich.
Freekick to Leeds (I should just copy and paste that phrase for every update!) swung in by Lee, Staneff arrives but heads wide under heavy pressure
Its still 0-0 here. Its been all Leeds in this second half so far but as of yet no breakthrough.
There’s a definite edge to this game. Villa are walking a thin line. Freekick to Leeds again… Lee hits it and it crashes back off the bar. Unlucky – she thought that was in.
Leeds win another corner. Huegett again…
falls to lipman but she’s crowded out and her shot is deflected clear.
Leeds win a freekick. Thrown in and put behind for a corner…
Huegett swings it in….
but its poor and cleared at the second attempt.
Corner now for Villa following a deflected through ball. Swung in…
Draycott collects and is clattered from every direction. Another freekick.
Villa seem to be losing the plot here – that’s about ten fouls in quick succession.
Rachel Lee and merrett get a talking to from the ref following the third or fourth ‘clash’ between the pair. Merrett gets another talking too and a booking – she’s lucky to be on the pitch for me – first tackle after a warning and she hacked Huegett from behind then looked to knee her in the back while Kez was down. I told you there was no love lost between these two. freekick to leeds. Swung in and Lipman wins the header, back off the post – unlucky.
Shot from jones well saved by Draycott. Corner to Villa…
Petrovic gets an head on and its wide – phew! That was close!
So close for Leeds – Sheen almost got to misplaced header back to the keeper but she couldn’t quite reach it before Walsh closed the gap.
Well what do I know eh! Scrap the 4-4-2, it’s actually a 4-2-3-1 with Sheen up top, Rich and Bass wide and huegett just behind Sheen.
Halftime change for Leeds with Bass on for abbie lee – that will see Leeds switch to a 4-4-2 now. We’re off…
That’s halftime now – even first half, Leeds had the better of the chances but Villa had moments of their own. It’s 0-0
Villa break and Sharp gets across with a last ditch tackle to prevent Jones from shooting. Sharp’s had a really good first half playing at centreback.
Leeds attack down the left as Rich and Emmonds link up. That’s unlucky as rich’s cross deflects back off the defender and rebounds off Rich and out for a goal kick. Sums up the last few minutes to be honest.
The games just gone a touch flat here as we reach the final 5 mins of the half. Neither side has really got on top – Leeds have had the better of the chances but Villa still look dangerous, especially on the counter.
Lovely strong defending as Staneff outfights Clarke and shepherds it behind for a goal kick.
Freekick to Leeds now. Chipped in by R.Lee….
out for a corner. Huegett to take…
straight at Walsh and she claims comfortably.
Slight break in play while Jones receives some treatment
Spectacular effort from Huegett – she volleyed that first time from all of 40 yards with her left boot but the backtracking keeper was able to collect.
Almost falls for Huegett so unlucky. Great work from Lipman down who drove past two and tried to release huegett – she made contact on it but was crowded out by two covering defenders before she could strike it. Good play and so close.
rich does well down the left and leeds win another corner. huegett swings it in…
Oooh – tipped away by Walsh from under her own bar – that corner has some vicious bend on it from Huegett.
Leeds push forward down the let and win a throw. They go long but its cleared by Richards. The Villa centreback pairing of Petrovic and Richards are huge – I’m not sure leeds will have much luck in the air. But they win a corner now. Huegett to swing it in…
Sheen reaches it at the far post and turns it back across goal but merrett reaches it first to clear. Nicely worked from Leeds though.
Leeds’ passing is starting to get on top now. They win a freekick which they work wide left to Rich but her cross is too near the keeper and its cleared.
Clarke tries to glide through the centre of the pitch. She beats one but Lipman gets across and clears. Lee releases Sheen who does well to drive into the box and hits it with her left but its saved by Walsh. Well struck but Walsh closed the angle quickly and made the save. That’s better for Leeds though.
Still no chances to speak of… R.Lee tries to release Sheen down the right but Jade Richards comes across and shepherds it out.
Clear difference in approach so far – Villa are being much more direct in getting the ball forward whereas Leeds are trying to build through midfield. At the moment its Villa looking the more threatening as Leeds struggle to string the passes accurately. Leeds first touch has just been slightly off so far.
Follis presses forward again and wins a corner. Swung in….
Cleared by Sharp and Huegett is adjudged offside.
Hard bouncey pitch in York today. Its a couple of times already the goal keepers kicks have careered up and over the defensive lines. Villa on the attack again now down the right with Follis. Squared inside and hit by Merrett but draycott deals with it easily enough.
Villa edge into Leeds territory and win a throw down the right flank. Ball is witched to Kelly Clarke who drives down the left towards the byline but she overhits her cross and Leeds clear.
Decent crowd here today in York with about 1200 or so. First mistake as Staneff slices her clearance and its out foir a villa corner. Swung in…
But its straight out before the near post and its a goal kick to leeds
Leeds patiently popping it about. Not as up tempo a start as I anticipated – there’s certainly no love lost between these sides after last weekends brutal 1-1 draw but so far both teams look in control and focussed.
There’s a beautiful sunshine enlightening Bootham Crescent this afternoon as the skippers meet up for the toss now. It’ll be Villa to k.o. playing from left to right. Here we go…
The teams are coming out now with Leeds in all white and Villa in their change blue shorts and yellow shirts.
Cup Final team news…
Leeds – Murphy misses out on a start with a hamstring problem so Sharp will slide back to centreback with Abbie Lee slotting into midfield. Other than that its the same team that started against City at Elland Road on Thursday.#
For Villa the captain Petrovic returns from injury.
We’re moments away now…
That’s fulltime – we’re heading for extra’s.