More shoot-out woe for Everton Ladies against Leeds

Mar 17 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON LADIES failed to make the FA Women’s Cup final yesterday as they lost 5-4 on penalties against Leeds United at Haig Avenue.

Everton were the overwhelming favourites for the match, but it was scouser Sue Smith who put them out with her winning penalty.

“It wasn’t the clean fluent football that we play,” said a disappointed Everton manager Mo Marley.

“We lacked a bit of composure, we lacked someone getting the ball and grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck. That was probably the most disappointing bit. But saying that, we did have a lot of chances and we haven’t converted them.

“But you’ve got to give Leeds a little bit of credit. They’ve come and stopped us playing our normal fluent football.”

But it was Everton who had the first chance to take the lead in the match as Jody Handley was brought down in the box by Alex Culvin. Up stepped Fara Williams, but she saw her shot saved by the knees of Carly Telford.

After having a scare as Olivia Thackray shot over inside the box, the home side then had chances themselves but both Williams and Jill Scott missed the target.

Natasha Dowie also scuffed a Michelle Evans cross wide, as it looked like Everton were going to take hold of the game.

Although, as the opening half drew to a close, Leeds sat very deep and cancelled out everything that was thrown at them.

In the second half, Williams saw a couple more efforts fail to yield anything and United hit back, with their best chances coming from defensive errors from a normally well-drilled Everton defence.

Substitute Jo Potter should have really put the tie to bed when she was put clear by Dowie, aided by Williams’ dummy, but her effort hit the legs of Telford and squirmed to the goal line before being cleared.

And in the final minutes of normal time both Dowie and Potter had efforts saved, the latter a fine free-kick.

Leeds had the better of the opening period of extra time, and Hill managed to produce an expert save to keep out a stinging shot from Kate Holtham.

And in the second period of added on time, Everton peppered the away goal with shots, the closest bringing a fine save from Telford as Handley drove at goal from 25-yards.

During the shoot-out, Williams blazed over when the scores were level at 3-3, and then Sue Smith stepped up to send the Yorkshire side through to a final with Arsenal.

Even though they were the better team on the day, Mo Marley’s team will have to brush themselves down after this defeat and continue to do battle in the league.

EVERTON: Hill, Easton, Unitt, Williams, Westwood, Johnson, Handley (c), Scott (Potter 76), Dowie, Kane, Evans (Duggan 71). Subs: Duffy, Hinnigan, Boyle.

LEEDS: Telford, Emmanuel, Bradley, Wright (c), Culvin (Sutcliffe 49), Moore (Holtham 49), Walton, Houghton, Thackray, Smith, Barr. Subs: Adams, Bonner, Clarke.

REFEREE: Ross Joyce

ATT: 572