FA Womens Cup Final - Birmingham Ladies vs Chelsea Ladies

Photographs by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/17181772@N00/with/7278675298/


On Saturday 26th May 2012, Birmingham City Ladies made history by winning their first ever FA Womens Cup, beating Chelsea at Bristol City's Ashton Gate 3-2 on penalties, after drawing 2-2 after extra time. Welsh international Helen Lander looked to have won the cup for the London Blues, turning exquisitely before slotting the ball past Rebecca Spencer in the Birmingham goal, but after a terrific goal line clearance from Chelsea's Claire Rafferty denied Jodie Taylor an equaliser on the stroke of 90 minutes, the resulting corner eventually found its way to Rachel Williams who, through a crowded penalty area, managed to stroke the ball accurately past the despairing Chelsea back line to send the tie into extra time.

The heat inside Ashton Gate was searing, and the 30 minutes of extra time saw alot of the girls from both sides stretching tense muscles, and trying to run off cramp or niggles, but still the quality did not wane. Chelsea went back into the lead before half time in extra time, a slight lack of communication between Spencer and captain Laura Bassett allowed Kate Longhurst a sight at goal, which she took with aplomb, a beautiful curling finish into the bottom corner, and again the majority of the 8,000 plus crowd in attendance must have predicted it to be a monumental task for the Midlands outfit to get back into the game, but one thing that has been evident over the past year and a half is that Birmingham City Ladies are not a team to write off easily, and once again their spirit, fight and determination to win was on show, as with 8 minutes left of extra time, Karen Carney took a quick free kick and bent it into the top corner of Carly Telford's goal.

And so to the penalty shoot out. The penalties were taken in front of the Atyeo Stand, which held the fans behind the goal, and Chelsea were to take first. Katie Sherwood was the first to take a spot kick, and she dispatched it well, despite Spencer going the right way. Rachel Williams took Birmingham's first penalty, and despite hitting it low, it was too close to Telford, and the England stopper saved well. Chelsea sub Drew Spence was next up, but much like Williams' effort, her shot was too close to Spencer and the Birmingham keeper parried the penalty away with a superb save down to her left. It was then the turn of England international Rachel Unitt, who stepped up and confidently dispatched her penalty to Telford's left into the bottom corner to level things up after 2 penalties each.

Another England international was next up to take for Chelsea, Claire Rafferty, who had missed a penalty for England in last year's world cup against France, and again it was heartache for her, as her penalty was struck with a lot of power, but went wide of the post. Striker Jodie Taylor was next up for Birmingham, and she followed up her player of the match winning perfomance with a calm, confident penalty, sending Telford the wrong way to give Birmingham the lead for the very first time in the whole tie. Midfielder Dani Buet walked up to take Chelsea's fourth penalty, and if there were any nerves she did not show them, placing her penalty to her left into the top corner, Spencer going the wrong way. Birmingham's fourth penalty was taken by hometown girl Karen Carney, and there was no way she was going to miss after taking her side into the shoot out with her brilliant free kick, and she duly obliged with her spot kick, arguably the best of the shoot out, stroking the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net, sending Telford the wrong way and putting her side 3-2 up with one penalty left for each side.

Centre half Gemma Bonner, renowned for her penalty taking abilities, stepped up for Chelsea's fifth, but despite her previous history of successful penalties for club and country, sometimes pressure does horrible things to players, and as with Rafferty, her penalty had plenty of power but not the required accuracy, and her shot went over the bar to hand Birmingham Ladies their first ever FA Womens Cup.

As is quite apparent with the content of this blog, we are Birmingham Ladies fans, but we do try and write in an impartial format, but we will not apologise for making an exception in this instance.


Chelsea played their part in a tremendous final, and it is never nice to lose on penalties, especially as they were so close to winning in normal time and in extra time, and they deserve great credit for their efforts, but if ever there was a side that deserved a trophy for their efforts over a period of time, it is Birmingham City Ladies. They were outstanding all last season, but ended up runners up in both the FAWSL and the Continental Cup, and again this season they have worked so hard and they have been excellent in all areas of the pitch, and were once again in the final. This win was for everyone at the club, players, management, staff, fans, everyone.

It was for the two goalkeepers: Rebecca Spencer, who left Arsenal at the beginning of the season to gain more first team football, and has been a more than welcome addition to the squad, and made important saves in the final, culminating in saving Drew Spence's penalty to get Blues back into the shoot out, and for Marie Hourihan, who was the number one last season and has played her part in this season's promising start to the season too.

It was for Rachel Unitt, who has brought a wealth of experience into the back four and been a fantastic acquisition, who has shown her value to the side in the defensive and attacking departments, and who scored the second penalty in the shoot out.

For Chelsea Weston and Emily Westwood, who have been regulars in the side this season and last, and have been integral members of the side, and for the inspirational captain Laura Bassett, back skippering the Blues for a second time in her career, and who deserved more than anyone to lift the trophy.

It must have meant the world to Birmingham girl Karen Carney, whose contributions to the final in particular are an example of what the England winger means to the club, and in turn what the club means to her. Her free kick and penalty successes were followed by evident shows of emotion, and this displayed how much she wanted this success with her hometown club.

It was for the superb midfield duo of Jade Moore and Jo Potter, who time and time again have shown class in abundence on the ball, and their workrate in the soaring Bristol heat was inspirational to watch, Jade Moore's battle with fellow midfielder Dani Buet was particularly grueling, and Potter was again the source of calmness in possession, always happy to receive the ball and never rushed, dictating the flow of the game and bringing team mates into play, always looking to set the strikers away and dominating the midfield with her England team mate Moore.

For Kerys Harrop, who was brilliant last season whilst playing at left full back, and also this season in a more attacking role in front of Unitt, and she has made that position her own this season, scoring goals as well as her natural defensive qualities to assist Unitt.

It was for strikers Rachel Williams and Jodie Taylor, who worked tirelessly and chased balls all afternoon, often without fruition, but never gave up. Williams was clearly suffering with an injury for a large portion of the second half and all of extra time, but she did not stop running, chasing balls over the top, closing down the Chelsea players in possession, and of course, not for the first time, scoring the goal when Blues desperately needed it, forcing extra time with her stoppage time equaliser, and Taylor was given the Sky TV player of the match award, and no one can argue with that, she had a perfectly good goal ruled out incorrectly for offside in the first half, and on another day she could have had a hat trick, her effort at the end of normal time being cleared off the line, and she continuously ran her socks off for the team, and she also scored one of the penalties in the shoot out.

It was for the subs, and squad members, Eni Aluko who came on in the final and looked very sharp and threatening, which she has since she arrived back this year, and for the subs who didn't get on, Izzy Christiansen, Marie Ballard and Christina Torkildsen, who have all played their part in the progress of the club, and have contributed to it's recent success.

For David Parker, and all the backroom staff and management, and for the fans that have followed the club regularly, and for everyone involved with the club, 26th May 2012 was a day that will never be forgotten, and all the players deserve their winners medals and the accolades that will follow.

The home league fixture vs Chelsea on Thursday is now free admission for supporters to come and show their appreciation to the players that have bought this trophy back to Birmingham, and to see them embark upon another charge towards success this season, and we will be there again, and our pride for the girls that wear the clubs shirt that was so affluent on Saturday will be displayed again.

Birmingham: Spencer, Weston, Bassett (c), Westwood, Unitt, Carney, Moore, Potter, Harrop (Aluko 63), Williams, Taylor

Subs not used: Hourihan, Ballard, Christiansen, Torkildsen

Chelsea: Telford (c), Fay (Perry 70), Bonner, Ingle, Rafferty, Susi, Buet, Coombs (Spence 58), Sherwood, Bleazard, Lander (Longhurst 76)

Subs not used: Quantrill, Hincks

Attendance: 8,723

Photographs by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/17181772@N00/with/7278675298/

Check out this for all the latest bclfc photographs.. great photographs! 

FAWSL - Birmingham Ladies vs Liverpool Ladies

Birmingham Ladies closed to within two points of leaders Arsenal on Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool Ladies at the DCS Stadium. The holders' 3-3 draw away at Lincoln meant Blues had the opportunity to edge closer to their rivals at the top of the league, and this home win was the perfect tonic, ahead of arguably the biggest week in the club's history.

Liverpool proved a solid test for last year's WSL runners up, with left midfielder Hannah Keryakoplis showing early signs of why she has plenty of people in the game talking about her, and the opening quarter of an hour was a battle of attrition, with the ball mainly being fought for in the middle of the park, but as has happened on numerous occasions, the opening goal changed the whole complexity of the game, and the hosts took control of the game. Chelsea Weston's teasing cross from the right wing caused Reds centre back Nicky Twohig to slice her clearance, and despite the best efforts of keeper Nicola Davies, the ball looped into the net to give Blues the lead on 16 minutes. The remainder of the half was dominated by Birmingham, England winger Carney in especially sparkling form, causing problems on either wing and with her set pieces, and the combination of Rachel Williams and Jodie Taylor up front always worrying the opposition defence, the home side had regular chances to double their lead before the break, Davies making saves from Carney and Kerys Harrop, and a thunderous Jo Potter free kick narrowly missing the target.

The second half was a closer affair, Liverpool determined to come out and show a resilience that was lacking in the FA Womens Cup game earlier in the season where they were beaten 4-0, but 7 minutes after the restart, Blues had their second that the first half display deserved. Substitute Eni Aluko, on for the impressive Izzy Christiansen who put in a good shift out of position in central midfield, needed only 2 minutes to make her mark in the game, crossing for Taylor, and although the striker couldn't get to the first cross, Harrop came in at the back post and steered the ball home. Aluko is becoming sharper and more dangerous with every appearance for the club she began her career with, and it was the England striker who was the provider for Blues' third of the game on 57 minutes, crossing again for Taylor who controlled superbly and slotted the ball past Davies to continue her good run of goalscoring form at the start of this season. The Merseyside outfit did not give in however, and came back determined to reduce the deficit and take some positives back north, and their efforts in the final half hour were rewarded when Kelly Jones headed in a Caroline Charlton cross to reduce the arrears. They could have had more, with Rebecca Spencer in the hosts' goal saving well from Chloe Jones, and new signing Emily Gielnik thumping the bar from 20 yards, but in the end the home side came out with the win that takes them to joint second with Chelsea Ladies on 8 points, but with a game in hand over their FA Womens Cup final opponents, while Liverpool remain on one point.

Blues boss David Parker will be hoping his side will stay injury free this week leading up to their Final at Ashton Gate on May 26th, and the appearance of Jade Moore coming on as substitute in their last two games will be a massive boost for the Midlanders, in what promises to be an exciting, close fought game between two sides who have started their seasons well, and the opportunity to etch their names into their club's history will provide all the incentive to put everything into the game, and at 3pm on Saturday either Laura Bassett or Carly Telford will be lifting the trophy.

Player of the game: Karen Carney

Blues: Spencer, Weston (Moore 64), Bassett (c), Westwood, Unitt, Carney, Christiansen (Aluko 49), Potter (Ballard 69), Harrop, Williams, Taylor

Subs not used: Hourihan, Torkildsen

Liverpool: Davies, V Jones (c), Twohig, Chappell, Evans (Shepherd 55), Harding (Fleming 75), C Jones (Charlton 75), Brusell, Keryakoplis, K Jones, Gielnik

Subs not used: Clansey, S Jones

Attendance: 266

FAWSL - Birmingham Ladies V Doncaster Rovers Belles

Birmingham Ladies got their first win of the 2012 FAWSL season on Sunday with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers Belles at the DCS Stadium. The goals were spread across the team, with Rachel Williams, Kerys Harrop, Jo Potter and substitute Eni Aluko each getting on the scoresheet against the Yorkshire outfit.

Patience was the key for the Blues against a team which had lost their previous game of the season, and despite an even start, the first goal breathed new life into the hosts. Once Chelsea Weston's superb right wing cross was carefully controlled by England striker Williams and slotted home neatly, Birmingham's confidence rose and, in turn, Doncaster's faded, and just four minutes after the opener Williams turned provider, keeping the ball in a tight space inside the box before nudging the ball across goal into the path of the unmarked Harrop to double her side's lead. The hosts continued to threaten the Belles' backline, in between sporadic Donny forrays forward, and four minutes before half time it was 3-0, a develish Karen Carney corner was whipped in and headed home by midfield dynamo Jo Potter, who grabbed her first goal of the season.

Both sides made changes at half time, Eni Aluko replacing Jade Moore, who went off with a knock to her knee, and Rovers' Lillie Bilson replaced by Millie Bright, much to the winger's disgust. The second half was certainly less dramatic goal wise than the first, with the visitors determined not to be embarrassed, and the hosts playing with no pressure and with lots of freedom to express themselves, and happy to maintain possession. Aluko looked very sharp when she came on, running into channels and causing the visitor's defence plenty of problems, and her efforts were rewarded on 70 minutes when she latched onto a through ball, and one on one with Mary Earps, confidently rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the empty net. She could have had more, with a header hitting the cross bar, and there were plenty of half chances that went by which could have improved the goal difference, what with Arsenal looking as strong as ever so far in the league.

After two away draws at Lincoln and Everton, the nature of the comfortable win will have pleased boss David Parker, especially with a consistent run of games coming up for his team, including the eagerly anticipated FA Womens Cup final against Chelsea on May 26th, and the return to goalscoring form of the side was a positive sign.

Once again the quality of crosses and passing caused all the problems for the Belles side, Carney and Potter supplying dangerous free kicks and corners, and full backs Weston and Unitt supporting the wide players, expanding the pitch as much as possible, pulling the visitors wide and creating space for the likes of Potter, Williams and Carney to create opportunities for the FA Cup finalists. Potter was superb in the centre, twisting and turning her way into space on numerous occasions, never rushed in possession and often creating goalscoring chances for her team mates.

Blues are in Continental Cup action away at Bristol Academy next weekend, and after this win they will go into the game full of confidence, and hopefully this will continue onto their second trip to Bristol in May, as they search for their very first FA Womens Cup.

Player of the match: Jo Potter

Blues: Spencer, Weston, Bassett (c), Westwood, Unitt, Christiansen, Moore (Aluko 46), Potter, Harrop, Williams (Torkildsen 73), Carney (Ballard 59)

Subs not used: Hourihan

Doncaster: Earps, Cunningham, Little, Sigsworth, Holtham, O'Gorman (Russell 82), Lipka, Oxtoby, Bilson (Bright 46), Chadwick (Sowerby 62), England

Subs not used: Lagonia, Hills

Attendance: 489

FA Cup - Birmingham Ladies V Bristol Academy

Birmingham Ladies made history on Sunday as they defeated Bristol Academy 4-1 in the semi-final of the FA Women’s Cup, reaching the final for the very first time in their history. The win was much deserved, with Rachel Williams and Karen Carney grabbing a brace apiece, and the rise and rise of the Midlands’ outfit is there for all to see, being runners-up in last season’s inaugural FAWSL and Continental Cup, and this season hoping for even more achievements.

Blues were 3-0 up before half time, Williams scoring her first goal of the season early on, before a Carney corner was kept out by the hand of Bristol defender Alex Culvin, who was sent off, and despite Williams missing the resultant spot kick, England winger Carney scored two very neat finishes to put Birmingham fully in control at half time. Blues were the designated home side, with the game being played at Tamworth FC’s The Lamb ground, and they had a good backing from the fans that had made the trip north, and they certainly would have enjoyed a first half performance that displayed great confidence and quality.

Carney makes it 2-0

Half time: Birmingham 3 - 0 Bristol 

Bristol gave their all in the second half, but with 10 players it was always going to be difficult for them to get back into the game, and despite long range shots from Laura Del Rio, it was the “hosts” who increased their lead, Williams nodding home for her second and Blues’ fourth, and although Del Rio managed a consolation goal, Birmingham were through to their first FA Women’s Cup final in their history.

Williams wraps up the scoring for the hosts

Much is said of Birmingham’s ability to score goals, with a threatening attacking line up headed by the likes of Williams, Carney, Eni Aluko and Jodie Taylor, and in the first half, these talents were there for all to see, but in the second half, Bristol came out and were always going to attack, but Blues showed why they have a great chance of success this season with a commanding display of resilience and defensive strength coupled with their attacking threats. Last season Kerys Harrop was one of the star players of the season playing at left full back, but since the acquisition of Rachel Unitt, the youngster has not played as much as she would like, which is testament to the start England international Unitt has had. Originally from Walsall, the former Everton star has showed her class since arriving at the club she calls home, and her experience and coolness under pressure has certainly helped those around her, but not only has she added much defensively, but she has also contributed assists already this season, one coming in the semi final for Williams’ opener, and her delivery from wide areas will be an invaluable asset for her side. The same can be said on the opposite side of the pitch, with Chelsea Weston continuously improving, cementing her role as first choice right back with similar outstanding performances, and the England under 23 international also provided an assist in the 4-1 win over Bristol, and linking up well with the midfield.

As previously mentioned, this season may turn out to be very fruitful for David Parker’s side, and should they manage to win a trophy, no one would epitomise the spirit the side has more than the woman who would be lifting the trophy, captain Laura Bassett.

The England international led her side all through last year’s campaign, and again this year she is showing the leadership qualities and desire that is spreading through the rest of her team. Strong and commanding, be it in the air or using her feet, Bassett exhumes a confidence in herself and her team mates that has ensured Blues are currently unbeaten in all games this season so far, and the semi final was no exception to the rule. Up against in form strikers Nikki Watts and Laura Del Rio, Bassett marshalled the defence superbly, especially in a tricky second half period where Bristol tried to get back into the game. Emily Westwood is a player who is benefitting from playing alongside the former Coventry, Arsenal and Leeds defender, making the centre back position her own with fellow defender Sally Stanton on pregnancy leave, but Bassett is a calming influence in the captain’s role, and her teammates can only improve playing alongside her, but Bassett can also be a tough tackling centre back, an example of which was displayed by a crunching last gasp tackle at the front post when it seemed certain Bristol were about to get a shot away, and this determination to succeed is driving the team along.

Bassett is in her second spell at Blues, and at 28 she is now reaching her peak, and the skipper will be desperate to not only enjoy success at club level, but also international level, where she must surely be considered for the upcoming Olympic Games. Bassett became the first player to represent Birmingham Ladies at international level, and she deserves to be the first Birmingham Ladies players to lift the FA Women’s Cup at Ashton Gate come May 26^th.

Full time: Birmingham 4 - 1 Bristol Academy 

For photos of this game please visit: www.flickr.com/birmcitylfc

Blues: Spencer (Hourihan 63) Unitt, Bassett, Westwood, Weston, Aluko (Christiansen 67) Potter, Moore (Torkildsen 76) Carney, Taylor, Williams.

Bristol Academy: Chamberlain, Windell, Green (James 67) Del Rio, Fishlock, Dykes, Lawley (Curson 77) Watts (Heatherson 67) Culvin, Rose, Harding.