Haslingden Ladies Vs Sir Tom Finney Cup Final

F.A. Women’s County League Cup Final.
Haslingden team;
Jessica Lomax, Kay Hawk, Sian Atkinson, Emily Caldecott, Jessica Murphy, Lucy Webbe, Sophie Even, Nicole Pusey, Isabella Chadwick, Karla Ashworth, Simi Atkinson, Holly Mallabourn, Jess Smith and Victoria Higginson.

Haslingden faces tough Premiership opposition in the final of the league cup, against Premier league table toppers Sir Tom Finney dev.
To get to the final Haslingden Ladies have had to play travel and overcome opponents from as far as Carlisle, and had to knockout 3 Premiership teams.
Sir Tom Finney sit at the top of the current premier league and would want to put their name on the cup to mark and incredible season for them.
The final took place at the FA county ground in Leyland, with a large crowd, bar open and the sun shining it was sure to be a fantastic day.

Sir Tom Finney started the game well and looked very composed from the off, passing the ball around and making Haslingden chase all over the pitch. Haslingden knew they had to dig deep to even gain possession.
A few wayward passes and shots from both teams followed, with each team looking for weaknesses and access points to try and penetrate.

The Haslingden defence had started to settle and looked to be dealing with everything that came its way, winning headers, intercepting passes and setting midfield away at every opportunity.
Haslingden won a free kick, 25 yards out, and up stepped Sophie Even with her trusty right foot to put the ball in the top left corner of the Sir Tom Finney goal. 1-0 to Haslingden
on 37 minutes.
Haslingden seemed to have the bit between their teeth now and drove straight back at the shell shocked Sir Tom Finney defence.
Within 2 minutes Simi Atkinson had latched on to a fantastic through ball and slipped the ball under the onrushing keeper to make it 2-0.
Haslingden were really going for it now and seemed to be pressing higher up the pitch with each attack, but no more goals before half time.

The half time team talk was all about the day, the fans and family, but most importantly it was about having fun and playing with freedom, holding our shape and getting the win.

The second half started as the first had finished, with Haslingden looking the brighter side and winning the 50/50 balls. It wasn’t long before a fantastic solo effort from Simi Atkinson carved open the Sir Tom Finney defence and she rifled home the 3rd for Haslingden on 56 minutes.
The ladies looked to be cruising to a cup victory. But Sir Tom Finney aren’t at the top of the premier league for nothing, they gathered themselves and put together some fantastic passing moves to attack through midfield, forcing a free kick in the Haslingden half.
From the free kick a melee ensued in the box and Sir Tom Finney has pulled a goal back on 77mins
The Haslingden girls looked exhausted, the sun was beating down and Sir Tom Finney seemed to find a new lease of life. Within 2 minutes they’d pulled another goal back after some lapse defending from Haslingden.
10 minutes to go and everybody needed to dig deep.
A few substitutions to replace the tiring legs seemed to do the trick, as Haslingden managed to make the final whistle to become this seasons FA County Cup Champions.
Every girl had given everything they could in the beating Leyland sun, and both teams looked exhausted. The crowd applauded both teams efforts on what was a superb cup final.
And Haslingden lifted the cup in only their second season playing in the Lancashire League.
Haslingden 3- 2 Sir Tom Finney