New through to final
Women's Football
New 4 - St Anne's 3
BOASTING FIVE Blues players and having not conceded a single goal en route to the semi-finals of the women's cuppers, St Anne's proved to be a strong challenge to a New side who recently sealed the title in their division. Anne's were 2-0 up within 15 minutes, as Blues central midfielder Kathy Hurst was twice able to get goal-side of her marker and score. She completed her hat-trick on the half hour, with a windassisted bullet struck crisply from outside the area.
With New on the verge of a whitewash, it took a huge effort to pull something back and come out fighting in the second half. Soon after the restart, Eileen Nutting surged down the right wing; her shot was spilled by Anne's goalkeeper Natalia Chan and Abi Don tapped in from five yards. The deficit was reduced yet further when a New shot was blocked by the hand of a defender; it was left to Nutting to blast home the resulting penalty.
The final 20 minutes were frantic, as New became the dominant side. An equaliser was inevitable: it came when Nutting's corner was cleared by Hurst, only to find the waiting Andrews, who rocketed the ball into the top-left corner. The goal sent a bolt of electricity through the New team and their equally ecstatic fans invaded the pitch in celebration. The match came down to extra-time.
Ella Davies did well to contained the impressive Hurst, but persistent pressure from the visitors forced New to defend deep in their own half. Yet with four minutes remaining, a Nutting throw pierced the Anne's defence, and Don was given a final opportunity to seal the ultimate of cup comebacks. She coolly struck a fierce drive from the edge of the area that sailed past Chan into the St Anne's goal.
24th Feb 2005