Arsenal win a trophy. Yes, really!

Arsenal Ladies FC vs Bristol Academy Women's FC

The Ricoh Arena in Coventry is possibly the most out of the way, difficult to reach, ground in the Universe!  This probably goes some way to explaining the lower than average attendance for a Women's FA Cup final, as 13,885 people turned up.  The sides had fought out a 2-2 draw a week earlier, filling the underdogs from Bristol with confidence.

The Ricoh Arena at kick-off.

Bristol's confidence looked well founded as they asserted early pressure, a Jemma Rose header flying just past the post.  Arsenal soon found their feet though.  Fleeting and Nobbs both put efforts high while Bristol and England 'keeper, Chamberlain, had to deal with an effort from Houghton and a free kick, again from Nobbs.  The pressure paid off when the best player on the field, Kim Little, waltzed past two or three Bristol defenders and nailed home to put the Gunners 1-0 up with 19 minutes gone.

Fahey takes an Arsenal throw.

Arsenal continued to knock at the door, Nobbs was denied well.  Chamberlain did well to put the ball out from an Ellen White effort after Fleeting hit the bar in the 33rd minute.  From the resulting cross Fleeting went one better and put Arsenal 2-0 up.  White and Fleeting both had chances to grab the third before the break.  Arsenal 'keeper, Emma Byrne, did have to be on her toes as Jess Fishlock went through but the shot stopper gathered well.  Bristol finished the half by shanking a free kick high and wide.

Little has a go.

Suffice to say the first half Arsenal dominance killed off the match and the second half was considerably less entertaining than the first.  Little was still dominating the middle of the park and Rachel Yankey created another opportunity for her with a pull back; Little's powerful shot saved well by Chamberlain.  A good run through the midfield ended with a free kick for Bristol 20 yards from goal.  Daley had a crack from the dead ball and clipped the top of the cross bar.  This was Bristol's best chance of the half as they dealt much better with Arsenal's threat.  They still couldn't contain Little though and the Scot came close twice more before full time.

Arsenal Ladies: Women's FA Cup Winners 2010/11

Arsenal had one last half chance before seeing the game out, Danielle Carter, on as a sub, running through on goal but unable to convert.  Full time saw Arsenal actually pick up some silverware and Bristol go away consoled by the fact that both clubs go into next seasons Champions League.

Next up: Olympique Lyonnais take on Turbine Potsdam in the UEFA Women's Champions League at Craven Cottage.

An Arsenal defensive collapse? Who'd have thought?

Arsenal Ladies vs Birmingham City Ladies

The Women's Super League is a semi-professional, summer league of eight teams at the top of the Women's game in England.  When I say top I mean financially of course, because that's what matters these days.  The league has been split into two segments, one either side of the impending 2011 Women's World Cup.  Not such a smart idea playing the WSL over the summer months, you might think.  The reason for this switch, which also throws the clubs out of sync for the Women's FA Cup, is to bring in more spectators and more interest.  It's so that the football can be screened on a big TV channel that everyone watches, like ESPN of course.  It's also so that there are no other pesky fixtures to distract people, football or otherwise and screw what the cricketers think.  Who watches cricket in the summer anyway, or any other sport for that matter?

Arsenal warm up before the game.

Regardless of whether the FA WSL is a good idea or not it has thrown up the biggest challenge to Arsenal Ladies dominance of the Women's game in England for a long while.  There are now several teams capable of competing with the Gunners on a regular basis in the league.  Birmingham City Ladies are definitely one of these teams and they went into the night at the head of the table, three points above the Gunners having played a game more.  Arsenal hosted this match at Meadow Park, their Borehamwood home and managed to draw an impressive crowd of 789.

Birmingham started the brighter with a couple of chances spurned.  The great family atmosphere at the game was exemplified early on by the seven year old near the front screaming "dickhead" at the referee, it was probably deserved as well as he made yet another poor decision; winning a corner or throw-in from this team of officials was very much a case of roll a six to start.  The one woman, Arsenal army briefly gave the girl-guide songs a rest to have a go at the ref, again correctly.  The Birmingham right-back, Weston, had decided it was probably easier to mark Rachel Yankey if she was rolling around on the floor in agony and promptly tried to cut her in half with a thumping tackle.  If it was in El Clasico she'd be off, as it was Weston saw yellow.  

The Birmingham ascendancy didn't last long as Kim Little's class started to show through in the Arsenal midfield.   Little's superb work playing in Danielle Carter and Ellen White up front or supplying a fully recovered Rachel Yankey on the wing was really starting to cause the Blues defence trouble.  Someone should really tell the Blues' defence they aren't good enough to play it out from the back.  Arsenal went close a couple of times as Chapman tested the Birmingham 'keeper and White shot narrowly wide after doing well to get in front of her marker.  Despite Jo Potter in the Birmingham midfield looking like the only player who could hold her own, Birmingham should've been in front; ex-Gunner Karen Carney spanking the ball over when it looked easier to score.  Carney's profligacy was punished almost instantly when Ellen White ran onto a long ball over the top and lofted the 'keeper from 25 yards.  Great finish and 1-0 Arsenal at half time.

Birmingham defend an Arsenal corner.

The Arsenal fans spent the break either discussing the goal, irritatingly talking about how "quaint" the ground was or wondering why Rachel Yankey was booked towards the end of the half.  For those fans still wondering, it was because she kicked the ball away.  You'd think Arsenal fans would know that rule better than anyone by now!  The aforementioned Yankey set White up early on in the second-period but she could only smash the ball against the bar.  This was the best chance Arsenal would get as a resurgent Birmingham went on the rampage.  Some great wing play saw a wonderful cross to the back stick, headed back across goal and into the bottom corner by Williams.

Arsenal looked for a response with Little trying to fashion chances but the Gunners backline, missing key players, looked visibly shaken.  Arsenal 'keeper, Emma Byrne, who was lucky to stay on the pitch having karate-kicked an opponent in the chest, found herself having to pick the ball out of the net again minutes later. The Arsenal defence looked startlingly like it's Premier League counterpart as a mistake allowed Carney to walk round the on-rushing 'keeper and slot home into an empty net.  Arsenal tried to unsettle the Birmingham back-line in the remaining 15 minutes but the Blues always looked comfortable as they claimed the three points to stay top of the WSL.

Next up: The final game of the regulation BSB Conference North season as Boston take on Vauxhall Motors at York St.