Notts County became the first ever team to get through to the FAW Cup final at Wembley Stadium with a 3-0 victory over Everton.
Straight from the kick off Everton almost took the lead. Lucy Whipp drove forward and unleashed a shot from 20 yards which dipped late, striking the crossbar, but Carly Telford claimed the loose ball.
This sparked a reaction from Notts County who set about dominating the game from there on. Rachel Williams and Jess Clarke both went close, Megan Walsh in the hosts goal doing well to save from the latter.
In front of the noisy travelling fans, Aileen Whelan latched onto a deep corner, but could only hit the side netting.
Both teams were looking to play passing football, on a pitch which allowed a flowing game.
Just before the break the ball fell fortuitously to Whipp in the 18 yard box, but Telford was out well to block the striker’s shot.
Straight after the restart the Lady Pies took the lead. Alex Greenwood beat her marker and delivered a curling ball onto the head of Jess Clarke 8 yards out, the striker flicking the cross into the bottom right corner of Walsh’s net.
Soon afterwards County doubled their lead and it was the former Everton player Greenwood whose delivery was inch perfect again. Clarke had the beating of Danielle Turner on the right wing, knocking the ball past the defender, the left back cynically fouling Clarke to stop her. Greenwood and Dani Buet stood over the ball, the England full back swinging the delivery into the six yard box where Ellen White stooped low to head past Walsh.
With ten minutes left on the clock the Lady Pies rounded off a comprehensive victory. It was Turner again who conceded the free kick, fouling substitute Dunia Susi as she looked to counter attack. This time it was Dani Buet who struck the set piece 35 yards out, the ball travelling through the jumble of bodies in the box and flying inside Walsh’s left hand post, the midfielders first goal for Notts.
White almost put the icing on the cake two minutes later, but her header was well cleared off the line at the back post.
Everton rarely threatened in the second half and the referee called an end to the game, sending Notts County through as the first ever team to make it to a FA Womens Cup final at Wembley on 1 August.
Everton (4-2-3-1): Megan Walsh; Vicky Jones, Gabby George, Lindsay Johnson, Dan Turner; Paige Williams, Millie Turner (Kelly Jones 58); Emily Hollinshead (Claudia Walker 61), Michelle Hinnigan, Lucy Whipp; Simone Magill.
Substitutes not used: Kirstie Levell, Ellie Stewart, Lauren Davies.
Bookings: George, Turner
Notts County (4-2-3-1): Carly Telford; Sophie Walton, Laura Bassett, Fern Whelan, Alex Greenwood; Danielle Buet, Leanne Crichton; Jess Clarke (Dunia Susi 69), Ellen White (Amy Turner 85), Rachel Williams (Fiona O’Sullivan 81); Aileen Whelan.
Substitutes not used: Laura-Jayne O’Neill, Ashleigh Plumptre.
Referee: Anthony Tankard
Attendance: 1,271
In the other semi final Ji So-Yun’s late winner kept Chelsea on course for their first major trophy as they beat Manchester City 1-0 at Adams Park.
The South Korea striker fired home from the edge of the box with just six minutes remaining to set up a Final against Notts County.
Eniola Aluko could have put Chelsea ahead within two minutes after advancing down the left wing and working her way into the box only for the England international to hit the post.
Nikita Parris then had a chance for City only two minutes later when Toni Duggan and Demi Stokes combined well to find the striker but her shot sailed over the bar.
The pace of the game slowed thereafter before another Parris shot was parried into the path of Natasha Harding, whose effort was blocked by a resolute Chelsea defence just after the break.
Duggan had the chance to put City ahead in the 78th minute but could not get enough connection on Parris’ cross to trouble Blues keeper Hedvig Lindahl.
City’s Natasha Harding and Chelsea’s Claire Rafferty tussle for the ball
Then in the 84th minute Chelsea substitute Drew Spence held the ball up well before laying it off to Ji, who scored from 20 yards to settle the contest for the FA WSL 1 leaders.
You can buy tickets for the FA Women’s Cup Final here.
Chelsea (4-4-1-1): Hedvig Lindahl; Hannah Blundell, Niamh Fahey, Gilly Flaherty, Claire Rafferty; Gemma Davidson, Katie Chapman, Millie Bright, Eniola Aluko; Laura Coombs, Ji So-Yun
Substitutes: Ana Borges for Davidson 73, Drew Spence for Coombs 73, Jackie Groenen for Aluko 87.
Subs not used: Marie Hourihan, Martia Banusic.
Bookings: none
Manchester City (4-4-2): Alex Brooks; Lucy Bronze, Steph Houghton, Kathleen Kadtke, Demi Stokes; Natasha Harding, Jennifer Beattie, Chelsea Nightingale, Isobel Christiansen; Nikita Parris, Toni Duggan
Substitutes: Natasha Flint for Nightingale 84, Krystle Johnson for Harding 86.
Subs not used: Karen Bardsley, Emma Lipman, Abbie McManus.
Bookings: none
Referee: Adrian Quelch.