Lancaster City Ladies win cup to seal the double

Lancaster City Ladies sealed a league and cup double with a 5-3 cup final victory over Horwich St Mary's Ladies.

Gamble Road, the home of Thornton Cleveleys FC, played host to Lancashire FA Women's County League Cup Finals day and in the Challenge Cup Final, both sides were evenly matched.

Lancaster City Ladies won Division One North/West by two points and a goal difference of +58, Horwich St. Mary's Ladies won Division One South/East by 3 points, also with a goal difference of +58 and whoever won this showpiece event would seal the double.

The game started end-to-end, Horwich coming close with a corner two minutes in and then Ellie Parkinson with a long range effort over, but the goal scoring started on nine minutes.

Lucy Askew's kick forward was inadvertently headed on by a defender and Kayleigh Young who had gambled with a defence-splitting run was one-on-one and looped the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

It was just three minutes later when the lead was doubled.

Kayleigh Young flicked the ball on and once again a defensive error created a one-on-one situation, this time for Ellie Parkinson who showed great composure to round the goalkeeper and pop the ball into an empty net.

One way traffic continued for the remainder of the half with Ally Hallam setting up Young and Jody Campbell but both efforts were saved by the Horwich St. Mary's goalkeeper.

On 41 minutes the pressure paid off. Young turning provider, picking up a pass from Aimee Rostern-Fraser to send Jody Campbell through to slot it past the keeper to send the Dolly Ladies into half time 3-0 up.

As you would expect after a first half like that, Horwich St. Mary's came out for the second half firing on all cylinders. Twenty seconds into the second half they got a goal back. A move down the left hand side saw Stacey Burton turn in a low cross.

Five minutes later it was 3-2. A corner from Rachel Liu was perfectly placed in the corridor of uncertainty and ended up in the net. This seemed to galvanise Scott King's side and the goal threat the green and white possessed was nullified.

It was another 20 minutes before Lancaster City Ladies extended their lead once more. Steph Revie closing down in midfield nicked the ball of the midfielders foot and played a ball to Ellie Parkinson who did all the rest. Running with the ball at her feet, skipping past a defender before placing it in at the far post.

As with the first half this galvanised City's opponents, and a last ditch tackle by Miya Jackson was judged to be a foul and awarding a penalty, which was expertly converted by Emily Holt.

Substitute Nadia Askew, whose performances have merited a goal since her arrival, missed two chances, however it wouldn't be at cost of the cup as Jody Campbell was fouled 25 yards out and just like against Chipping and Penwortham Town Reserves, dispatched the free kick to make it 5-3 on the day and City the Lancashire FA Women's County League Challenge Cup Winners.