The Ladies played host to league leaders Kendal Town and were looking to make it through to their 3rd consecutive League Cup Final. Kendal were short on numbers but their quality meant that Newlaithes could take nothing for granted.
Newlaithes got off to a dream start after only 35 seconds when Paige and Faye combined to play the balll through for Tasha who slid in bravely to stab the ball past the advancing Kendal keeper. Tasha took a blow to the head but thankfully she was able to continue. Newlaithes continued to press and on 9 minutes, Emma intercepted a Kendal pass in midfield and raced through to lob the advancing keeper from just inside the area. Emma made it three on 22 minutes when Claire played into her feet and she fired past the keeper and into the bottom corner. Kendal were trying to catch Newlaithes on the break and they pulled one back a minute later when Lauren was unable to hold onto a stinging low cross from the right and the ball bobbled into the net. Any hopes of a Kendal fightback were short lived when three minutes later, Emma pumped a high ball forward and Faye played a delicate flick through to Tasha who buried the ball for her second and Newlaithes' fourth. Kendal kept trying to catch Newlaithes on the break but Jade was marshalling the defence well to keep them at bay, with keeper Lauren equal to the occasional shot that got through. Newlaithes continued to bombard the Kendal area and two minutes later on 28 minutes, Tasha sealed her hat trick when Claire hit a high, looping early cross into the far post and she raced in from nowhere to finish with a thumping header for Newlaithes' fifth. On 35 minutes it was six when an early Laura O cross from the right found Faye just inside the area. She steadied herself before smashing an unstoppable shot that swerved viciously, giving the Kendal keeper no chance. There were no further goals before half-time with the score, 6-1 to Newlaithes.
Kendal were in determined mood at the start of the 2nd half and they were awarded a penalty on 55 minutes for a foul on the edge of the area which they duly converted. As with the first half, the margin was soon restored when four minutes later, Paige fired in a long free kick that Tasha laid off for Emma to finish from close range for her 6th hat-trick of the season. Two minutes later and Newlaithes scored number eight when sub Pat, who was on for Claire, played a neat 1-2 with Emma on the right hand side of the area and she fizzed a low shot across goal that went in off the post. On 67 minutes, Newlaithes got number nine when Emma broke free down the right hand side of the area. She floated in a delicate cross for Carly to dive in and score with a thumping header from 12 yards out. Despite the scoreline, Kendal were still making a game of it and on 81 minutes their endeavours earned them a second penalty for handball in the area. Again the kick was despatched with a blistering shot into the top corner. Four minutes later and Paige got onto the scoresheet when she curled a superb free-kick into the roof of the net from 25 yards. On 90 minutes, Newlaithes wrapped up the scoring when sub Chelsea N broke into the Kendal area and was duly sandwiched between two defenders. Defender Laura O stepped up to stroke the kick into the bottom corner to the diving keeper's right. Final score 11-3.
So, the Ladies have done it - they have got through to the final for the third successive year and it shows how far this young team has come after losing four out of the first five games of the season. At times, particularly in the 2nd half, Newlaithes play was a bit ragged round the edges but fair play to them, they put the ball into dangerous areas and showed some clinical finishing. Credit to Kendal who battled for the full 90 minutes - it goes without saying they are a quality side but their numerical disadvantage on the day left them with too much of a mountain to climb and the Newlaithes players worked hard to ensure that they were never able to settle into any sort of rhythm.
Newlaithes player of the match was awarded to central defender Jade by John Duncan who was assessing the match. She was assured in defence and drove the team on throughout the whole game.
Special thanks to Jackie Scott who laid on a marvelous after-match spread.
Our opponents in the final will be Abbeytown, a game which promises to be an exciting battle if previous encounters are anything to go by so watch this space for fixture details as and when they are announced.
Next Sunday, the Ladies travel to play Penrith AFC Development at Frenchfields for the last league fixture of the season.
