Sheffield & Hallamshire Women's Challenge Cup Final Sunday 21st March 2010, Kick Off 2PM
Bracken Moor, Stocksbridge Park Steels
Doncaster Rovers Belles take on Rotherham United Ladies in the final of the Sheffield & Hallamshire Women’s Challenge Cup Final.
The final will be played next Sunday, 21st March 2010 at Bracken Moor, home of Stocksbridge Park Steels, 2PM Kick Off, the 9th year the ground has hosted this final.
Doncaster Rovers Belles have won the competition an impressive six times, winning the competition for the last consecutive two seasons.
Holders Doncaster Rovers Belles start as favourites against Rotherham United who were the first winners of a Stocksbridge final, back in 2002 when they were known as Parkgate.
Doncaster are the highest ranked side in the competition and have now reached the final in each of the 8 seasons they have entered (note: in 1999-2000 through to 2001-02 they competed in the West Riding Cup).
Their only defeat in the competition was in 2007 when they were beaten 1-0 by Sheffield Wednesday for whom the adverse weather conditions the game was played in proved a great leveller.
This season the draw for the semis paired Belles and Wednesday together, so ruling out a sixth successive final meeting between the pair.
The margin of Belles’ victory, 9-1, was flattering as it was just 2-1 at the interval and captain and former Wednesday player Vicky Exley more or less ended the tie as a contest when she scored early in the second half, while there were 3 goals in the last five minutes.
Previously Belles had won 11-1 at Edlington in the first round, enjoyed a walk-over vs. Athersley in the second round and beaten Huddersfield Town 7-1 in the quarter-finals.
Rotherham had a much closer semi-final, needing extra time to overcome Sheffield FC Ladies who matched their previous best of reaching the last four.
Rotherham won the semi 4-2 and their only other game in this season’s competition was a 7-1 home victory over Sheffield United Junior Blades in the quarter-finals when Helen Lynskey scored 4. Like Belles, Rotherham enjoyed a walk-over in the second round when they were drawn against Don Valley.
Both sides go into Sunday’s final enjoying very good form in their respective leagues.
Belles defeated FA Tesco Women’s Premier League National Division leaders Sunderland 2-1 on Sunday to make it maximum points from their last five games.
Rotherham were 3-1 winners at Leicester City in the Midland Combination (two levels below Belles) where they are currently 4th, but with strong prospects of finishing 3rd. The three points made it 6 wins from the last 8 games with the other two being narrow defeats.
The competition has continued to grow year on year and at the beginning of this current season, 25 teams entered to take part in the competition, an increase of 4 from the previous season.
Route to the Final
Doncaster Rovers Belles
Round 1
Edlington Royals Sunday LFC 1 – 11 Doncaster Rovers Belles
Round 2
Doncaster Rovers Belles 0 – 0 Athersley Recreation
Home Win Walkover
Quarter Final
Doncaster Rovers Belles 7 – 1 Huddersfield Town Ladies
Semi Final
Doncaster Rovers Belles 9 – 1 Sheffield Wednesday Ladies
Rotherham United Ladies
Round 1
Rotherham United Ladies received a bye to the second round
Round 2
Rotherham United Ladies 0 – 0 Don Valley Ladies
Home Win Walk Over
Quarter Final
Rotherham United Ladies 7 – 1 SUJB Ladies
Semi Final
Rotherham United Ladies 4 – 2 Sheffield FC Ladies
Sheffield & Hallamshire FA Women’s Challenge Cup – Recent Winners
2008 – 09 Doncaster Rovers Belles 5 – 0 Sheffield Wednesday Ladies
2007 – 08 Doncaster Rovers Belles 4 – 0 Sheffield Wednesday Ladies 2006 – 07 Sheffield Wednesday Ladies 1 – 0 Doncaster Rovers Belles 2005 – 06 Doncaster Rovers Belles 2 – 1 Sheffield Wednesday Ladies