http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFAWomensPLCup/NewsandFeatures/2010/FAWPLCFinal_White.aspxThe FA Tesco Women's Premier League Cup
'Overwhelmed' White lauds Final effort
By Glenn Lavery - Friday, 12 February, 2010
Ellen White elated at Leeds' Cup success.
Everton 1-3 Leeds Carnegie
The Final
The FA Tesco Women’s Premier League Cup
7pm, Thursday 11 February 2010
Spotland Stadium, Rochdale AFC
Live on FATV
Leeds Carnegie’s two-goal hero, Ellen White, praised her team-mates efforts after they produced a deserved 3-1 victory over Everton in The Final of The FA Tesco Women’s Premier League Cup.
Katie Holtham fired Carnegie into a 14th-minute lead with a low, long-range effort and White doubled this advantage from close range on 20 minutes, prodding home Sue Smith’s corner. They went in at the break looking comfortable for their two-goal cushion, but Everton rallied in the second half and pulled a goal back through captain, Fara Williams.
Despite Everton’s improvement in the second period Leeds rarely looked overly troubled and White broke away on the counter-attack in the 85th minute to secure Carnegie’s first domestic Cup in the club's history.
“It’s such an amazing feeling, I’m overwhelmed to be honest,†said White after the game. “I’m so pleased for the girls and so happy to have won something because we’ve come so far as a team, but this is the first time we’ve won anything, so it’s brilliant.
“I thought we played really well in the first-half, I thought we dominated the game. Second half we knew they’d come out all guns blazing and I thought we controlled them quite well. We stuck together as a team and got the result in the end.â€
With Everton pushing hard for the equaliser, when presented with an opportunity to relieve some of the pressure, many players would have raced the ball to the corner flag or held it up until support arrived, but when White found herself in this situation with just five minutes remaining she had other ideas.
“I don’t really know what was going through my head," she said. "I didn’t know if I had any support and I knew I had to shoot before the defenders got back at me. I thought I took the goal alright. I just wanted to restore the two-goal lead and secure the win for us.â€
This goal sealed a 3-1 victory and Leeds’ first Final success at their fourth attempt. It was left to club captain, Jess Wright and captain on the night, Sophie Bradley, to lift The Cup, a moment White finds it difficult to comprehend.
“Lifting that Cup; what an unbelievable feeling. I’ve never won a Cup with any side I’ve been in so it is really overwhelming. We all are, I think.â€
Everton
1 Rachel Brown, 2 Emily Westwood, 3 Rachel Unitt, 4 Fara Williams (C), 5 Fern Whelan, 6 Lindsay Johnson, 7 Jody Handley, 8 Jill Scott, 9 Natasha Dowie, 10 Michelle Hinnigan (17 Gwen Harries, 77), 11 Toni Duggan
Substitutes not used 12 Becky Easton, 14 Michelle Evans, 15 Alex Culvin, 16 Brooke Chaplen
Manager Mo Marley
Leeds Carnegie
1 Carly Telford, 2 Sophie Bradley (C), 4 Sophie Walton, 6 Katie Holtham, 8 Sue Smith (3 Olivia Thackray, 87), 9 Ellen White, 10 Jess Clarke (17 Remi Allen, 71), 11 Carla Cantrell, 19 Mel Sutcliffe, 14 Jade Moore, 20 Laura Bassett
Substitutes not used 15 Gemma Bonner, 16 Nat Straneff, 18 Rachel Daly,
Manager Rick Passmoor
Match Officials
Referee Sian Massey
Assistant Referees Rob Goodwin-Davey & Sarah Hollins
Fourth Official Sarah Garratt
Attendance 2,842