My shortest journey...

will be to the Final. The FA announced today that the Women's Cup Final will return to the City Ground in May which means a short trip down the A52 for me, something for which I'm grateful after the miles I've racked up so far on my journeys around the north of England. It does still have the possibility of including Nottingham Forest, who are still in the competition at the quarter-final stage but do face two away ties if they are to make it all the way.

Winners to face mighty Gunners

When Villa take on Chelsea next week they know that they have the chance to play the best team in the country in the semi-final, yes the mighty Arsenal. This, of course, will also be a big incentive for Chelsea who I'm sure would love to set-up an all-London match-up.

Curzon Ashton 1 Aston Villa 2

A really competitive match was witnessed by a crowd of some 100 or so people (and they even had to pay - £2.00!!!) Unfortunately for Curzon it was not the right result and a strong Villa side eventually won out, although the result could have been so different had either of the two Curzon efforts that hit the post gone in.

Villa started the stronger and it was a very jittery Curzon defence that conceded a scrappy goal after just 11 minutes. Villa were in control for much of the half but Curzon gradually got back into the game and deservedly equalised just before half-time through Nikki Mcleod.

The second half followed much the same pattern as the first with Villa retaking the lead after an hour through Dani Petrovic's thudding header. Curzon hit the post just before the end but it was destined to be Villa's day - and they march onto a quarter final tie with Premier League Chelsea next Sunday.

The mist is clearing...a bit!

I thought I'd take a look at the remaining teams in the FA Cup and was surprised to see that, despite all the postponements, we are now down to the final 11. The prospect of an all-Liverpool quarter final had disappeared with the Feds getting knocked out, but Liverpool FC also went anyway. This means that the winners of the Curzon-Villa 5th Round tie will play either Chelsea or Millwall. They are two of the 7 tier 1 sides left in. The other tier 2 side apart from Villa and Curzon are Barnet, who have already made the 6th Round. And the only tier 3 team left are Yeovil Town who play Nottingham Forest in the 5th Round.

Liverpool Feds 0 Curzon Ashton 5

A day to forget for the Feds when they never really played up to the level they reached in the previous round against Rochdale.

Before the game I managed to speak to people from both sides and, although Curzon are a league higher, the expectation was for a tight game. The fact that lots of the girls from both teams knew each other meant it had the feel of a local derby. The game was played at Heswall FC, a delightful venue, even if the clubhouse smelled more of paint than pies, due to the redecorating that was taking place there!

For the first time in the games I have seen in this year's competition, the game was refereed by a woman, and I for one would not like to have crossed her. One great line she had when one of the players started to protest was "I'm talking and you will be the one who is listening!"

Curzon Ashton started the stronger with one or two early chances and took a deserved lead after 11 minutes when a great move down the left was finished with a pinpoint cross headed in at the far post by Nikki Mcleod. To be honest, I don't think Feds ever really recovered from that start, although the game evened out for a while. Feds were most dangerous from set plays with their closest effort coming when a corner was cleared off the line.

The turning point of the game took place just before half time. A dangerous attack was broken up by one of the Curzon defenders, but her interception was deemed to be a back pass by the referee. From the resulting free kick there was no doubt that one of the Curzon players handled the ball in the area but no penalty was given. Shortly after, the assistant referee flagged for a free kick when the Liverpool keeper was judged to have handled the ball outside the area from a drop kick. Shelley James placed the kick perfectly in the corner to give Curzon a 2-0 halftime lead. There were one or two words between the ref and the Feds management but this, I think, was more out of frustration than malice.

The next goal was bound to be crucial and Curzon continued to press, hitting the post for the second time (the first being shortly before half time). After an hour Curzon scored again through the left winger Becky Lee who hit a long range shot into the roof of the net. At that point I felt the game was done and dusted and Curzon rubbed salt into the wound with two swift breaks resulting in neat goals from Emma Lambourne and Nikki Mcleod again.

Mark Bradshaw was pleased with his team's performance and the result and he can now look forward to a home tie (weather permitting) against Aston Villa. A final word for Feds - there is no doubt thay can play better and I'm sure they will get over this disappointment to continue to do well in the league. A special thanks to Karen 'Quinney' Quinn for all her help in keeping me up to date re postponements etc.

Postponed again

I am beginning to lose patience now - this being the fifth time one of my matches has been called off. Once more both sides have been great in keeping me informed (thanks Quinney and Mark) and saving an unecessary long journey. Hopefully, the game will go ahead next week - otherwise it will be back to Curzon Ashton's ground. This blog was meant to be about football - it's ended up being more a commentary on climate change!

6th Round Draw

I just seem to have managed to decipher the 6th Round draw which still remains a mess because of all the cancellations. It is (draw breath!):

Liverpool Feds, Curzon Ashton or Aston Villa v Liverpool, Chelsea, or Millwall.

If all goes to plan, the following should happen:

31st Jan: Liverpool Feds v Curzon Ashton and Liverpool v Chelsea (4th Round)
7th Feb: The winners of those matches will play Aston Villa and Millwall Lionesses respectively in the 5th Round.
14th Feb: The 6th Round match should take place (on schedule)

I'll keep my fingers crossed for it all working out!

Middlesbrough 1 Curzon Ashton 2

I have to start this entry by saying how helpful Marrie and Mark, the managers of the two teams have been in keeping me up to date on weather conditions and the likelihood of the tie going ahead.

And go ahead it did, thanks to common sense, at the original venue of Billingham. Curzon agreed to send the tie back there after it became obvious there was little chance of the game being played in Ashton Under Lyne in the next week or two.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable and exciting game. Both sides were understandably rusty, not having played for weeks, in Curzon's case since the beginning of November!

The game was competitive from the very start with Boro just edging it and taking an early lead through a penalty after 10 minutes. Although Curzon are from a league above the teams' relative league positions are not that far apart and this reflected in the closeness of the game. It was, therefore, no real surprise when Curzon eqaulized with Shelley James finishing off a neat move with aplomb after 20 minutes. Apparently Shelley has been offered the chance to play at Premier level and this sort of finish shows why.

I have been impressed with the Boro defence in the games I have seen and Curzon's looked just as solid so, as the game progressed it always looked likely that one goal would settle it (easy to write this after the event, but I did think this way as the game was progressing, honest!)

The game was approaching extra-time, something I haven't yet seen on this run, when Curzon were awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Their captain, Amanda Goodwin (pictured) (in my view the best player on the day) had already threatened a couple of times from set pieces and this time she delivered. She asked the ref if she could take the kick and while Boro were still getting ready she hit a perfect shot into the far corner. The final whistle went straight afterwards.

I declined the kind offer of a sandwich after the game (thanks Marrie!) as I needed to get home and I must admit I will miss the Boro lot - but it's onwards and upwards with Curzon now and a trip to Liverpool Feds (also from the Northern Combination) after their surprising victory over Rochdale. They play in Heswall, on the Wirral and no doubt this will be another tough game for Curzon.

Just as a reminder that will be a 4th Round game, and with the 5th round due to have been played today there is still a bit of catching up to do. At this stage, I'm still not sure as to who will be the 5th Round opponents as according to the FA site, their game went to penalties, but it doesn't say who won! No doubt, it will all come clear when the 6th Round draw is made tomorrow.

Fifth Round Draw

With Middlesbrough and Curzon Ashton still to play the third round this was the result of the fifth round draw:

"Liverpool Feds or Rochdale AFC Ladies or Middlesbrough or Curzon Ashton v Reading or Aston Villa"

What can I say. There is little point in speculating who will be playing who until some of the 3rd and 4th Rounds get played. One thing's for sure - whoever makes it through all these games will end up with a bit of a fixture pile-up. For reference, Villa currently lie in mid table in the Women's Premier, northern division (the same league as Curzon Ashton) and Reading are 2nd in the Southern equivalent, so may be overall favourites to emerge from these six teams into the quarter-finals.

Weather update

You will have noticed there aren't many entries at the moment. This is unsurprising, given the weather. I managed to get in contact with the managers of both Curzon Ashton and Middlesbrough and, therefore avoided a long journey to Billlingham for an 11.00 kick off when the game was postponed. Given the continued bad weather it was decided to rearrange the tie after Christmas, but there was no shock when it was postponed as early as last Thursday. This allows Curzon Ashton to apply to have the game played at their ground, which they have duly done. It's meant to happen next Sunday, but I'd be very surprised if it goes ahead.

The draw for the fifth round is due on Monday so we should see the draw featuring 'Middlesbrough, Curzon Ashton, Liverpool Feds or Rochdale vs.....' - surely they'll postpone the draw?

I have just realised that I have suffered 4 postponements in this competition now, 4 times as many as the three men's cup tournaments put together - just shows what weather we are having and the fact there is not much undersoil heating at this level!