Chesterfield Ladies won the Derbyshire Women’s County Cup on Sunday afternoon for the second time in their history.
The Blues defeated Chesterfield Ladies U23 3-0 at the Don Amott Arena thanks to a brace from skipper Millie Standen and a goal from Romy Sheppard.
In a very unique situation for a cup final, the Chesterfield Ladies development side can hold their heads high after pushing the club’s first team all the way and causing them problems.
It was a tense and tight opening 45 minutes. The first big opportunity of the cup final arrived for Chesterfield Ladies after 24 minutes. Imogen Fowler played a sublime pass to put Jordan Atkin through on goal. However, U23 goalkeeper Niamh Taylor produced a good save to keep the scoreline goalless.
The U23s then had a gilt-edged opportunity to take a surprise lead six minutes later. An error from the Blues defence allowed Milly Wheeldon to shoot from 15 yards out but she skied her effort well over the bar.
Chesterfield Ladies broke the deadlock just before the interval. The Blues were awarded a penalty in the second minute of stoppage time. Captain Millie Standen struck her spot-kick confidently into the bottom corner to give the East Midlands Women’s Premier Division side a slender 1-0 lead at the halfway point.
The second half saw Chesterfield Ladies step up a gear and the Blues controlled the game from this point onwards.
The senior team came extremely close to doubling their advantage within the opening five minutes of the restart. Jordan Atkin saw an effort from inside the six yard box tipped around the post by Niamh Taylor. Following a corner-kick a minute later, Atkin’s close-range strike was cleared away just in front of the goal line.
Chesterfield Ladies were then awarded a second penalty in the 64th minute after Romy Sheppard was dragged down in the 18 yard area. Standen stepped up and once again struck her spot-kick into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Standen came very close to securing a hat-trick in the 71st minute but Taylor produced yet another impressive save in between the sticks.
Chesterfield Ladies killed the game off in the 76th minute. Romy Sheppard was rewarded for her excellent work rate when she found the back of the net to make it 3-0. The striker came very close to netting a fourth goal for the Blues just two minutes later when her 15 yard effort was palmed away by the U23 goalkeeper.
The U23 side’s best opportunity of the whole match fell at the start of injury time when a shot from eight yards out was struck over the bar.
The final whistle was blown soon afterwards and the jubilant trophy celebrations began for the Chesterfield Ladies first team. It was a superb day overall for the football club. This was the second Derbyshire Women’s County Cup trophy in the last three seasons for the Blues, while the U23s showed why the future of the club looks very bright indeed.
Millie Standen deservedly won the player of the match award.
Chesterfield Ladies team: Stokes, Harding, Naylor, Abercrombie, Brassington, Falleth, Staples, Standen (c), Sheppard, Atkin, Fowler.
Substitutes: Warren, Marshall, Wheatley, Akers, Fidler.
Chesterfield Ladies U23 team: Taylor, Ashtel, Carr, Mann, Wheeldon, Dann, Watts, Martin, Cowperthwaite, Bramley, Priestley.
Substitutes: Diliorio, Hardy, Cook, Cooke, Beer.
Attendance: 198
Here is Chesterfield Ladies interim manager Pete Jarvis speaking to North Derbyshire Radio’s Sports Editor Matthew Rhodes following victory in the Derbyshire FA Women’s Cup
