Jade Formaston delivered an inspired performance to fire Coventry City Ladies in the County Cup Final for the first time in 4 years. Formaston notched Coventry's first goal & was instrumental in the second as the Sky Blues comfortably dispatched Wolves 3-0. Emily Hanson scored for the fifth straight game & Helen Dermody's wicked volley deep into stoppage time completed the scoring as Coventry romped into April's final where they will try to disrupt Birmingham's 8 year dominance of the competition.
In a match played at Nuneaton Town's Liberty Way, the Sky Blues, who had a strong wind at their backs, enjoyed a good spell of sustained early pressure. Cherelle Archibald came close to opening the scoring in the first minute when she rose highest to send a powerful header goal bound, Kirsty Bavington however had been protecting the far post from the corner and was on hand to clear.
Kelly Henson, City's midfield anchor, popped up in the sixth minute & forced a good save from Naomi Brutton with a shot from distance. Coventry's pressure eventually told as Formaston broke the deadlock in the ninth minute. Emily Hanson had played a hopeful chip forward &, whilst Brutton & defender Anna Perks collided, Formaston nipped in to slot the ball home. City could certainly consider themselves' fortunate as the goal scorer looked to have committed a certain foul, pushing Perks into her keeper.
The goal stood & only served to push Coventry on further. Emily Hanson played a neat one-two with Helen Dermody before picking out Danni Saulter in space. On a bobbly pitch though, Saulter couldn't keep her long range effort down. With just 13 minutes gone a Natasha Lynch free kick again caused confusion between Brutton & her defence, Formaston almost nipped in for a second but the keeper managed to grasp the ball whilst already on the ground.
Adele Rogers was reduced to a virtual spectators role as she was barely called into action. The young stopper didn't have to make a save until Michelle Thomas' weak 19th minute effort from distance. Formaston was again causing problems down the right & a characteristically speedy dash evading numerous challenges could only be halted by a Perks body check. The Sky Blues couldn't make anything from the resulting free kick as Bavington again cleared the danger.
Coventry were rampant & Archibald tucked a great ball on for Dermody to run onto, unfortunately, no one managed to keep up with the winger leaving her isolated as the mover petered out. Archibald was again at the heart of a Sky Blues move, a well placed pass found Hanson in space on the edge of the box but her effort went well over.
The Sky Blues best move of the match saw Dermody cut in on the halfway line & pick out Hanson whose delightful lay off dropped to Saulter in acres of space. The midfielder, who appears back to her sublime best after struggling with an ankle injury all season, pushed the ball out wide to the rampaging Formaston who came inside and shot left footed forcing a good save from Brutton.
Wolves, who had been thoroughly dominated up to this point, reminded Coventry that they still posed a threat as Sarah Williams stole in round the back unmarked but steered her effort well wide. Hanson & Saulter linked up well again as half time approached, a great one-two found Hanson on the edge of the box, her cross however lacked power & Brutton was able to collect comfortably.
Jenny Anslow had a chance to nick an equaliser to send the teams in level but for Formaston's excellently timed sliding challenge as the tireless winger got back well to cover for right back Abi Cockayne, ensuring that the Sky Blues' 1-0 lead remained intact at the break.
Hanson almost doubled Coventry's lead in the first minute of the second half. Formaston had been brought down from behind & Lynch's delivery from the resulting free kick picked out Hanson who turned & shot from the edge of box hitting the left upright before being cleared to safety. Wolves gathered themselves & gained a new lease of life enjoying a 5 minute spell of constant pressure but their inability to create an end product would soon be punished.
With their lines finally cleared Formaston was able to break out & steal possession in Wolves' half, bursting through the defence & rounding Brutton, her shot looked certainl to be creeping in the far post when Hanson popped up to make sure of her 8th goal in City's last 5 games. Wolves responded well & Jenni Lowe did just enough to put off Anne Johnson & force a soft effort that Rogers easily claimed.
Dermody worked the keeper & was unlucky not to get more for a volley on the spin in the 67th minute as Brutton covered ground well to save. Anslow provided Wolves with a little encouragement as the game careered towards it's climax, her well driven effort from a tight angle smacked into the side netting. Kelly Henson picked up a late booking for a clumsy challenge that saw Amber Smith unable to continue & guaranteed a lengthy period of stoppage time.
Ninetieth minute substitute Nicole Tinto hadn't quite warmed to the game when she fired well wide in the third minute of stoppage time. A great ball around the corner from Dermody had played her into space & allowed her to nip in off the left wing, avoiding one challenge before shooting off target. Coventry got their third in the fifth minute of injury time as Dermody met Hanson's corner with a stinging volley that had already crossed the line before Williams back heeled it into her own net to make sure.
Ali Forbes, whose partnership with Lynch at the back, enjoyed a solid performance & helped the Sky Blues enjoy a second clean sheet in their last 3 outings. Prior to this current run Coventry had kept only 1 clean sheet in 16 games this season & are still to manage one in the league. The comprehensive victory keeps the Sky Blues superb recent record intact, winning 13 of 14, & puts them into the final where they could still meet any one of 3 teams with one Quarter Final tie still to be played.
Team: - Rogers, Cockayne (Bryenton 70), Lowe, Henson, Lynch (c), Forbes, Formaston, Saulter, Archibald (Tinto 90), Hanson, Dermody.
Subs Not Used: - Miles, Willis, Whitfield.
Goals: - Formaston (9), Hanson (52), Williams (OG 90+5).