The 2010 FA Women's Cup Final was the 40th final of the FA Women's Cup, England's primary cup competition for women's football teams. It was the 17th final to be held under the direct control of the Football Association (FA). The match was contested by Arsenal and Everton at the City Ground on 3 May 2010. Arsenal entered their fifth consecutive final having won the last four. Already the most successful team in the competition's history with 10 wins from 10 finals, Arsenal sought an 11th victory overall. Everton had one previous final appearance, losing 1–0 to Charlton Athletic in 2005. An earlier incarnation of the club, known as Leasowe Pacific, had lost the 1988 final and won in 1989.
Everton won the match 3–2 after extra time, with two goals from Natasha Dowie either side of an own goal from Arsenal's Faye White. Arsenal had twice equalised; through a Kim Little penalty and a goal from Julie Fleeting.
The match attracted a crowd of 17,505 and was broadcast live on Sky Sports and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra. Arsenal lost their first ever FA Women's Cup final and Everton became the first non–London club to win the trophy since Doncaster Belles 16 years earlier.
Route to the final
Arsenal
Arsenal needed extra time to eliminate their fourth round opponents Sunderland, whom they had defeated in the previous year's final. Katie Chapman had given Arsenal the lead in the weather-delayed home fixture, only for Ciara Grant to score an own goal in the final minute. Kim Little scored a hat-trick in extra time to secure Arsenal's passage.
In the fifth round Arsenal welcomed Leeds, their vanquished final opponents from 2006 and 2008, to Meadow Park. When Leeds' Ellen White equalised Jen Beattie's opening goal, Jayne Ludlow and Rachel Yankey then gave Arsenal a 3–1 lead. England winger Jessica Clarke scored a late goal for Leeds, but Arsenal held on to reach the quarter finals. A week later the quarter final saw a visit from another Yorkshire outfit, Doncaster Rovers Belles. Arsenal beat their old rivals 5–0 with a goal from Yankey and Kim Little's second hat-trick of the competition. Doncaster's Rachel Williams' own goal completed the scoring.
The semi final versus Chelsea was contested on neutral ground at Staines Town FC. Inspired by the return to form of Julie Fleeting, who had given birth the previous July, Arsenal swept to a 4–0 win. Goals from Little, Faye White and Ludlow added to Fleeting's opener to clinch Arsenal's place in the final.
Everton
Everton began their campaign with a home fixture against FA Women's Premier League Southern Division club Queens Park Rangers. Jill Scott, Rachel Unitt, Michelle Hinnigan and Fara Williams all scored to put Everton four goals ahead, before Cherrelle Albert reduced the arrears. Gwennan Harries scored two late goals, either side of Beth Curtis' goal for QPR, to make the final score 6–2.
The fifth round saw more Southern Division opposition travel to Everton's Rossett Park home, in the shape of Portsmouth. The south coast team were dismissed even more emphatically than QPR had been, with Toni Duggan scoring a hat-trick in a 7–0 win. Scott, Natasha Dowie, Williams and Jody Handley also scored for Everton.
In the quarter final Everton met top-flight opponents for the first time as Blackburn Rovers were the visitors. Duggan equalised Danielle Sheen's ninth-minute goal for Blackburn, then Michelle Evans scored the winner early in the second half.
Haig Avenue in Southport hosted Everton's semi final against Barnet. Another Southern Division team, who had contested the 1997 final as Wembley Ladies, Barnet proved worthy opponents and almost took the lead in the first half. But two minutes into the second period, Dowie capitalised on a defensive error to put Everton ahead. Williams' overhead kick in the 86th minute then sealed Everton's place in the final.
(PLN) = FA Women's Premier League National Division team
(PLS) = FA Women's Premier League Southern Division team
Background
Since their first final win over Doncaster Belles in 1993, Arsenal had reached nine more, winning all of them. Liverpool Ladies were beaten 3–2 in 1995, then Croydon by the same score in 1998. In 1999 Southampton Saints lost 2–0 to Arsenal. 2001 saw full-time professional Fulham defeated 1–0. In 2004 and 2007 Charlton Athletic lost 3–0 and 4–1, respectively, while Leeds United were thrashed 5–0 in 2006 then 4–1 in 2008. The 2009 final saw Arsenal beat Sunderland 2–1 to win the Cup for a record 10th time.