Sunday February 7th
FA WOMEN'S CUP (sponsored by E.On) 4th ROUND
Liverpool 1-2(aet) Chelsea
Liverpool Feds 0-5 Curzon Ashton
Norwich City 1-3 Yeovil Town
5th ROUND
Arsenal 3-2 Leeds Carnegie
Birmingham City 0-1 Doncaster Rovers Belles
Blackburn Rovers 1-0(aet) OOH Lincoln
Everton 7-0 Portsmouth
West Ham United 2-3(aet) Barnet
Arsenal will host Doncaster in a quarter-final tie on February 14th, after the Gunners eliminated Leeds and the Rovers Belles netted the only goal at Birmingham City. Vicky Exley converted a 35th-minute penalty for the Belles, after Kerys Harrop was shown a red card for a foul on Rachel Williams.
A Jennifer Beattie goal saw Arsenal in front at the break but Ellen White lobbed home a leveller on 52 minutes. Jayne Ludlow soon restored the hosts' lead with a header and a Rachel Yankey solo effort extended the lead. Jess Clarke headed Leeds back in contention with 10 minutes left and they were denied a stoppage-time equaliser, as Rebecca Spencer saved on the line.
Barnet booked a home tie in the last eight, with a 3-2 extra-time win over West Ham. The Bees will host Yeovil or Nottingham Forest. Nina Downham twice levelled for the Hammers but a chance for a third equaliser was missed, when Becky Merritt failed from the spot. Holly Sandow and Gemma Rudman had Barnet twice in front, Claire Thomas's goal toward the end of extra-time proving decisive.
Everton sunk Portsmouth 7-0, with Toni Duggan clamining a hat-trick. Jill Scott added to Duggan's opener, Natasha Dowie made it 3-0 after the restart, with Duggan then netting the fourth. Fara Williams and Jody Handley also got on the scoresheet, before Duggan rounded it off with her third.
Everton next host Blackburn Rovers, who needed extra-time to overcome OOH Lincoln. Keeper Kay Hawke pulled off three outstanding saves for the Ladyimps, including one from a Katie Anderton penalty. But it was Anderton who hit a spectacular late winner, with a penalty shoot-out looming.
OOH Lincoln manager, Rod Wilson pointed to injuries as a major factor in their defeat. "There is no doubt in my mind that had we had everybody fit and had not picked up any knocks, then we would have reached penalties," he said.
Curzon Ashton won 5-0 at Liverpool Feds, Nicki McLeod (2), Shelley James, Becky Lee and Emma Lambourne scoring, and can look forward to a big home tie with either Chelsea or Millwall. Chelsea almost went out at Liverpool but for a very late Dani Buet reply to Katie Williams goal, that had seen the hosts in front for almost an hour. Casey Stoney sent the top-flight side through, with a goal 5 minutes from the end of extra-time.
Yeovil Town came from behind to win 3-1 at Norwich City and book a plum home tie with Nottingham Forest next Sunday, at Somerton Sports Ground. The visitors had lost keeper Rachel Simkin early on, with Stacey Pearson then putting in a sterling display between the posts. Kayleigh Nardiello equalised Paige Shorten's opener in the second-half for the Glovers, Kim Turner put them in front soon after and Jemma Tewkesbury added a late penalty.
Revised draw: 5th ROUND (Feb 14th) - Curzon Ashton v Aston Villa, Chelsea v Millwall, Yeovil Town v Nottingham Forest. QUARTER-FINALS (Feb 14th) - Arsenal v Doncaster Everton v Blackburn. (Feb 21st) Barnet v Yeovil or Nott'm Forest Curzon Ashton or Aston Villa v Chelsea or Millwall.
