LONDON, May 1 (SW) - Arsenal went into today’s Woman’s FA Cup final with injury doubts over Lianne Champ and Jayne Ludlow but both players made starting line up. Leeds in their first ever FA Cup final had no such worries, with just opening match nerves to deal with.

Arsenal got off to a whirlwind start. Rachel Yankey out on the left evaded two defenders to whip in a cross, which Lucy Ward mistimed and her clearance just slid past the post. Yankey stepped up to take the corner sending the ball into a packed area and unluckily for Ward she was the player it connected with and Arsenal were one up after only four minutes. From there Leeds had to weather a storm as Arsenal pushed forward with attack after attack. On 8 minutes Rachel Yankey pushed into the area cutting in past Mel Cook before firing in which Gemma Fay saved well. Leeds got their first sight of goal after 17 minutes when they broke out from an Arsenal free kick and Karen Burke out on the left sent over a cross come shot which Emma Byrne took just on the goal line. Arsenal pushed on continuing to make chances. On 38 minutes Sanderson beat Ward to a 50/50 ball and pushed on down the right before sending over a low cross which found Julie Fleeting in open space and the Scotland International had plenty of time to pick her spot. Within minutes Arsenal were pushing forward again with Lianne Sanderson being stopped in her tracks by Calvin. Yankey took the free kick spotting Gemma Fay off her line sent a high looping ball over her head and into the net. Burke had another chance for Leeds before the end of the half but pulled her shot wide.

After the break Leeds tried to push forward looking to get back into the game. But the Gunners soon pushed into attack winning a series of corners which the Leeds defense managed to scramble clear. Rachel Yankey out on the left pushed to the bye line but her cut back was put wide by Fleeting. Then Fleeting set up Yankey on the edge of the area who layed it off to Kelly Smith but her shot came off the post. Arsenal broke back up field a few minutes later from a Leeds corner and Yankey making another push into the box brought out a good save from Fay. Fay then made a stop with her feet when a Kelly Smith free kick found its way to Julie Fleeting. The Scotland keeper was putting on a heroic display to keep Arsenal at bay but on 72 minutes Yankey picked up a loose ball and pushed into the area only to be brought down by Jess Clerk. Kelly Smith then stepped up to take the spot kick slotting it past the Leeds keeper. Within a couple of minutes Sanderson cashed in on a defensive mistake. Charging down a Calvin clearance she powered into the area to slip the ball past the advancing keeper to make it 5-0. Without the Scotland International however the scoreline would have been a lot worse, and in the last part of the game continued to make saves. At one stage she earned a pat on the back from her International team mate Fleeting after another great save from Yankey.

But it was Arsenal's day and they went up to collect the trophy. For Leeds it wasn't the final debut they would have wanted and after the match veteran player Karen Walker announced her retirement from the game but for the young players she leaves behind in the Leeds team this will be valuable experience.

Arsenal – Leeds United 5-0 (3-0)

Goals: 8. Lucy Ward (own goal) 1-0, 33. Julie Fleeting 2-0, 34. Rachel Yankey 3-0, 72. Kelly Smith 4-0, 86. Lianne Sanderson 5-0

Referee: Phil Crossley
Attendance: 13,500