Grandmaster Hayes hails her double-winners

EMMA HAYES had described going up against Manchester City as a chess match. It’s a fitting description of how yesterday’s FA Cup final played out. Every move the Chelsea boss made, Gareth Taylor’s side had a response. Sam Kerr put the Blues ahead in 33 minutes, Lauren Hemp levelled before half-time. After a strike from Erin Cuthbert saw Chelsea retake the lead on the hour mark, Hayley Raso’s 89thminute equaliser brought extra-time. But when it comes to tactical battles, Hayes is the grandmaster. Outwitted by Taylor in the Continental League Cup final in March, there would be no repeat at Wembley. Kerr’s goal nine minutes into extra-time delivered checkmate and a domestic double for the Women’s Super League Champions. ‘I’m so f ****** happy,’ said jubilant head coach Hayes. ‘That was so amazing for the women’s game today. ‘Two teams, respect the c**p out of each other. Going toe to toe. Us taking the lead, them equalising, finding a winner. It was so gutsy. I loved the game plan, it was really aggressive. To dig it (the win) out doesn’t surprise me. ‘Those women, they will go down in history. I will look back in ten years’ time and I’ll be like “that group was immense”, the best team I’ve ever coached.’ Hayes had said her team would have to suffer and at times they did. City had more possession, 14 more shots and completed 178 more passes. But Chelsea were calmness personified, as they have been all season. A record crowd of 49,094 watched as Hayes picked up her 13th trophy as manager. But this was a brilliant cup final deserving of an even bigger audience. Over 55,000 tickets had been sold before kick-off. That 6,000 people did not show is an issue the FA must look to resolve. In a cagey opening, City created the first two chances. Lauren Hemp’s cut-back found Caroline Weir inside the box but the Scot fired over the bar. Hemp then saw an effort blocked by Millie Bright. The Blues eventually grew into things midway through the first half. Kerr had the ball in the net after rounding Ellie Roebuck but the striker was correctly flagged offside. They did not have to wait much longer for the opener. Bright’s cross sailed over the head of Roebuck and was heading into the net. Kerr made sure the ball crossed the line by nodding in at the back-post. Chelsea were not ahead for long as Hemp brought City level before the break. The winger was allowed to cut inside from the right and she skipped past Bright before curling a shot into the top far corner. Hemp almost gave City the lead after the restart, Chelsea keeper Ann-Katrin Berger saving at the backpost. City’s failure to capitalise proved crucial as a moment of magic saw Chelsea go back in front. Beth England laid the ball back to Cuthbert on the edge of the box and the Scotland midfielder took one touch out of her feet before unleashing an unstoppable shot that clipped the underside of the bar before finding the net. That looked like the winner but sub Hayley Raso clawed Taylor’s side level again in the 89th minute. Alex Greenwood’s chipped pass found the winger in behind Magdalena Eriksson and she controlled the ball before poking past Berger. Ellen White could have put City ahead at the start of extra-time as she tried to meet Weir’s cross but Berger prevented the forward tapping in. Minutes after that chance, Chelsea went ahead for the third time. Alanna Kennedy misjudged Bright’s clearance on the half-way line and Kerr nipped in to drive forward. The striker’s shot was poor but the ball deflected off the outstretched foot of Greenwood and trickled past Roebuck. City could not respond a third time.

CHELSEA (3-4-3): Berger 7; Eriksson 6, Nouwen 6 (Charles 69), Bright 6; Carter 6, Ingle 6, Cuthbert 8, Reiten 6 (Andersson 91); Harder 6 (Fleming 80), England 6 (Ji 69) (Mjelde 117), Kerr 7. MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Roebuck 5; Bronze 6, Kennedy 5, Greenwood 6, Stokes 6 (Blakstad 83); Walsh 6(Losada 117), Weir 6, Stanway 6 (Coombs 80); Hemp 7, Shaw 6 (White 80, 5), Kelly 7 (Raso 76). Referee: Kirsty Dowle. Attendance: 49,094.