By Lloyd Webb
Summary
Arsenal Ladies booked their place in the Continental Cup semi-finals with a dramatic 3-2 victory against Notts County at The Hive on Friday evening.
Casey Stoney opened the scoring when she rose highest to head home Fara William’s corner, before Fern Whelan equalised just before the break.
Jess Clarke gave the visitors the lead when she found the bottom corner after the break but, after much pressing, substitute Kelly Smith equalised with 10 minutes to go.
Williams then kept her composure with a well-taken penalty in the 90th minute to keep the Gunners on course to defend the competition they won for a fourth time last year.
Setting the Scene
Pedro Martinez Losa made two changes to his side, opting for Emma Byrne in goal and Emma Mitchell at left back in place of Sari van Veenendaal and Natalia Pablos Sanchon.
Birthday girl Danielle Van de Donk started in attack, while Smith, Katie McCabe and Marta Corredera were named on the bench.
First half
Stoney gave the Gunners an early advantage when she lost her marker in the box and met Williams’ corner with a powerful header past Megan Walsh.
Jordan Nobbs then went close with a thunderous effort, before Van de Donk tried her luck with an audacious lob that crashed against the bar.
The visitors worked their way back into the game with some heavy pressing, and it soon paid off when Whelan headed home a whipped free-kick.
Second half
Despite a strong start for the Gunners with an early chance for substitute Asisat Oshoala, Clarke managed to wriggle free of Arsenal’s defence and put Notts County in the lead.
Losa’s side went on the offensive in search of a goal, and would have been forgiven for thinking it was not going to be their day when they hit the bar a further two times through Williams and then Nobbs.
Substitute Smith levelled matters with eight minutes left on the clock when her left-footed strike flew past Walsh to set up a tense finish.
Arsenal frantically searched for a winner, and got their reward in the 90th minute when Laura Bassett mistimed a tackle in the box. Up stepped Williams to hold her nerve and fire the Gunners into the semi-finals.
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