Sunday 7 September 2014 17:08, UK
Manchester City booked their place in the Continental Cup final after Toni Duggan’s goal sealed a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Ewen Fields.
After a quiet start to the game, City should have opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Natasha Flint latched onto an errant back pass and skipped past Chelsea keeper Marie Hourihan but she found the side-netting with her shot.
England striker Duggan was the next to threaten for the hosts after easing past Ana Borges only to drag her effort wide.
City did not have it all their way as first Enola Aluko blazed over, before Ji So-Yun fired into the side-netting.
Only a superb save from Hourihan then prevented Duggan from giving City the lead after Isobel Christiansen found the striker alone at the back post.
City ended Chelsea’s resistance in the 51st minute when Duggan collected a loose ball on the edge of the box and slotted the ball past the onrushing keeper.
Duggan was unlucky not to grab her second of the game when her left-foot volley cannoned back off the inside of the post with Hourihan beaten.
Krystle Johnston also went close for City in stoppage time when she shot inches wide of the near post.
City will play Arsenal in the final after Caroline Weir’s strike and a Kelly Smith penalty in extra-time secured a 2-0 home victory over Notts County and kept them on course for a fourth successive triumph in the competition.
The Gunners almost went in front when Danielle Carter’s left-wing cross evaded everyone, only to rebound off the far post.
Arsenal hit the woodwork again in first-half injury-time when Alex Scott’s pull-back eventually fell to Rachel Yankey, whose deflected shot bobbled onto the post.
Leah Williamson’s effort was ruled out for handball with 15 minutes left after she had rounded County keeper Carly Telford, before Katie Hoyle almost snatched it for the visitors.
In the 99th minute Weir latched onto a through ball from substitute Smith before lofting the ball home.
Smith made sure of the win with three minutes to spare by sending Telford the wrong way after Carter had been tripped in the box.
