​Chesterfield Ladies in Derbyshire Cup glory

A pulsating and gripping affair ended 1-1 after 90 minutes to set up a nail-biting finale in front of a crowd of 434 at the home of Long Eaton United.

Derby got off to the perfect start when they took the lead after only two minutes. Isabel Sheridan’s superb 20 yard strike found the top corner and gave Derby a big early advantage.

Derby were prevented from doubling their lead thanks to an excellent Nic Watson save, one-on-one with Iesha Rollins, keeping Chesterfield in contention.

The Blues were duly rewarded for a good response to the early setback when they found an equaliser midway through the first-half. A low cross into the penalty area found Millie Standen and she poked the ball home into the bottom corner.

Derby came very close to regaining the lead in the 57th minute when a close range strike from Holly Otter was thwarted by Kel Fidler who made an outstanding block just in front of goal.

Chesterfield certainly had the better of the second-half overall though and in the 65th minute, a right-wing delivery found an unmarked Hannah Baker inside the penalty area. However, her close range effort was straight at the Derby goalkeeper. Shortly afterwards, Georgina Williams beat her marker for pace and soon found herself with just the goalkeeper to beat. Her effort though agonisingly rolled just wide of the post.

With penalties looming, the Blues almost snatched a dramatic stoppage time winner. In the second minute of added on time, Derby goalkeeper Lola Smith made a poor clearance from the edge of her own penalty area. The ball landed at the feet of teenage Chesterfield substitute Sophie Marshall who instantly attempted to lob the ball over Smith and into the back of an empty net from 25 yards out. Once again, the ball was steered just wide of the post in a moment of pure drama.

The tension was sky high when the referee blew the whistle for full-time and penalties would be the outcome.

Derby converted their first penalty before Amy Pashley saw her spot-kick saved by Smith. The academy side confidently scored their second penalty too while Eleanor Abercrombie’s excellent spot-kick kept the Blues in contention.

The momentum of the shoot-out suddenly took a huge swing from this point onwards. Derby’s third penalty was saved by Watson before Standen held her nerve to bring Chesterfield level at 2-2. Derby’s Laura Monk saw her spot-kick cannon off the bar while Fidler handled the immense pressure superbly to put Chesterfield 3-2 in front.

County skipper Rosie Hunt knew she had to score to keep Derby’s cup dream alive but her effort was dragged wide of the post which sparked scenes of jubilation amongst the Chesterfield Ladies players, staff and fans.

The victory marked the club’s first piece of silverware since their rebrand and return to their roots 12 months ago and also clinched Mike Noon’s final trophy as the manager of Chesterfield Ladies over the course of a very successful five-year tenure at the club which will come to a close at the end of the 2022/23 season.