Nottingham Forest 3-1 Stoke City (FA Women’s National League Cup Final) 23.03.2025

Sunday’s FA Women’s National League Cup success for Nottingham Forest has put them closer to achieving a second, double-winning season, in three years.

Having seen off Watford, 3-2, in the final, two years ago, and winning the Northern Premier Division title, Carly Davies’ side are looking to do the same again this time around, and completed the first step with a 3-1 win over Stoke City.

Only three players starting the final, at the Bescot Stadium, Walsall, remain from that previous, double-winning campaign; captain and club stalwart Lyndsey Harkin, goalkeeper Emily Barry, and attacking midfielder Sophie Domingo, with Davies having rung wholesale changes since taking over the hot-seat.

Charlie Wellings, who’d scored in all rounds bar the first, as well as having smashing home a double in the 2-0 win over East Midlands rivals, Derby County, the previous week, was again on-form against Stoke.

A first half brace from her, inside a matter of minutes, either side of the half hour mark, took her tally in this season’s League Cup to six , put Forest firmly on their way to lifting another piece of silverware.

The first of Wellings’ goals arrived in the 29th minute when, after Chandarana had headed the ball on, and Johnson had flicked it into the path of the on-rushing striker, who wasted little time in firing the opener into Lauren Bracewell’s bottom right-hand corner.

It would take less than three minutes for the second goal after she’d won the ball and, having pushed forward lifted the ball over the advancing Bracewell and into the net as a buoyant Forest upped the ante.

Stoke created several chances as the first half progressed, Molly Holder heading wide of Emily Batty’s goal, and Millie Ravening, whose headed effort was held by the Forest number one.

In stoppage time, Wellings had the chance to complete her hat-trick, but her effort was well-held by Bracewell; early in the second half Bracewell would hold on to a strike from the edge of the box from Sophie Domingo, before Ravening again saw Batty prevent her from scoring.

A couple of Forest changes just before the hour mark was quickly followed by Batty tipping away an Evie Priestley strike, with Mollie Green then seeing a long-range free-kick tipped over the bar at the other end.

A deep free-kick from Arabella Suttie was headed past Batty by substitute Tamara Wilcock, who’d only just replaced Delphi Cole moments earlier, but Forest wasn’t done.

It would take less than ten minutes for the Reds to restore their two-goal advantage, adding a vital third in the 80th minute; some beautiful work on the left flank would see the ball

released to Mel Johnson just inside the box, and she wasted little time in smashing home by Bracewell to wrap up a deserved victory.

Afterwards, Forest Head Coach, Carly Davies, said: “I’m just so pleased for everybody involved.

“It’s been a really special season so far; it’s been a really special eighteen months at the club, and I think today we deserved to win the game.

“The hard work over the course of the season, when you go and win trophies, it tops it all off, and I think, if you ask any of the girls, they know we weren’t at our best today, but when you can still not play your best and you can still win a final with three goals, is credit and testament and credit to this group and their mentality.

“I’m so pleased that everybody has got this one over the line and now we can enjoy it and then we can refocus back to the league.”

Whilst captain Lyndsey Harkin added: “It’s amazing.

It’s something we set out to do this season.

“The big focus is the league obviously, but this is like the icing on the cake…..It wasn’t our best performance but sometimes that’s all it takes in finals.

“We battled well across the pitch and we fought till the end; some quality goals as well, so big players have stepped up there and scored for us.

“But overall, just on and off the pitch, I think we’ve been outstanding.”

Nottingham Forest – Emily Batty, Lyndsey Harkin, Natalie Johnson, Kate Longhurst, Sophie Domingo (Amy Sims, 88), Melani Johnson, Charlie Wellings (Caragh Hamilton, 59), Hollie Olding, Mollie Green (Jessica Hennesy, 93), Freya Thomas, Millie Chandarana (Holly Manders, 59) (unused – Georgia Ferguson, Bridget Galloway, Katie Dungate)

Focus for Carly Davies’ side now turns back to the league, winning the title, and with that, promotion to the Championship.

The Reds are two points ahead of rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, with a game in hand, whilst Stoke City are five points off top spot, sitting third; Davies’ side, unbeaten throughout the league campaign thus far (won fifteen and drawn three of their eighteen games), have four games to play, beginning at home to Hull City at the end of this month.

Then it’s back-to-back away games as The Reds travel to Liverpool Feds (13 April) and Stourbridge (20 April), before wrapping things up, at the City Ground, with the visit of West Bromwich Albion, and hopefully, a title-winning promotion party, on 27 April.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFCWomen the Reds have won the cup. Again.