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Norfolk ace Lauren Hemp seals Manchester City’s Women’s FA Cup final 3-0 win against West Ham at Wembley
Norfolk's Lauren Hemp (right) sealed Manchester City's FA Cup win against West Ham at Wembley Picture: John Walton/PA Wire. - Credit: PA
Former Norwich City Ladies and North Walsham High School pupil Lauren Hemp continued her meteoric rise with a late goal in Manchester City’s Women’s FA Cup final 3-0 win over West Ham at Wembley on Saturday.
Substitute Hemp raced clear to coolly slot past Anna Moorhouse to seal the Sky Blues’ second trophy of the season in front of 43,264 at the national stadium. Hemp almost added a second when she clipped the post in the closing seconds of a game that was live on BBC television.
The England Youth international is rated one of the best prospects in the country and was named PFA female young-player-of-the-year last season.
That recognition saw her sign for Manchester City last summer, after impressing with Bristol City Women, who she joined at the age of 16 following a move from Norwich City Ladies.
Manchester City were heavy favourites to see off the Hammers but it took until the 52nd minute for Keira Walsh to open the scoring with a shot that caught out Moorhouse. Fellow England international Georgia Stanway’s low strike made it 2-0 in the 81st minute before Hemp added a third with two minutes of normal time remaining.
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It was a comfortable victory in the end for City as they won the cup for the second time, although West Ham went close to going in front in the first half when Jane Ross, playing against her old club, saw her header well saved by Karen Bardsley.
City had already lifted the Continental League Cup this term, and while they have fallen short in the Women’s Super League title race, with Arsenal being crowned champions, Nick Cushing’s side can complete the season unbeaten domestically when they face the Gunners away next week.
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“I said at half-time I thought we played the occasion a bit. But we settled down a bit and played the football we’ve played all year,” said Cushing, speaking to the BBC. “At the start of the year I thought it’d be the closest Women’s Super League season ever - we’ve not lost a game and still not won the title. But we’ll look at that and go again.” I said at half-time I thought we played the occasion a bit. But we settled down a bit and played the football we’ve played all year.
“At the start of the year I thought it’d be the closest Women’s Super League season ever - we’ve not lost a game and still not won the title. But we’ll look at that and go again.”