Morecambe Ladies into Lancashire Cup final

Megan Doherty’s brace as well as goals for Georgia Lupton, Hannah Williamson and an own goal set up a clash with either Blackburn Rovers or Preston North End for the Red Rose trophy.

From kick-off Chorley keeper Joanne Phillips was on immediate alert, beating Doherty to a through ball, her clearance was picked up by Hannah Paling who put the ball just wide of the post.

Keeping the pressure up, retaining possession Laura Callis started a move through midfield up to Hannah Williamson who pushed the ball out to Georgia Lupton in space on the left.

Lupton drove into the box and Phillips got a hand to the fierce strike but couldn’t keep the ball out, 0-1.

The Reds, buoyed up with this early lead, had Whittingham looping a shot over the bar and then Doherty beat the defence, the keeper and the post too. Becky Whittingham and Sophie Fish also saw shots clear the bar.

Then, the inevitable happened, Vicky Bergin beat her marker on the right, her cross was blocked by Beth Fisher but Nat Parry beat Becky Whittingham to the loose ball and creamed the ball into the top left hand corner of the goal, 1-1.

Manager Nick Barrett was disappointed with the defending which gave a free header for Kerry Bergen to put the visitors ahead, a lapse in concentration undid all the good work to make it 1-2.

Morecambe replied when Hannah Paling set Doherty away on a chase and Megan came close with snap shot.

Repeating the exercise, this time Doherty shot’s was across the area and the covering number five Saskia Bowes could only turn the ball into her own net, 2-2.

Back came the urgency into the game – Laura Callis set a move in motion with Whittingham to Doherty to Williamson, she played a one-two with Fish and fired past Phillips to give the ladies a 3-2 lead.

Keeping the pressure on in the second half, Saskia Bowes tried to bring the ball out of defence, Jade Thornhill intercepted her pass and put Doherty through who saw Phillips off her line and lobbed the ball over her head to make it 4-2.

Joanne Phillips was injured punching away a Callis cross and the keeper had to be replaced, Bowes putting the jersey on.

Chorley kept going with spirit, they had a shout for handball in the Morecambe box but referee Paul Ince waved it away as accidental.

Megan Doherty repeated her lob, finding Bowes off her line but Janet Dawson was there to head the ball off the line and past the post.

From Whittingham’s resulting corner kick, Megan out-jumped everyone to power a header past the diving keeper to make the final score 5-2.