United Ladies are into the County Cup final after an encouraging 8-3 win against Penrith AFC Ladies Development at Frenchfields on Sunday.
Carlisle knew that a win would see them face one of Penrith AFC Ladies or Workington Town Women in the final.
Sunday’s game got off to the perfect start for the Blues as Sammi Norman’s corner in the first minute was whipped in with venom, the delivery took a deflection off a Penrith player to find the back of the net and put Carlisle in front.
United doubled their lead on 14 minutes when Bessie Best’s attempt from 40-yards out nestled into the top corner - her audacious half-volley gave Carlisle an important second goal.
Things got even better for the Cumbrians on 20 minutes with Chelsea Norris’ corner going all the way in to make it 3-0 to Carlisle.
United would stretch their advantage further on 24 minutes, when another precisely placed corner from Sammi Norman found Charlotte Murray at the back post and her thundering header found the top corner to make it four.
The hosts would get one back on 29 minutes to alert Carlisle that they couldn’t afford to be complacent.
The United response was instant with Norris’ precise corner going all the way in again to restore Carlisle’s four-goal advantage on 34 minutes.
Penrith responded on 43 minutes with a tap-in from their striker to reduce United’s lead to three.
HALF-TIME: Penrith AFC Dev 2-5 United
An interesting refereeing decision on 48 minutes reduced the Blues’ lead further with the linesman judging the ball to have hit Louisa Defreitas’ hand, despite no appeals from the Penrith team. The resulting penalty was routinely dispatched by the Penrith striker.
After this there was a lull of 20 minutes before United found the back of the net with Norris cutting inside and firing her shot into the bottom right corner to complete her hat-trick on 68 minutes.
On 88 minutes, a perfectly-weighted through ball from Murray found Katie Barbour in space on the right-wing, she cut inside and fired her shot into the bottom left corner to get a well-deserved goal for her brilliant performances in her debut season.
United weren’t finished there with Norris adding Carlisle’s eighth and her fourth of the afternoon on 90 minutes, when she placed her free-kick over the Penrith wall and into the back of the net.
A County Cup final now awaits a United side who can be very proud of their efforts on Sunday.
FULL-TIME: Penrith AFC Dev 3-8 United
United: Kenyon, Blaylock, Beal, Best, Defreitas, Nixon, Murray, Winter, Norman, Cleasby, Norris.
Subs: Porter, Barbour, Strutt, Riddet
United goals: (1’ OG), (14’ Best), (20’, 34’, 68’, 90’ Norris), (24’ Murray), (88’ Barbour)
POM: Chelsea Norris- sponsored by Fusion Trampoline Park
