Arsenal ease past arch rivals Tottenham to reach FA Cup semi-finals

Arsenal reached the semi-final of the FA Women’s Cup after a 4-0 victory over north London rival’s Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening at Meadow Park.

Lisa Evans netted a second half hat-trick after Jordan Nobbs had set Joe Montemurro’s side on their way after a stunning strike.

Tottenham had the first shot on goal as Kit Graham tried her luck inside five minutes but the shot was easily dealt with by Manuela Zinsberger getting down to claim the loose ball.

Arsenal then hit the crossbar a minute later when Leah Williamson played in an inch perfect cross onto the head of Caitlin Foord who struck the crossbar before Spurs cleared the danger.

Evans then drove forward on 12 minutes before her low cross from the left was flicked behind by Foord who went in for a challenge with Shelina Zadorsky at the near-post.

Tottenham were well set-up and kept Arsenal at bay packing the midfield and not allowing the Gunners to play through them something that Karen Hills and Juan Amoros would have been pleased with.

Montemurro’s side than created a half chance when Danielle van de Donk played a clever pass into the back-post to Foord only to see her effort cleared by Kerys Harrop at the heart of the Spurs defence.

Noelle Maritz then had a strike over the bar on 29 minutes as Katie McCabe pulled the ball back for the Swiss International but she fired her effort over the crossbar from just outside the box.

Harrop then came to Spurs rescue a minute later when Jordan Nobbs was teed up in the box by Foord but her strike from close range was well blocked by the former Birmingham City defender who moved to the north London side during the summer.

Zinsberger was then forced into action as Graham whipped a free-kick into the box searching for Alanna Kennedy but the Austrian keeper was out off her line quickly to punch the ball away from danger.

Tottenham then wanted a penalty as Katie McCabe and Rosella Ayane battled for the ball at the back-post before Ayane went down but the referee waved away her the protests.

Zinsberger was then forced into a save as Kennedy saw her cross into the near-post tipped away by the keeper resulting in a corner that came to nothing.

Montemurro’s troops had the final chance of the half when Miedema pulled Chloe Peplow out of position before cutting inside and her pull-back couldn’t find a red shirt allowing the visitors to clear.

It was the Lilywhites who had the first shot of the second half when Gemma Davison drove forward but her effort from range sailed wide of the target.

Arsenal then started to press high and won several corners but Tottenham didn’t clear the danger fully as the ball fell to Miedema but her piece of intricate play was well dealt with by Harrop winning the ball from the Netherlands international.

On 50 minutes Nobbs then had her effort saved by Spencer as Little threaded the ball into her path but her effort was well held by the keeper.

Katie McCabe had the ball in the net two minutes later as Foord was played in by the Republic of Ireland International the ball falling back to the path of McCabe as she lashed her effort into the net however the goal was ruled out for a foul on Zadorsky.

Spencer was then called into action again to keep out Little as a Nobbs ball picked the Scottish International out but her volley was tame and plucked out of the air by the Spurs stopper.

On 56 minutes Tottenham then had a fine opportunity to take the lead with Kennedy as Viktoria Schnaderbeck and goalkeeper Zinsberger miscommunicated with one another as the defender mistimed her back-pass to see the ball go behind for a corner.

From the resulting corner the Australian international got up highest before heading the ball inches wide of the upright.

Kim Little won a free-kick on the edge of the area as she rolled Kennedy before being taken down by the new Spurs signing, Arsenal midfielder Van de Donk then layed the ball off to McCabe and she drilled a strike just wide of the target.

The Gunners were really putting the pressure on their rival’s as Little worked her way into the box on 65 minutes however her low powerful strike was straight at Spencer from an acute angle.

Karen Hills then was forced into a change on 69 minutes when Peplow was replaced due to an injury by Welsh international Josie Green.

The Gunners then took the lead via a stunning goal from Nobbs as she lobbed the ball over Spencer from range on 72 minutes as Spurs defender Ashleigh Neville gave the ball away and the midfielder spotted Spencer off her line before dinking the ball over the keeper.

A minute later it was two when Miedema slotted the ball onto Evans with a fabulous pass before the Scottish International remained calm slotting the ball across Spencer in the Spurs goal.

On 77 minutes the Gunners made a double change as Miedema and Nobbs were replaced by Malin Gut and Beth Mead.

Lotte Wubben-Moy was then to make her Arsenal return after resigning in the summer from the USA as she came on in the 82nd minute as she replaced Schnaderbeck and Leonie Maier came on for Noelle Maritz.

Montemurro’s side then made it 3-0 when Evans again popped up to grab her second when Little played the ball into her path and once again she remained calm to fire the ball into the back of the net.

17-year-old Ruby Mace was then to make her Gunners debut when she came on in midfield for Little in the 88th minute.

Evans then went on to complete her hat-trick as Mead crossed the ball low into the box finding Foord who dummied the ball allowing the Scottish International to run onto it and lash her strike into the roof of the net.

Lucy Quinn then had a fine opportunity to pull a goal back as she was teed up inside the box but she thumped her effort straight at Zinsberger in what turned out to be the final opportunity of the game.

Arsenal now await the winners of Leicester City and Manchester City on Sunday before meeting them in Thursday’s semi-final away from home.

Arsenal: Zinsberger, Maritz, Schnaderbeck, Williamson, McCabe, Little, Van de Donk, Nobbs, Evans, Miedema,Foord.

Subs used: Gut, Wubben-Moy, Maier, Mead, Mace.

Tottenham Hotspur: Spencer, Zadorsky, Harrop, Davison, Peplow, Percival, Worm, Graham, Kennedy, Ayane, Neville.

Subs used: Green, Dean, Quinn, Addison, Leon.