Sam Pittuck was the hero as Charlton Athletic defeated defending champions Sheffield 4-2 on penalties to lift The FA Women’s Premier League Cup at the James Parnell Stadium.
Pittuck held her nerve on her team’s fifth and final penalty to seal the win after goalkeeper Megen Lynch had saved two Sheffield penalties before missing with her own effort.
The win meant Charlton lifted The Cup for the third time - the first since 2006.
Charlton Athletic 0-0 Sheffield
Charlton win 4-2 on penalties
The FA Women's Premier League Cup
The Final
Sunday 3 May
James Parnell Stadium, Nuneaton Town FC
The game was delayed by 50 minutes after a thunderstorm right before kick-off forced the teams to head quickly back into the changing rooms.
When the game eventually got under way the first chance fell to Rosie Paye on eight minutes but she was unable to trouble Sheffield goalkeeper Claire Wallhead.
Charlton came close again after 18 minutes when Nikita Whinnett and Gemma Shepherd linked up nicely on the edge of the Sheffield box but the former’s shot from outside the area was off target.
The Addicks continued to look the more threatening and Emma Harrison drew a good save from Wallhead before Charley Clifford’s free-kick seconds before half-time clipped the bar.
Sheffield improved after the break and almost found the net on 50 minutes when a slip by Grace Coombs let in Lisa Giampalma but the Sheffield striker poked her shot over the bar.
With 10 minutes left, Kit Graham, who had been an attacking threat for Charlton all afternoon, cleverly beat the full-back before firing a right-foot shot into the gloves of Wallhead.
Then in added time, it was the turn of Sheffield to threaten with Emma Johnson forcing Charlton’s Lynch to tip around the post.
Sheffield enjoyed the better of the chances in extra-time with Pittuck coming to the Addicks' rescue when she cleared off the line from Coombs while substitute Jodie Michalska could only fire wide at the back post.
Graham could have snatched the win for Charlton five minutes before the shootout but lofted over the bar, although team-mate Shepherd made no mistake with the first penalty to give her side the advantage.
Lynch then saved from Johnson and Billie Murphy to help put her side 3-1 up before the Charlton goalkeeper missed with her own effort.
Sheffield’s Lynn Goodman reduced arrears but Pittuck made no mistake to spark wild celebrations in the Charlton camp.
