Two-goal Nobbs helps Arsenal win the Continental Tyres Cup

A Jordan Nobbs brace helped Arsenal claim their fourth Continental Tyres Cup victory in five years following a 3-0 defeat of 10-player Notts County.

Nobbs bagged her double either side of a straight red card for Laura Bassett in what turned out to be a frantic first half at the New York Stadium.

England vice-captain Nobbs gave her side the lead after a powerful run and finish.

Bassett was then sent off for a foul on Vicky Losada before Nobbs punished the Lady Pies further with a sumptuous long-range effort.

And Chioma Ubogagu wrapped up the win with a neat finish in added time.

This result came exactly three months to the day since Notts County lost the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final to Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.

And it ensured Arsenal reclaimed the Cup 12 months on from their Final defeat by Manchester City.

In his programme notes, County boss Rick Passmoor admitted his side froze at Wembley in August and he asked them to make amends in Rotherham. They certainly started the better of the two sides.

Indeed, the game’s first clear opportunity fell to Bassett on 10 minutes.

Just moments after she was dispossessed by Losada, which led to a half-chance for the Spaniard, Bassett was found by Ellen White inside the Arsenal box following a free-kick but was denied by a fantastic Sari van Veenendaal stop.

White was at it again soon after, picking out Jess Clarke with a superb low cross from the right, but the Lady Pies’ top scorer could only poke the ball wide from six yards out.

With Passmoor’s side threatening to gain control, Arsenal responded immediately as Natalia forced Carly Telford into a fine reflex save.

Buoyed by this effort, the Gunners took the lead on 26 minutes. Nobbs picked up the ball on the right-hand touchline and surged forward, unchallenged, into the County box where she clipped home a shot at the near post to put her side in front.

Nobbs fires Arsenal ahead after a powerful run and neat finish

The complexion of the Final was further altered when Bassett received a straight red card following a foul on Losada.

And the Gunners made the extra player count before the half-time break, with Nobbs rifling home her’s and Arsenal’s second goal from 25 yards out.

County did come close to halving the deficit right on half-time, when Rachel Williams headed Alex Greenwood’s free-kick against the bar.

The side from Nottingham began the second half brightly as van Veenendaal was forced to parry White’s shot away for a corner.

With a two-goal cushion, however, Arsenal were happy to keep possession and patiently probe for an opening.

Natalia hit a shot over the bar and then headed Corredera’s cross just wide, while Nobbs was inches away from connecting with another Corredera centre as Pedro Martinez Losa’s side searched for a third goal.

Notts County had to be more urgent with their forays forward, but they failed to create too many clear openings in a second half that began to run away from them.

A late flurry from the Lady Pies allowed Canada international Desiree Scott to try her luck from an acute angle, but her shot on the stretch went just over the top.

Substitute Fern Whelan, on for Leanne Crichton, then headed another Greenwood set piece just wide of the target.

Arsenal, though, never looked like surrendering their lead and Ubogagu added a third goal in added time to put a gloss on a fourth Continental Tyres Cup crown – the Gunners' 42nd major trophy.

Arsenal: 13 Sari van Veenendaal, 5 Casey Stoney (C), 6 Vicky Losada, 7 Natalia, 8 Jordan Nobbs, 11 Rachel Yankey, 14 Leah Williamson, 17 Marta Corredera, 19 Jemma Rose, 20 Dominique Janssen, 25 Jade Bailey.

Substitutes: 12 Chioma Ubogagu for Natalia 75, 18 Chloe Kelly for Corredera 86, 4 Vyan Sampson for Yankey 89

Substitutes not used: 1 Emma Byrne, 16 Carla Humphrey, 24 Lotte Wubben-Moy, 30 Georgia Allen

Goals: Nobbs 26, 41

Bookings: Corredera, Kelly

Manager: Pedro Martinez Losa

Notts County: 1 Carly Telford, 3 Alex Greenwood, 4 Danielle Buet, 7 Jess Clarke, 8 Rachel Williams, 9 Ellen White, 11 Desiree Scott, 14 Sophie Walton, 15 Amy Turner, 18 Leanne Crichton, 23 Laura Bassett (C).

Substitutes: 6 Fern Whelan for Crichton 44, 20 Aileen Whelan for Walton 66, 30 Laura-Jayne O’Neill for Williams 84

Substitutes not used: 12 Olivia Walker, 19 Ashleigh Plumptre, 25 Alice Hassall.

Bookings: Greenwood, Whelan

Red card: Bassett

Manager: Rick Passmoor

Referee: Jane Simms

Attendance: 5,028