The Women's FA Cup Final
Report: Sue Montgomery
Picture: Phil Sheldon

Kisses and Curls

Policewoman Linda Curls gave an arresting performance yesterday to help her side to
victory in the Women's Football Association Cup final. Linda, 20, scored the first goal and made the second in Lowestoft Ladies' 2-0 win over Cleveland Spartans on Queen's Park Rangers' plastic turf. It was the first time in its 12-year history that the WFA Cup final had been played on a Football League ground. The fixture had previously been banished to Rugby
League or training pitches. The game was played as a curtain-raiser to the League match
between QPR and Bolton, and those supporters who turned up early saw some pretty football. Linda's goal was as opportunist as any seen on the ground this season, as she swooped on a back pass from a Cleveland defender. The ladies play pretty tough, too.
Lowestoft'sbmidfielder Shirley Jones was carried off on a stretcher during the second half with a broken collarbone.

Lowestoft Ladies:
Fossey; Hinson, Slack, John son, Jackson, Blowers, Poppy, Davidson, Jones
Curl, Bolton. Subs: Nolloth, Purdom.

Cleveland Spartans:
Elliott; Williams. Citro Wieczorek, Markham. Duffy, Laugher. Ander
son, Hughes, Murphy, Tomlinson. subs Wickham and Hogan

The English WA, founded in 1969, now has 6,000 registered players on its books from 240 clubs. A few weeks ago women's football took another step forward with the announcement of a women's European championship.

Linda Whitehead, secretary of the WFA and its first full-time official, said: 'We've been trying for years to set this up. 'The finals will be played in 1984 hopefully at the same time an place as the men's championship.' England has been drawn in group with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eire. Linda said: 'That will cut down on travelling an help us with our major stumbling block — money. 'All our players are amateurs an though we get an annual grant from the Sports Council we operate on a shoestring. We could do with : sponsor to go into Europe.'