They do like Mondays: 25,000 see Arsenal Ladies clinch double

Arsenal Ladies swept aside Leeds 4-1 to seal the Double for the third successive season at a packed City Ground on Bank Holiday Monday. A competition record crowd of nearly 25,000 watched the Gunners dominate for huge periods of the match against a side t

Arsenal Ladies swept aside Leeds 4-1 to seal the Double for the third successive season at a packed City Ground on Bank Holiday Monday.

A competition record crowd of nearly 25,000 watched the Gunners dominate for huge periods of the match against a side they had beaten 5-0 in the 2006 final.

The only surprise was that the two sides went into the interval on level terms, but that changed when England striker Kelly Smith opened the scoring after 53 minutes when she steered the ball home from close-range.

Jayne Ludlow doubled Arsenal's advantage five minutes later when she eased the ball past Leeds goalkeeper Carly Telford.

And the match was over as a contest within 60 seconds when the rampant Gunners made it 3-0 courtesy of a deflected Lianne Sanderson drive.

Leeds, who had a goal disallowed in the first half when Amanda Barr was flagged offside after lobbing Arsenal keeper Emma Byrne, pulled one back with just over 20 minutes remaining when Sue Smith's cheeky lob struck the crossbar and Jess Clarke reacted quickest to head past a stunned Byrne.

But Arsenal netted a late fourth to end any slender hopes of a United comeback when Smith struck her second of the game after Julie Fleeting's effort had initially come back off the inside of the post.

"I am so proud of what we have achieved," said Arsenal's manager Vic Akers.