Women's FA Cup: Notts County goalkeeper request blocked

Notts County are angry with the Football Association's decision not to let them sign an emergency loan keeper for Saturday's Women's FA Cup final.

Carly Telford is Notts' only goalkeeper eligible to face Chelsea at Wembley, so will have to start despite just returning from a dislocated shoulder.

Sunday's 2-1 loss to Arsenal was her first appearance for 11 weeks.

"Sometimes common sense has to kick in," said chief executive Luke Negus-Hill.

"It could - touch wood it won't - end up with an outfield player being in goal."

Players are only eligible to feature at Wembley if they were registered for the sixth round of the competition on 12 April, nearly 16 weeks before the final.

Telford's return against Arsenal
Carly Telford made her injury comeback against Arsenal on Sunday, with on-loan goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain ineligible to face her parent club.

In 2014, there was just a 36-day gap between the quarter-final and final.

During this year's 16-week break, there has been a World Cup - where England's Telford was injured - and a transfer window, during which time Notts signed keeper Siobhan Chamberlain on loan as injury cover.

Danielle Hill, the third goalkeeper on Notts' books, is also ineligible, having signed after the cut-off date.

"We have a keeper and have every confidence in Carly, but she has got an injury," Negus-Hill told BBC East Midlands Today.

"This is the biggest domestic women's game for a long time and we want to make it right to have a keeper on the bench, which is something every club will want to do.

"We sent in a letter of request, discussed Carly's injury, how she got the injury, the England reports and we have flatly been told 'no'.

"Carly was injured with England and we are the ones that suffer."