Putting the gloss on their twentieth anniversary celebrations, Arsenal completed an unprecedented quadruple yesterday by adding the FA Women’s Cup to their season’s trophy haul. It was the eighth time they had won the competition, equalling the record held by Southampton, and the crowd of 24,529 at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground was the largest attendance for a women’s Cup final, almost doubling the previous best, established when Arsenal beat Fulham at Selhurst Park six years ago.

The turnout prompted calls for this fixture to be moved to Wembley. “Why not?” Vic Akers, the Arsenal manager, said. “To get 24,000 here shows how popular the game can be. I think the FA Vase gets about 10,000, the Trophy around 20,000, and both of those are going to be played at Wembley again. So I think there’s a big shout for this game to be played at Wembley.”

Keith Boanas, the Charlton Athletic manager, agreed. “There was a fantastic atmosphere here and Nottingham Forest and the FA have done a tremendous job,” he said. “But why not Wembley? The [women’s] game has moved on tremendously and it’s about time the final was played at Wembley. If it’s the pinnacle for the men’s game, then why shouldn’t it be for the women’s? The girls deserve it.”

Kelly Smith and Jayne Ludlow each scored twice as Arsenal came from behind to overcome a spirited Charlton side and, while some way below top level after their exertions in beating Umea, of Sweden, in the Uefa Women’s Cup final last week, Akers’s team confirmed their mantle as the best club side English football has produced.

Arsenal have won every domestic match this season and while their dominance has been cited as holding a negative sway over the women’s game, there is no doubt that they have raised the bar. “I’ve got to say it’s very hard to match them,” Eniola Aluko, the Charlton and England striker, said. “There’s some top players there and they’ve set the benchmark. That’s the standard we’ve all got to aspire to.”

Ironically, Arsenal can help Charlton in their bid to join them in Europe next season. They play Everton, second in the FA Women’s Premier League national division, at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow and, with third-placed Charlton two points behind Everton with two matches to play, the result could prove crucial.

“We’re buzzing at the prospect of playing there,” Smith, who curled in a sumptuous free kick in the seventh minute to equalise Katie Holtham’s opener and rounded off the scoring with a curling shot nine minutes from time, said. “We’ve got two matches left and we want to go unbeaten for the whole season, but Everton will be fresher and wanting to get into Europe so it should be a good game.”

Charlton, appearing in their fourth Cup final in five seasons, put Arsenal under pressure early on and scored when Aluko set up Holtham, a Forest supporter born and raised in Nottingham, to score at the far post in the second minute. After Smith’s equaliser, Ludlow converted Lianne Sanderson’s free kick before scoring the goal of the game in first-half stoppage time, smacking a 30-yard half-volley into the top corner. “You won’t believe me but I was wondering whether to bother, with my long-range shooting,” the Wales midfield player said. “I’m glad I did.”

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): E Byrne – A Scott, C Grant, A Asante, M Phillip – K Chapman, J Ludlow – L Sanderson (sub: K Carney, 63min), K Smith, R Yankey – J Fleeting (sub: G Davison, 76). Substitutes not used: F White, S Larkin, R Spencer.

Charlton Athletic (3-1-4-2): T-A Wayne – M Bertelli, K Hills, C Stoney – J Smith (sub: A Hincks, 70) – D Murphy, S Boyer, K Holtham (sub: N Hughes, 83), J Potter – N Dowie (sub: AM Heatherson, 83), E Aluko. Substitutes not used: P Cope, M Hickmott. Booked: Bertelli.

Referee: A Bates.

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