As the finalists travel to Wycombe Wanderers’ Adams Park in a bid to clinch a first ever trophy, Cushing hopes his side will share the spirit and belief their male counterparts have shown so often in recent years when they have been faced with a tough test.
“Winning a trophy this season would mean the world to this Club,” he asserted. “The players are really excited and desperate for the final to come.
“Arsenal probably have a slight advantage established as a team who have previously won the Continental Cup but we’re confident that we can apply ourselves well and give them a tough game.
“When our men’s team played Manchester United in the semi-final of the FA Cup back in 2011, that was a big challenge and they got through it.
“They went on to win the FA Cup against Stoke and that was a real catalyst for them to then go on and win the Premier League.
“They sit now as league champions and Capital One Cup winners. They are a very successful team and that gives us inspiration.
“We want to win this cup and we’ll see next year what we can achieve.”
Reflecting on a campaign filled with ups and downs, Cushing admitted City could have improved on some parts of their game but was pleased overall with their performance in their debut season in the top flight.
“We’ve been a little bit inconsistent,” he conceded. “We’ve earned some good results and suffered some poor ones but I’m not disappointed at all.
“I’m proud of the team and really excited about the progress we’ve made.
“This club has incredible resource and a wealth of knowledge from staff with experience. That’s really helped me in my first year as a coach of a team that plays for points and plays to win.
“The women’s team is no different to the men’s. There’s an expectation from ourselves and as staff and players, we want to be successful. That’s why we work hard.
“We’ll make sure we prepare properly for next season but our initial focus is the cup final and that’s what we’ll work for.”
*Don’t forget we will have a live commentary on the site this evening from our Match Day Centre and there will be a report on full-time and highlights tomorrow morning of events at Adams Park.
Tickets for the Continental Cup final are priced at £5 for adults and £2.50 for children.
A £10 family ticket (two adults and two children) and group bookings are also available.
Ahead of the match, the FA and Continental Tyres will be hosting a FREE Junior Fanzone from 17.45pm with a whole host of activities for children aged 5-15 including: an inflatable speed cage, Batak board, freestyle session, interactive games and much more.
Tickets are on sale from www.wycombewanderers.co.uk/tickets or by calling 01494 441 118.
