Ladies first!

A small piece of history was made in the FanZone booth on Sunday. Find out what the girls got up to...

Ladies' Day lives up to the hype

April 26 will go down in the history books for the first all-female commentary of a Premier League double-header on Sky Sports. But apart from the more fragrant smell coming from the FanZone booth, you wouldn't really have really noticed the difference. There was the same banter, bravado and, of course, referee-bashing. But in the case of Arsenal fan Kirsty Ann Percival, she was suitably qualified to assess the man in black's performance... The former Fulham Ladies winger is a qualified ref, trained football coach and PE teacher who does kick-ups whilst doing the washing up - talk about multi-tasking! (something we all know that men can't do...) And it was Kirsty who had the privilege of celebrating the first Ladies' Day goal when Cesc Fabregas but the Gunners ahead in the 26th minute.

Disrobed

All those interactive viewers hoping the girls would remove their shirts in celebration were in luck as Kirsty disrobed to reveal... another Arsenal shirt underneath! She refused to reveal just how many different Arsenal strips she was wearing, but her opponent Katie Medd's assertion that 'all Arsenal fans were arrogant' suggested it was more than two. Middlesbrough fan Katie was less than optimistic ahead of the trip to The Emirates - not the place you want to go when you're fighting for your Premier League life. But she must've taken solace from the fact that she'd been voted our most popular FanZone commentator via the website before she'd even made her debut! Unfortunately for the trainee solicitor and WAG (although her other half plays for non-league York, does that count?), Boro didn't give her much to shout about. Although she did get to ironically cheer her team's first shot on target in the 43rd minute; Stewart Downing's attempt was straight at Manuel Almunia.

Fury

In the secondhalf, Boro keeper Brad Jones found out why hell hath no fury like a woman scorned... The visitors' stopper raced out of his area to close down the advancing Fabregas, but the Frenchman was unfased, rounding the keeper and slotting the ball home for his brace in the 67th-minute. Kirsty removed another shirt to reveal... another shirt, as Katie sunk into her chair. Job done for Arsene Wenger; game over for Gareth Southgate? As the game drew to a close, there was still time for another FanZone first when Gunners fan Kirsty uttered the two words never spoken by a winning FanZoner before: "I'm sorry." Never mind Katie, we'll have you back on FanZone the year after next! So Kirsty and Katie handed the baton to their fellow Ladies' Day commentary team for the 4pm kick off.

Angels

And it was time for FanZone's angels of the North to take over for the grudge match between Blackburn and Wigan. True to type, the girls dined on their pre-match chips 'n' gravy washed down with, er, Red Bull (minus the vodka) in preparation for the second Super Sunday match. And if the idea behind FanZone Ladies' Day was to unearth new female commentary talent, then Nicola Silcock would be our very own Susan Boyle! The quietest girl of the quartet turned out to be the loudest in the booth - and her goal celebrations are sure to become something of FanZone legend, not least for their length! Blackburn took the lead in the final minute of the first half through a Benni McCarthy header - not that Nicola realised/cared who the actual goalscorer was!

Lungs

The Rovers fan was up out of her chair faster that you could say 'relegation six-pointer' yelling at the top of her lungs - and my, what a pair she has! Although we haven't officially timed the goal celebration, we think it could be the longest in FanZone history. It continued into the replays (when Nicola finally realised it was McCarthy who'd nodded them into lead) and for a good while afterwards. Must be something to do with all that Red Bull... Red-faced and out-of-breath, 'Well Good' (as she's also known) was grateful of the half-time break. But she was soon back in action in the second half. Quarter-of-an-hour in, Blackburn doubled their advantage through the unlikely figure of captain Ryan Nelsen and Nicola was off again, punching the air, jumping up and down and wailing with delight... Then, like Arsenal fan Kirsty before her, Nicola reached for the bottom hem of her replica shirt... But the lads were disappointed yet again as the Rovers fan striped to reveal a 'Who ate all the pies?' T-shirt underneath. Nice. For Wigan, the lion-haired Miranda Taylor (a phrase coined by Sky Sports News presenter Georgie Thompson) endured a frustrating afternoon. Not only were her eardrums perforated by her opponent's cheers, but the Latics' every attempt was thwarted by Paul Robinson and his defensive chronies. In the words of Sky Sports' Chris Kamara (a Ladies' Day supporter), Blackburn defended like beavers. So unfortunately the lion didn't get the chance to roar but with their Premier League status secure, it was three vital points for Sam Allardyce's team as they pulled away from the bottom three. Nicola was last seen rushing into a taxi, presumably for a meeting with Simon Cowell... All in all, Ladies' Day certainly proved that women have got FanZone talent. Ladies' Day II anyone?

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