Leeds Carnegie deservedly beat the League Cup favourites Everton 3-1 to lift the first major trophy of their 20-year history at Rochdale's Spotland stadium.
It could be the last, too, which made for an emotional evening. The club may be in their swansong season.
The decision of Carnegie's patron, Leeds Metropolitan University, to withdraw the club's bid to join the Football Association's new Super League is set to lead to an end-of-season exodus of players and quite possibly the folding of the club known as Leeds United before it was jettisoned from the Elland Road set-up two years ago.
The players were determined to "go out with a bang" after three unsuccessful cup finals in the last four seasons.
A late goal by the England Under-23 striker Ellen White, her second of the evening, clinched victory after Leeds had led 2-0 at the interval but then had to fend off second-half pressure led by the Everton captain Fara Williams.
Leeds had been much the better side before half-time and should have gone ahead after nine minutes when the left-winger Sue Smith curled a cross into the six-yard box but the unmarked White headed wastefully wide. Six minutes later White had a hand in the opening goal as her long-range drive rebounded off a defender to drop for Katie Holtham to direct a low 20-yard shot just inside the far post.
White then increased the lead following a mistake by the Everton goalkeeper Rachel Brown, who spilled a Carla Cantrell corner allowing White to force the ball over the line.
The game could have been won by the end of a first half as notable for Everton's uncharacteristic nervousness as for the dominance of their opponents, who squandered several good openings with Cantrell and the central defender Sophie Bradley the main culprits.
The game turned immediately after the interval, Everton pulling a goal back through a breakaway attack that ended with Williams steering the ball past the Leeds goalkeeper Carly Telford after being sent clear by the striker Natasha Dowie.
The favourites edged the remainder of the second half and Williams almost equalised in the 67th minute, chipping narrowly wide of the far post. But the game was won when White collected a Holtham pass to shoot home from 15 yards.
Everton (4-2-1-3): Brown; Westwood, Whelan, Johnson, Unitt; Scott, Williams; Hinnigan (Harries, 78); Handley, Dowie, Duggan.
Subs not used Easton, Evans, Culvin, Chaplen, Harries
Leeds Carnegie (4-4-2) Telford; Walton, Bradley, Bassett, Sutcliffe; Clarke (Allen, 71), Holtham, Moore, Smith (Thackray, 87); Cantrell, White.
Subs not used Bonner, Staneff, Daly
Referee Sian Massey