What a weekend in Welsh football, with so many crucial Adran League matches.
The Adran Premier, in particular, had games that impacted both the top and bottom of the table, and there were plenty of surprises.
Let’s take a look back at the previous week.
Adran First Class
The Derby of South Wales. A game that can elicit strong emotions, and one in which the outcome may be more important than in other games. Cardiff City hoped to keep their lead at the top of the table. A win over their bitter rivals would undoubtedly make the title race much more interesting for Swansea City. It wasn’t a classic, but the Bluebirds extended their unbeaten streak to 29 games with a 1-0 victory over the Swans.
With both sides displaying a plethora of attacking talent, it was no surprise that chances abound in the first half. Katy Hosford and Stacey John-Davies scored for Swansea, while Molly Kehoe, Eliza Collie, and Hannah Power failed to find the back of the net for Cardiff.
Cardiff began to apply a lot of pressure in the second half. Kehoe raced through on goal once more, but Claire Skinner was up to the task. But the Cayman Islands’ wonderkid wouldn’t be denied again, floating into the box and slotting the ball into the bottom corner. With the lead, the Bluebirds held on for their sixth victory of the season, and they appear unbeatable.
This weekend saw a crucial game at the top of the table, as well as one at the bottom. Pontypridd United had lost all six of their games, and with interim manager Jonathan Spyropoulos in charge, they needed results quickly. This week’s opponents were Barry Town United, the team directly above them in the table. Ponty’s woes continued as he was swept aside by Barry, who gave the Valleys a 3-0 victory.
After a quiet first phase, Alana Murphy had the first chance of the game when Erin Brennan’s scuffed goal kick fell straight to her, but she shot wide. The hosts would rue that chance as Barry took the lead from the spot, Aimee Deacon dispatching clinically after being fouled by Klaudia Wojtyczka. The lead was doubled on the stroke of halftime, when Holly Jenkins’ knee assisted the ball into the bottom corner.
The Dragons pushed throughout the second half, but nothing seemed to fall their way. When the ball found her unmarked in the six-yard box, Gracie Grosvenor had a guilt-edged chance, but she couldn’t connect. As Pontypridd pushed, Barry could take advantage, especially with their quick substitutes. One of them, India Shanahan, would score their third goal, coolly passing the keeper. Barry is now six points ahead of Ponty, who appears to be in serious trouble.
With Swansea struggling this week, Wrexham saw an opportunity. Steve Dale’s side had surprised many people with their form this season, and they looked like a genuine contender to challenge Cardiff City all the way. Cardiff Met faced them this week, and they have been yo-yoing in terms of form all season. Wrexham performed admirably in their first visit to the capital this year, winning 3-0.
Despite being in the top three, Wrexham struggled against the Archers for much of the first half. Ingrid dland and Ellie Preece kept running at the back line, but debutant goalkeeper Chloe Ankers wasn’t about to let anything slip through her fingers. After a scoreless first half, Rosie Hughes brought the game to life after an hour. The traveling party breathed a sigh of relief.
With a goal under their belts, the team’s confidence grew, and they doubled their lead ten minutes later, thanks to Mari Gibbard’s mesmeric chip over the onrushing Met keeper. The game was effectively over in the 90th minute when Ava Suckley scored her first goal of the season off Hughes’ cut back. The result was marred slightly by Hughes’ dismissal in the 99th minute, but those in red will be overjoyed.
A meeting took place in North Wales between two teams with the goal of finishing in the top four come February. TNS may feel cheated for not having more points coming into the game, as they had lost their previous two. Aberystwyth Town had lost their last two games after going unbeaten in their first four. TNS emerged victorious with a 4-3 victory in a tumultuous game.
The Saints’ season didn’t get off to a good start, as they fell behind 14 minutes in. In the first half, Amy Jenkins played a ball into the path of Gwenllian Jones, who guided her strike into the net. Aber scored his second goal seven minutes into the second period. Rebecca Mathias’ inviting free kick found the head of Wales U19 international Imogen Scourfield, who headed in from close range.
Caitlin Chapman scored a fine finish inside the box for the Saints less than a minute later. Greg Draper’s team took control of the tie after that and responded to falling behind in style. First, a handball in the box by an Aber player resulted in a penalty, which captain Beth Lewis converted to tie the game. Ella Hartley’s wonderful strike into the bottom corner completed the comeback in the 69th minute.
The icing on the cake came in stoppage time, when Chapman scored a brace for the second time. Niamh Duggan had the best goal, a stunning 35-yard free kick that snuck in off the bar, but time ran out before the Seasiders could equalize. A thrilling game.
Adran North
The most important game in the second tier occurred in the Adran North, when Llandudno faced Connah’s Quay. They had combined for 40 goals in six league games, but the Nomads came away with a 2-0 win to close the gap on Dudno.
After a scoreless first half, Phoebe Ellis sparked the Nomads into life with a spectacular 25-yard strike. The leaders continued to create opportunities but were unable to find a crucial second. That was until Shannon Hobbs scored from the edge of the box in the 92nd minute.
There is still a long way to go in the season, but you get the impression that this is a huge result for the Nomads as they look to improve on last season.
Y Felinheli maintained their unbeaten record in only their second game of the Adran North season, defeating Airbus 4-0.
Felin was in a comfortable position after less than ten minutes, thanks to two goals in a minute. Catrin Evans put them ahead before Jody Cain converted off a pass from Jenna Allsup. Ffion Williams and Fflur Williams scored in the second half to help Y Felinheli climb the table and move within three points of Llandudno.
Elsewhere in North Wales, Llanfair United and Rhyl played out a 1-1 draw in the final few minutes.
With the game seemingly headed for a 0-0 draw, the home team took the lead thanks to a goal from captain Mary Bailey off a Courtney Ashworth cross. Sade Benjamin, on the other hand, has been a saviour for Rhyl on numerous occasions this season, and she equalised in the 89th minute, as both teams settled for a point.
Caldicot, Wales – September 24th, 2023: Cascade’s Phoebe Ware celebrates scoring her team’s third goal. On September 24, 2023, Caldicot Town Cascade will open in the Genero Adran South at Jubilee Way. (Photo courtesy of Lewis Mitchell/FAW)
Briton Ferry had yet to concede a goal in the Adran South this season, but coming up against a Swansea University team that had yet to lose a game in the league, you could sense a potential banana skin. Ferry, on the other hand, handled it flawlessly and won 6-0.
The visitors started well, but despite numerous chances, they were unable to beat the keeper. That trend continued until the 37th minute, when Meg Kearle chipped the ball into the goal. The winger only had to wait a minute longer for her second, as she combined with Fleur Jenkins to score.
No one has been able to keep Alison Witts quiet this season, and Swansea Uni couldn’t either, as the league’s top scorer grabbed Ferry’s third just after the hour. For a while, the score remained 3-0, but when Jessica Goucher was sent off ten minutes before the end, the floodgates opened. Witts’ stunning second goal, along with goals from Laura-May Walkley and Lowri Baker, sealed a commanding victory.
Cascade maintained their pressure on Briton Ferry by defeating Pontardawe Town 3-1 at home. It only took six minutes for Phoebe Ware to break the deadlock, and when Annaliese Lewis scored five minutes before halftime, Cascade had a comfortable lead.
Renee Day, on the other hand, has been on fire recently, and her penalty shortly after the restart brought Ponty right back into the game. But Lauren Boyd sealed the deal after an hour, giving Cascade back-to-back victories in the South.
Finally, Llanelli Town and Cwmbran Celtic drew 1-1 in a game between two of the league’s newest teams.
Danielle Evans put the hosts ahead after nine minutes, but Celtic’s newest recruit Jade Crofts, who joined from Caldicot Town, equalized shortly after the half-hour mark. Cwmbran goalkeeper Alex Cridland was sent off in the second half, but Llanelli were unable to capitalize.
