Page 21 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.19 2022-23

The conclusion of Phase 1 may have been a week late, but it was worth waiting for! In the two
midweek games, The New Saints’ loss to Swansea City left the door open for Pontypridd
Utd to claim fourth with either a draw or a win. However, Ponty stumbled at this hurdle with
Abergavenny Women grabbing their first win of the season – meaning that Greg Draper’s side
needed to win Sunday’s game by a margin of four or more goals to take the last spot in the
Championship conference based on goals scored in Phase 1.
Records suggested that this wouldn’t be out of reach for TNS, who beat Abergavenny 4-2 in
the reverse fixture and they were 3-0 up at half time in the abandoned game last month. However
with Abergavenny’s recent form, picking up four points in their last two games, nothing could be
taken for granted. TNS did strike first, with Lucie Platt opening the scoring following a free kick
and Helen Evans adding a second ten minutes later to take the Saints in 2-0 ahead at half time.
The hosts had to wait for Isobel Redding’s third, heading in a Caitlin Chapman corner in the
72nd minute. With time running out it looked like the all important fourth would remain elusive,
until top scorer Emily Ridge received the ball from Evans on the edge of the box on the 88th
minute and with just the keeper to beat, the outcome was never in doubt, sealing a 4-0 victory.
TNS now join Cardiff City, Swansea City and Cardiff Met in the Championship Conference,
fighting for the league title and place in the UEFA Women’s Champions League in September.
Pontypridd finish fifth and will be hoping to repeat last year’s success of winning the Genero
Adran Premier Plate, whilst battling against relegation with Aberystwyth Town, Barry Town
United and Abergavenny Women.
The Genero Adran Premier now takes a short break ahead of the start of Phase 2 on the 26th
February. Meanwhile next weekend is the Genero Adran Trophy semi finals, with Cardiff Met
hosting Aberystwyth Town and Cardiff City
taking on TNS. The winners will face off a PREMIER DIVISION P W D L F A Pts GD
month later on 12th March to take the first CARDIFF CITY F.C. 14 12 2 0 46 7 38 39
SWANSEA CITY 14 9 4 1 37 12 31 25
silverware of the women’s season.
CARDIFF MET WOMEN 14 9 2 3 34 18 29 16
Things are hotting up in the North THE NEW SAINTS 14 5 2 7 31 33 17 -2
Division as Connah’s Quay Nomads hold PONTYPRIDD UTD 14 5 2 7 22 24 17 -2
onto top spot by winning 3-2 away to ABERYSTWYTH TOWN 14 3 3 8 21 32 12 -11
Llanfair Utd. Tamara Hamer, Sienna BARRY TOWN UTD 14 3 1 1 2 10 16 45 10 -29
14
ABERGAVENNY WOMEN
5
11 12 48
-36
Strapp and Kirstie Kural all scored for the
Nomads, with Gemma Jones and Harriet
Davies replying. Rosie Hughes meanwhile TNS 4 Abergavenny 0.
hit a hat-trick, with Rebecca Pritchard and
NORTH DIVISION P W D L F A Pts 0
Libby MacKenzie adding the others, as CONNAH'S QUAY NOMADS 8 7 1 0 36 4 22 32
Wrexham defeated Llandudno 5-0. WREXHAM 7 7 0 0 40 2 21 38
Rachael Nattrass (2), Tegan Crockett and LLANDUDNO 6 3 1 2 19 11 10 8
Chelsea Evans were on target as CPD Y CPD Y RHYL 1879 7 3 0 4 14 30 9 -16
CPDM Y FELINHELI 5 1 1 3 6 21 4 -15
Rhyl 1879 won 4-3 against Airbus UK LLANFAIR UTD 7 1 1 5 7 23 4 -16
Broughton. AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON 8 0 0 8 6 37 0 -31
Briton Ferry Llansawel remain on
course for the South Division title after Rhyl 4 Airbus UK 3; Llanfair 2 Connah’s Quay 3; Llandudno 0
beating Pontardawe Town 4-0. Lowri Wrexham 5.
Ridings netted twice, along with Megan SOUTH DIVISION P W D L F A Pts GD
Kearle and Lowri Baker, to see Ferry open up BRITON FERRY LLANSAWEL 9 8 0 1 36 6 24 30
CASCADE YC 9 6 1 2 22 14 19 8
a lead of five points at the top. After six
PONTARDAWE TOWN 8 3 0 5 23 23 9 0
straight defeats, Caldicot Town got SWANSEA UNIVERSITY 9 2 2 5 15 26 8 -11
themselves off the mark when a Hannah CALDICOT TOWN 7 0 1 6 11 38 1 -27
Foulkes penalty earned them a 1-1 draw with 0
Swansea University, who scored through Briton Ferry 4 Pontardawe 0; Caldicot 1 Swansea Univ 1.
Katie Horsburgh.
news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk