Fab Fifteen: Our top 15 North Wales women footballers of 2019

Time to choose the 15 women players who have made the most impression on me across the North Wales scene in 2019.

I’ve seen more of some than I have of others, so have also taken a bit of advice and recommendation from coaches along the way before picking my fab fifteen.

The players selected are North Wales based only. I would say the top five are in order of merit, but the rest could be in any sequence, such is their varied talent.

1 Lexi Crawley (Amlwch Town)

Not a difficult choice.
Lexi was top-scorer for Amlwch last season with 17 goals and netted the winner as the Anglesey side lifted the North Wales Supplementary Cup.
In the summer she was leading markswoman in the Inter-Island Games, finding the target five times for Ynys Môn’s women’s team, who made it all the way to the final.
This season sees Lexi already on 16 goals for North Wales League Division Two leaders Amlwch.

2 Catrin Evans (Amlwch Town)

What a year for the young winger who turned 16 on December 31, 2018.
She made a sensational entry into women’s football with Bethel, scoring 18 goals in 12 games as the Caernarfon area team finished joint North Wales League Division One champions and reached two cup finals.
June saw Catrin break into the Ynys Môn’s women’s team which won the silver medal at the Inter-Island Games. She scored in the final in a 2-1 loss to the Isle of Man.
Catrin has joined Amlwch Town this season and has already bagged 11 goals.

3 Mari Gibbard (Llandudno/Bethel)

Made a big impression in the Welsh Premier League for Llandudno, scoring 15 goals in all competitions in 2018/19.
Mari won a host of awards at the team’s end of season presentations.
In September, she moved to America to study but remained signed on for Llandudno.
After Tudno resigned from the WPWL this month, Mari rejoined Bethel, the club where she first made her name.

4 Erin Maloney (Bethel)

Hard-working young forward who netted 20 goals for joint North Wales Division One champions Bethel last season, finishing the club’s co top-scorer with Ffion Williams.
Chosen for Ynys Môn’s successful Inter-Island Games squad in the summer, Erin is on fire again for Bethel this season, notching 13 goals already.

5 Katie Midwinter (Bethesda Athletic/Bethel)

Last season she led Bethesda Athletic to the NWWFL Division Two title at the first attempt and finished top net-finder of the league’s North Wales based players with 27 goals.
Deservedly picked up the Grassroots North Wales Women’s Player of the Year for 2018-19.
After securing the Division Two championship, Bethesda more or less fell apart and resigned a week into the 2019-20 season.
Midwinter has now returned to her first club Bethel but is yet to make a real impression.

6 Cerys Gadd (Amlwch Town)

Scored the equaliser in Amlwch’s 2-1 Supplementary Cup final win over Wrexham at Rhyl last season.
Gadd then had a superb tournament as Ynys Môn’s women made the final of the Inter-Island Games.
She is now thriving in a much-strengthened Amlwch team this season, with eight goals already to her name from midfield.

7 Llinos Hughes (NFA)

One of the stars of the 2019/20 season in the North Wales Women’s Football League so far.
Strong, composed defender, mature beyond her years, who has really come to the fore for a newly-formed NFA side which is growing in stature all the time in Division Two.

8 Paige Williams (Amlwch Town)

Right-sided defender always capable of joining the attack and laying on an assist or providing a goal.
A star player in Amlwch’s Supplementary Cup final win last season, she went on to impress for Ynys Môn in the Inter-Island Games and is now in fine form this term for a Town team which has stormed to the NWWFL Division Two summit.

9 Cara Hughes (Llandudno)

Non-stop defender who wore the colours of Pwllheli and Caernarfon Town before signing for Llandudno in November 2018.
The 20-year-old right back was outstanding in her time at Maesdu Park, fitting into the Welsh Premier with no difficulty whatsoever.
Despite Llandudno’s problems this season, which led to them resigning from the WPWL, Cara was an outstanding performer.

10 Bethan Thomas (Northop Hall)

Despite some difficult times for Northop Hall over the past 12 months, Bethan has remained arguably the finest keeper in the league.
Hall are still rebuilding after their title-winning heroics of 2017-18 and their goalkeeper has been a key figure in many of their best performances this year.

11 Lowri Hughes (Pwllheli)

After a good 2018-19 season, Pwllheli voluntarily dropped down a division this term due to the loss of many important players.
Nonetheless, Pwll have continued to battle hard and produce some fine results – and few have done more for the cause than attacking midfielder Lowri Hughes.
A consistent goal-getter throughout the year, Lowri scored five goals in back-to-back games during November, proving that she can be unstoppable when at her best.

12 Rosie Hughes (Denbigh Town)

Returned to football last season and joined Denbigh, where she netted a handful of goals in 2018-19.
This season she has been far more prolific, amassing 17 goals to make her North Wales’ leading hitwoman in all competitions.
Former Llandudno striker Rosie has already nabbed two double hat-tricks for Denbigh.

13 Ceri Purvis (Rhyl)

Experienced campaigner who won the 1993-94 Welsh Cup with Pilkington and has been a revelation since returning to football with Rhyl.
She was a star player for the Development side last season, and now this term, with that team rebadged and known as just Rhyl, she has been in the goals in Division One of the North Wales League.

14 Amelia Evans (Corwen)

Strong, pacy defender who can strike a fierce ball and has scored some great goals.
This 18-year-old is one of a number of quality youngsters at Corwen whose talent has come to the fore in 2019.

15 Charley Davies (Llanberis)

At just 16, the sky is the limit for this young prospect.
A creative, tall midfielder who stands out for Llanberis in Division Two having previously represented Caernarfon Town in the Welsh Premier League.