Women’s football: Amlwch into semis, Hall win big at Wrexham

NEWFA Cup quarter-finals
Amlwch Town 2 (Lexi Crawley, Catrin Evans) Rhyl 1 (Joy Jamieson)

Lexi Crawley’s 20th goal of the season put Amlwch on their way to a place in the semi-finals of the NEWFA Cup.

This tie was played at the third time of asking. After two attempts to stage it at Rhyl failed, it was switched to Anglesey and the chosen venue was the 3G pitch at Plas Arthur Leisure Centre, Llangefni.

Conditions were difficult on a windswept afternoon but that did not stop Crawley scoring in the first minute. Her 20th goal of the campaign makes her top scorer overall in North Wales women’s football.

It remained a tense affair until the 69th minute when a fine pass from Cerys Gadd put Catrin Evans in on goal and the 17-year-old did the rest by making it 2-0.

Rhyl replied through Joy Jamieson in the 83rd minute. Despite a nervy final few minutes, Town held firm for a well deserved win in a tie which saw North Wales League Division Two overcome the challenge of Division One opposition.

North Wales League Division One
Wrexham 1 (Megan Buckley) Northop Hall 4 (Clare Hannigan 2, Brygida Gorecka, Alison Leonard)

A game of two halves saw Hall turn on the style in the second stanza to claim a big three points.

Bottom side Wrexham may have viewed this clash at Colliers Park as a chance to claim their first league win of the campaign due to their good form in cups and the Hall’s recent struggles to get results as well as suffering from inactivity.

It looked to be going to plan for the Dragons when Megan Buckley netted to hand them a half time lead.

But the picture changed after the break as the visitors benefited from the improving weather.

Clare Hannigan made it one-apiece before new Polish signing Brygida Gorecka soon nudged the travellers in front.

Hannigan notched her second and Alison Leonard made sure of three points with a fourth.

Results – Sunday, February 16

Welsh Cup quarter-finals
Connah’s Quay Nomads 2 Port Talbot 1, Llandudno P Abergavenny P, Cardiff City FC Women P Cardiff Met P.

North Wales Women’s League
Division One: Airbus P Corwen P, Wrexham 1 Northop Hall 4.
Division Two: Caernarfon Town P Pwllheli P, Holywell Town P Mountain Rangers P, Penrhyn Bay P NFA P.

NEWFA Cup quarter-finals
Amlwch Town 2 Rhyl 1, Denbigh Town P Bethel P