Two North Wales girls target a big run in the Women’s FA Cup

Two North Wales girls are hoping to embark on a long-running FA Cup adventure this season.

Laura Pennington and Kelsey Davies were part of the Wem Town side which progressed to the third qualifying round of the national competition last weekend with a 2-1 victory at Northwich Vixens.

And the reward for the Shropshire-based side is a home tie against Coventry Sphinxs in the next round of the Vitality FA Cup on November 1.

Wem Town, formerly known as The New Saints Ladies, compete in the FA Women’s National League Midlands division.

While their league form to date this term has not been the best, it came right in the FA Cup last Sunday.

Skipper Kim Bebbington edged Wem in front, and although sloppy defending allowed Northwich an equaliser, the ever-dependable Pennington notched the 70th minute winner.

Holywell-based Penno went round a defender before slotting past the keeper in her usual clinical style.

Laura has played in the Welsh Premier Women’s League for Northop Hall, where she also won North Wales League titles in 2015-16 and 2017-18, netting a stunning 48 goals in the latter season.

She was with TNS last term and decided to join up with successor team Wem for 2020-21.

Kelsey Davies will be well known to North Wales women’s football followers, particularly those who have checked out Llandudno and Kinmel Bay’s progress in recent years.

A speedy right-sided attacker who scored many crucial goals and provided numerous assists over the years for Llandudno, she was part of the Seasiders squad which resigned from the top flight last season.

Kelsey’s talents developed with Kinmel Bay Girls, with whom she reached the 2012 Under-16 Welsh Cup final.

In 2013, Kelsey was named Girls’ Player of the Year at the Welsh Grassroots Football Awards in Cardiff after starring for Kinmel Bay, playing for both regional and national teams in the Celtic Nations Tournament.

Davies also featured in the Llandudno side which reached the 2015-16 Welsh Cup final for the first time in the club’s history, losing 5-2 to Cardiff City FC Women.

Now 25, Kelsey has also represented Wales at Under-16, U-17 and U-19 level.

Davies has impressed her new team-mates, with Pennington saying: “Kelsey is doing well. She is fast! Opposing teams are not expecting her pace and we love it.”

Manager Lawrence Wilson added: “Kelsey is settling in nicely. We love having her in the team – she’s integrated in really well.”