Football

The amazing Corwen Girls side which won a quadruple in 2016-17

Corwen Under-16 Girls celebrate the quadruple. Top Row: Thalia McGrail, Lucie White, Alex Gore-Rees, Elliw Ford, Catrin Jones, Charlotte Davies, Elisa Williams, Heledd Roberts. Bottom Row: Ffion Evans, Sophie Hodson, Katie Armstrong, Rachel Roberts, Millie Thomas, Alice Gould, Amelia Evans.

Four years ago this month one of the best girls football teams to represent North Wales achieved a magnificent quadruple.

Corwen Girls Under-16’s won the Manchester Cup, North Wales Coast FA Cup, North Wales Girls League and League Cup.

They also made it to the FAW Welsh Cup semi-finals, only to lose to Newcastle Emlyn.

While possessing a plethora of talent up front, Corwen’s main strength was based on solid defending with captain Rachel Roberts leading by example.

A back four and classy keeper who only conceded seven league goals all season allowed the rest of the team to take at all times the game to the opposition.

Great use of positional switching and roll on / roll off substitutions by star coach Ian Evans and assistant Shaun Gould saw even the best of teams blown away.

The Under-16 Manchester Cup tournament saw Corwen fly the flag for Wales with great distinction. With four wins and two draws, they finished top of a group which included Manchester City, Morpeth United and Isle of Man.

Corwen also stormed to the North Wales Girls Under-16 League title with a perfect record of 15 straight wins.

They met main rivals Llandudno in the finals of both the North Wales Coast FA and League Cups, winning each 3-0.

The League Cup Final took place at Maesdu Park, Llandudno, but home advantage meant nothing on this day.

It came as no surprise that Corwen took the lead when an excellent run and cross by Amelia Evans allowed Alex Gore-Rees to scuff the ball home from close range.

The start of the second half saw Llandudno gradually come into the game, but Elliw Ford in goal ensured the threat was minimal and when poacher Katie Armstrong made it 2-0 from a pass of the match by Ffion Evans, it was practically game over.

Armstrong added a third, controlling a loose ball and tapping home to seal another triumph.

Corwen made the Welsh Cup semis for a fourth time in 11 years, but a place in the final once more eluded them as they went down 3-0 to Newcastle Emlyn.

Many of the Corwen U-16 side went on to form the senior team which joined the North Wales Women’s League in 2018-19 and won promotion to Division One at the first time of asking.

In February 2020, the club sadly lost long-serving stalwart Huw “Chick” Jones, who was girls’ football co-ordinator at Corwen.

Huw, who passed away after a long illness, had been such an influential figure in developing the girls’ team at the club and no-one was more proud when they lifted that amazing quadruple in 2016-17.