Sometimes it is just not your day – Llangefni fall 3-1 at Welshpool

NORTH WALES WOMEN’S LEAGUE – JANUARY 30, 2022

Welshpool Town 3 (L Hughes OG 8, Thorpe 66, Davies 77)
Llangefni Town 1 (Cox 70)

Llangefni had worked together to fundraise and meet the cost of a coach to Welshpool – and the fun they obviously had on board was worth the effort alone (for more details see Ellie Coulson’s TikTok clip on social media).

Not the usual way to start a report, but these are unusual times…..

Despite the result not going their way, Cefni produced a fine performance against a Welshpool side massively improved from the one beaten 5-1 at Cae Bob Parry early in the season.

Llangefni started on fire with Jen Cox going one-on-one with the Welshpool goalkeeper Sophie France four times in the opening minutes…a few misses and some good work from the net-protector kept the score at 0-0.

Welshpool took an eighth-minute lead when Llinos Hughes sliced a clearance which bounced agonisingly past Llangefni goalkeeper Gemma Lancaster, putting the hosts 1-0 up.

The game opened up and each team had decent spells of pressure, Welshpool captain Beth Jones was a constant threat all over the pitch.

The Anglesey girls went in half time 1-0 down but more than still in the game.

The second half was end-to-end before Welshpool doubled their lead in the 66th minute.

Maddy Thorpe produced a wind-assisted strike from inside her own area which looped over Lancaster and settled in the net.

Llangefni hit back straight away with another Cox goal – number eight of the season – to make it 2-1 and give the islanders some hope.

But then inexplicably Welshpool repeated the same strike from distance which again looped into the top bin, Lily Davies this time responsible, leaving Llangefni feeling it just wasn’t their day.

Cefni manager Dan Gregg said: “Credit to Welshpool who are a completely different outfit to the first game of the season, Beth Jones now has some quality players around her which seems to have freed her up to become even more of a top top player.

“Strangely, even though the score line finished 3-1, I think my team was the most solid it’s been all season, I’m sure Welshpool will agree they didn’t really break us down, one sliced own goal and then two absolute worldies with a bit of help from the hill and wind.

“On another day Jen would have buried them four early one-on-ones and (if she had) who knows what would have happened? So overall I’m really happy with our performance.”

And the coach trip also made the day worthwhile!

Meanwhile, Welshpool have taken seven points from the last nine available and are undefeated in 2022 – they are improving fast!