Ardal North – champions Llandudno too strong on day for depleted CPD Y Rhyl 1879

Ardal North – match day 1. September 4, 2022

Llandudno 8 (F Owen 10, Gibbard 13, 47 & 84; Maddie Williams 31, 41 & 63; Hassall 43)
CPD Y Rhyl 1879 0

Mari Gibbard and Maddie Williams both grabbed hat-tricks as Llandudno began the season looking every inch the champions they are.

It was a tough Ardal North debut for Rhyl 1879, last season’s tier 3 title-winners, who had four key players missing and were forced to draft in under-19’s to plug the gaps.

The visitors gave it everything, with goalkeeper Loz Jones making at least six top-class saves, but Tudno’s relentless pass and move game proved too much for the newcomers.

Returning new signing Louisha Doran was exceptional as an attacking right-back in the first half and it was she who set up the 10th minute opening goal scored by Ffion Owen.

Loz Jones then showed her quality, first denying Gibbard with her legs before pushing away a firm Sioned Phillips shot. From the rebound Maddie Williams smacked the post before her follow-up was blocked.

Perhaps the moment of the match came on 13 minutes. Louisha Doran bent a phenomenal pass through the Rhyl defence to release Gibbard, who finished left-footed.

Indie Hassall clipped the post before another sublime Doran pass released Maddie Williams, who poked past the advancing Jones for 3-0 on 31 minutes.

Jones foiled Gibbard again, but on 41 minutes Owen and Hassall combined beautifully on the left and set up Maddie Williams for number four.

New Zealander Hassall was a real livewire on the left and bagged a deserved goal on 43 minutes when she was found by Hannah Smith before whipping home a right-foot beauty from the left-side of the box.

Half-time: 5-0

Two minutes into the second half it was six.

Maddie Williams did well to break forward, hold the ball up and find Owen, who passed to Gibbard and she lashed home right-footed.

Gibbard’s left-foot is just as lethal and she was soon denied by a stunning stop from Jones.

Rhyl’s best effort came on 59 minutes when Tegan Crockett won a race to the ball and let fly, but keeper Caitlyn Bibby-Fry made a fine save.

Jones performed marvels to foil Maddie Williams from close range before the seventh goal landed.

On 63 minutes, Owen passed to Maddie Williams, who slammed home for her hat-trick.

Changes were made by each side, but the non-stop home attacking continued, Loz Jones producing her best save of all, diving full-length to keep out sub Ceri Slaney’s right-foot stinger on the run.

When Jones could not stop Llandudno, the goal frame often did. Both Gibbard and Slaney were frustrated by the underside of the bar before sub Kelsey Davies’ header hit the top of it.

Gibbard finally celebrated a deserved hat-trick when she fired in after great work from Jasmin Dutton.

The unstinting Gibbard still had time to hit the post before sub Erin Doran hit an effort inches over.

Rhyl 1879 ended up well beaten but they never gave in. They will have many better days than this.

TEAMS

Llandudno

Caitlyn Bibby-Fry
Louisha Doran (Ceri Slaney 70)
Madison Williams
Jasmin Dutton
Hannah Smith (Mia Rawling 81)
Mari Gibbard
Maddie Williams (Kelsey Davies 64)
Sioned Phillips (Shona Roberts 65)
Sofie Owen (c)
Indie Hassall (Erin Doran 81)
Ffion Owen

CPD Y Rhyl 1879

Loz Jones
Tara Nattrass
Olivia Blythe
Cassie Thomas
Hana Eagles (Chiara Donnelly 68)
Alicia Duke (Amy Woodbridge 82)
Becca Bannister
Tegan Crockett
Rachael Thomas (c)
Llio Davies (Ellie Wilkinson 78)
Niomi Taylor