Grassroots North Wales Match of the Day – FAW Women’s Welsh Cup: CPD Y Rhyl 1879 1 NFA 0

FAW WOMEN’S WELSH CUP ROUND ONE

CPD Y RHYL 1879 1 (L Williams 24)
NFA 0

You won’t see cup football more honest and committed than this.

Two well-matched teams, great defending, fine goalkeeping, a 10/10 display in midfield, dynamic attacks and a fantastic goal worthy of winning any tie.

All in all, CPD Y Rhyl 1879 versus NFA was a tremendous advert for women’s football.

The first real threat came in the 12th minute when NFA’s Jessica Mills made a quicksilver break down the left and Rebekah Hansen was inches away from converting her low cross across the face of goal.

Laura Williams had the home side’s first clear chance, her left-foot shot bringing a good save out of Courtney Ingram.

The only goal came in the 24th minute. The outstanding Rachael Thomas was razor-sharp in intercepting a loose ball and heading on for Williams, who from the left, about 20 yards from goal, sent a magnificent shot high into the net just beyond Ingram’s fingertips.

A similar effort soon came at the other end, Sade Benjamin attempting to chip Rhyl’s tall keeper Loz Jones, who managed to keep the ball out.

Williams then tried to repeat her goal scoring feat, but this time Ingram was equal to it.

NFA finished the first half on fire and were unfortunate not to go in level.

Molly Brown’s crisp shot came back off the inside of the post and soon after the same player’s header was cleared off the line and the follow-up blocked.

Half-time: CPD Y Rhyl 1 NFA 0

Top-scorer Benjamin was first to go close for the visitors after the restart, her firm shot well grasped by Jones.

In the 53rd minute, with Ingram out of her goal, Becca Bannister fired towards an open net, but could only strike the post.

Ingram then produced a great double stop, denying Bannister in a one-on-one before pushing out a Williams missile.

Rhyl defender Steph Farley then joined the attack and got on the end of a Niomi Taylor cross, but could not quite get enough purchase on her effort to find the net.

NFA’s Amy Webster, always a dangerous player in these types of games, made a short appearance as a substitute, but was obviously struggling badly to stay mobile and was replaced by Stella Windsor.

Ingram denied Bannister again, then Alicia Duke went down in the box, no spot kick was given, but play continued and from an almost impossible angle Farley managed to hit the underside of the bar.

While it remained 1-0, an NFA side struggling with injuries but refusing to lie down still had a chance.

Emily Jones broke forward and found substitute Windsor, who lashed over.

In added time, Mills sent in a good effort from the left which Jones dealt with well.

Then in the 99th minute, Benjamin was not too far away from a free kick wide out on the right.

Finally, after 11 added minutes, the full time whistle blew and a relieved Rhyl side celebrated just edging a brilliant contest.

Captain Rachael Thomas was Rhyl’s player of the match for a faultless display in midfield.

She won almost every tackle, produced some amazing interceptions, drove her team-mates on, put her foot on the ball and played numerous superb passes.

Also especially outstanding for the hosts were Cassie Thomas, who overcame an early knock to be a colossus at the back, while fellow defender Sophie Haywood, not someone who always gets due credit for her consistent performances, was magnificent.

Jess Mills was sublime down the left for NFA, impressive goalkeeper Ingram kept her team in it in the second half and Molly Brown was prominent at both ends of the pitch.

Everyone could come off the field with their head held high.

TEAMS

CPD Y RHYL 1879

Lauren Jones
Saskia Wynne-Thomas
Sophie Haywood
Steph Farley
Cassie Thomas
Chelsea Evans
Rebecca Bannister
Laura Williams
Rachael Thomas (C)
Tara Nattrass
Niomi Taylor
Subs: Alicia Duke, Kayla Hargreaves, Amy Woodbridge, Trisha Harley

NFA

Courtney Ingram
Caitlin Hadaway
Megan Pursell
Rebekah Hansen
Jessica Mills
Holly Rees
Grace Bamber (C)
Molly Brown
Sade Benjamin
Emily Jones
Zoe Stopford
Subs: Amy Webster, Stella Windsor