NWCFA Challenge Cup: Felinheli overcome brave Bangor effort to reach semis

North Wales Coast Women’s Challenge Cup

CPDM Bangor 0
CPDM Y Felinheli 2 (Allsup 45, C Evans 61)

Report: Y Felinheli

Stunning strikes from returning Felinheli stars Jenna Allsup and Catrin Evans secured Aaron Jones-Evans’ side a place in the NWCFA Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Wednesday night, kick off 6:30 pm, is always a difficult ask for the women with work commitments coming into play and not to mention the heatwave!

Despite all of this, holders Felinheli advanced to the last four for the second year in a row with a 2-0 victory at Nantporth Stadium against a very game Bangor.

Felinheli started slowly with the aforementioned factors playing a major part and with the Cae Seilo crew having three games within a week, some tired legs were apparent.

This did not take anything away from Bangor who played their part in the competitive nature of the game as they took control for long periods in the first half but lacked that cutting edge in the final third to really hurt a Felin side who have yet to concede this season.

Chances fell to both sides in the first half, the majority to Ffion Williams who was denied by the excellent Becca Elliott between the sticks for Bangor, who made some very good saves to keep her team in the game.

Bangor had their chances with Ella Jones creating for the home side but were let down by the finishing with three shots being pulled wide of the goal.

Allsup made her second debut for Felin, starting in a midfield of Fflur Williams and Hana Wellings. Her work rate and ability to disrupt the Bangor midfield was what kept Felin on the front foot towards the end of the half.

And with the visitors slowly getting a foothold in the game, on the 45-minute mark the player who was at Bangor last season got her rewards.

Receiving the ball just outside the box from the excellent Catrin Evans, Allsup cut in on her left foot and let fly with a beautiful curling shot that nestled into the top corner, a goal worthy of her return. The half finished with Felin on top but Bangor still a threat.

HALF-TIME: Bangor 0 Felinheli 1

Felin manager Jones-Evans made a change at half time, bringing Anest Roberts into the midfield and giving Wellings a well-earned rest.

The second half started with Bangor missing a golden opportunity to level the game in a one-on-one situation.

This seemed to wake the Felin side up and they started to put passes together. Jordanne Greenough, Catrin Evans, Ffion Williams and Nel Huws were all denied by Elliott who put in a mammoth woman of the match performance.

However, on the hour, Greenough was bought down 25 yards out. It needed something special to beat Elliott and something special Evans produced, giving the goalkeeper the eyes she whipped the free kick across the stopper and into the bottom corner.

Evans’ first goal for Felin since her return, one of many to come.

To Bangor’s credit they kept going and it was a competitive game until the final whistle, two bits of quality from Felin and another clean sheet for the back four was the difference in this game.

Felin go again this Sunday at home to Airbus in the Adran Trophy and Bangor host Llandudno.

Aaron Jones-Evans said: “The games have been coming thick and fast, with midweek games always difficult to settle into, especially having such an early kick off.

“Having two games in 3 days in this heat is a tough ask for our women but they keep doing the job for me. A special shout out to our defensive line who have been doing a great job since the start of the season, conceding no goals.

“As a manager this is always a positive, when you don’t concede you always a have a better chance to win the game, it gives the team a great platform to build on.

“I am very happy with the second debut of Jenna Allsup, she has matured as a footballer over the past year, it’s amazing what confidence does to a player. A woman of the match performance from Catrin Evans is also a big positive.

“There are still players needing to return to action for us, Katie Midwinter, Lois Williams to name a couple. When the full squad is there I’ll look forward to seeing what we can do.”

CPDM BANGOR REPORT……

The girls played a NWCFA Women’s Challenge Cup quarter final against Felinheli yesterday in a very well- contested match all around.
A well taken goal and a superb free kick sent Felin through to the semis as it finished 2-0 for the away team.
After the match, Bangor 1876 coach Aron Griffith commented: “Very unlucky tonight. We knew it was going to be a tough match as Felinheli from previous years are a well organised and hard team to beat .

“We had two clear cut chances but couldn’t put them away, but overall I am extremely happy with how everyone played. Every game is a hard match in Adran North tier 2 but we are trying to compete with the very best and we’ve shown we can in our first two matches.

“Moving on to Sunday’s Adran North tie v Llandudno, this is going to be another tough match which we all are looking forward to.”