“Our best result ever” – CPDM Llanystumdwy manager Sion Parry

Sion Parry hailed his Llanystumdwy side’s NWCFA Challenge Cup win over NFA on Wednesday the best result in the village club’s three-year history.

The tier 3 North Wales Women’s League hosts beat tier 2 opposition 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Parc Dwyfor.

Keeper Sara Lacey saved two spot-kicks in the shoot-out, but everyone in a Llanystumdwy shirt was a hero.

Manager Parry said after the game: “Into our third year now and it’s got to be the best result we’ve ever had, made even more difficult that we were missing three centre-mids that started our last league game.

“Malen (Williams) and Sarah (O’Hara( both came off injured in that game and Nia (Jones) was unable to get time off work.

“Also, top scorer for the past two seasons Grace (Mpuku) is still out injured, and our captain for the past two years, Hana Wellings, wants to test herself in tier 2. We wish her all the best but of course it’s a big loss for us.”

Parry added: “We’d played NFA 4 times before this, lost all 4, scored 3 and conceded 27! Football can be a strange game!

“Some unbelievable performances made this happen –  Sophie Evans playing out of position, Jo Cynan the focal point of all our attacks, Siriol Clow didn’t stop running, Yssy Duncan playing her first game in over a year, Lea Ephraim playing in a new position and was amazing throughout.

“I could name the whole team here! Tash Matthews, Heledd Savage, Leonie O’Hara, solid at the back, Sian Elin in midfield, Ellie Williams up front, of course Sara Lacey’s saves in 90 minutes and in the shootout, and all our subs Jess Williams, Kayleigh Lavender, and new signing Elwen Evans having a positive impact and helped us see the game through,

“We were realistic before the game, we knew NFA were favourites, we knew the quality they have, we knew they would have more of the ball and try to dictate play, we knew for us it was about working hard and staying disciplined and every single one of our girls did just that.

“I do have to sympathise with NFA, travelling all that way for a midweek is a big ask. I struggled to be there on time and we were the home team! Yet they did so in numbers.

“And also to win on penalties, from our point of view Lacey’s made a couple of great saves from the spot, but as I said to our girls before the shootout and I won’t change my opinion on it now just because we won, for us all the hard work is done after 90 minutes, a penalty shootout can go either way, of course it’s great to win, but winning or losing wouldn’t change anything in terms of how proud I am of our performance in the game.

“A shootout is a 50/50, we could have another one tomorrow and the result would be different. So again I sympathise with all those that missed their penalty as a game is played and determined for over 90 minutes, not by an individual scoring or missing a penalty.

“So I applaud the effort made by NFA for coming all this way for a midweek game, and I wish them all the best for the season.

“As for our girls, I’m proud of every single one of them and they deserved that feeling at the end of hard work pays off.”

MATCH REPORT FROM CPD LLANYSTUMDWY
Llanystumdwy 1-1 NFA
(Llan won 3-2 pens)

Thirty seconds into the game NFA broke down the right and the ball was pulled back to Amy Webster, who finished well with a first time shot into the far corner.

Llan did well to find their feet after an early setback and managed to get themselves into the game against a strong NFA side who had much of the ball throughout.

A few Llan counter attacks led to a couple of set pieces, one of which brought the equaliser.

Jo Cynan took a throw, and the ball was only half cleared back to the taker. Cynan controlled the ball and volleyed it towards the back post, and in an attempt to clear a defender only managed to find her own net.

Only one more big chance in the first half fell to NFA, forcing keeper Lacey into a treendous save.

Half time 1-1

The second half started as the first ended, NFA having plenty of the ball but a hard-working Llanystumdwy making it difficult for them to create any real chances.

Just over 60 minutes in and a break in play led to the first opening in the second half, as when play resumed the Llanystumdwy defence had a rare lapse in concentration, a handball meant NFA had a free kick in a dangerous area.

A very well-struck effort hit the bar and bounced out, an NFA player was first to react but couldn’t turn home the rebound as her strike went over the bar.

A water break near the 70th minute mark gave Llan a chance to regroup once again, but the next chance actually fell the home team’s way.

A through ball forced Katie Spruce in the NFA goal to come well out of her area, but her clearance fell to Llan’s Kayleigh Lavender who hit it first time from 35 yards out. The shot went over everyone’s heads towards goal, the ball bounced and lost its pace, which allowed Charley Smith to recover and clear it off the line.

The final 10 minutes saw NFA applying the pressure to get the winner. A couple of half chances were saved, a couple of corners were well dealt with, but with just minutes remaining a really big opportunity went begging for NFA.

They worked the ball well down the left before playing it into the area, the first shot was parried by Lacey and it fell to an NFA player who seemed all but certain to tap it in at the back post, but a miss-kick saw her put it wide.

Full time 1-1

A 6:30 kick off with no floodlights meant it got dark quickly, and penalties were needed to separate the sides!

The shootout went 3-2 in Llanystumdwy’s favour.

Manager Parry said: “I’m absolutely delighted, the girls worked so hard for that and they got their rewards.

“I’m so proud of all of them, their performance from start to finish was almost perfect, and we knew it needed to be if we were to get a result.”