North Wales Women’s League West – narrow win for Trearddur Bay at battling Caernarfon

NORTH WALES WOMEN’S LEAGUE WEST – OCTOBER 16, 2023

Caernarfon Town 3 (L Jones 2, L Williams)
Trearddur Bay 4 (A Jones 2, McMullan, Davies)

A seven-goal thriller ended with visitors Trearddur Bay snatching the points.

In beautiful conditions, the game got off to a good start with Bay controlling possession but Caernarfon also looking dangerous on the break.

Trearddur were passing the ball around well and their pressure paid off after 17 minutes Cofis keeper Poppy Jones did well to save a shot from Rhian Griffiths, but couldn’t hold onto it, which resulted in an easy tap in for Ashleigh Jones.

Caernarfon hit back almost instantly when their pacy striker Lisa Jones hit a shot that floated into the top left corner.

Trearddur were forced into an early change as centre back Clare Head went off injured, and Beth Topping came on to partner Gemma Thomas in the rearguard.

Caernarfon had the momentum for the next 10 minutes and forced a few corners, one of them hitting the bar. This was a wake up call for Bay, who resumed playing some good football.

The next goal came from some good passing play, Shelley McMullan found herself deep into the opposition half and delivered a dangerous cross into the Caernarfon box, forcing a mistake from an away player, and ended up in the back of the net.

Trearddur carried on with the pressure, and almost went 3-1 up on the stroke of half time when Hannah Smith delivered a corner into the front post which was flicked on by Gemma Thomas and landed at Sarah Flower’s feet. She managed to get a shot off but keeper Jones did really well to get down low to her right and stop the ball on the line.

HALF-TIME: CAERNARFON TOWN 1 TREARDDUR BAY 2

Caernarfon began the second half strongly, with a quick ball over the defence and a neat finish from Lisa Jones making it 2-2 with 48 on the clock.

This time it was Caernarfon who were forced into a change as their captain Alaw Parry had to leave the field with an injury.

Shortly after, Trearddur Bay scored again, their third of the game and Ashleigh Jones’ second. Jones’ initial shot was blocked but it came back to her, and she made no mistake with the second attempt – her fifth goal of the season.

Bay then made some changes. McMullan was replaced by Stacey Evans and Amelia Roberts came off, Abbie Manning going on.

Manning was full of running and put lots of pressure onto the tiring Caernarfon defenders.

Trearddur Bay were seeing lots of the ball and Freya Davies had chances to put the game to bed.

In the 83rd minute, Davies ran onto a good ball from Stacey Evans and finished well to make it 4-2.

Trearddur Bay then brought Saffron Williams on for Flower.

Caernarfon got a goal back at the end via sub Luned Mair Williams, but Bay worked well as a team to see the game out and get their first three points of the season.

CAERNARFON TOWN

Polly Jones
Zara Williams
Bethany Pritchard
N/A
Awen Pritchard
Cara Owen
Elin Roberts
Lisa Jones
Alaw Parry (c)
Lauren Murphy
Natalie Lovelock
SUBS USED
Luned Mair Williams
N/A

TREARDDUR BAY

Gem Lancaster
Freya Davies
Ashleigh Jones (C)
Rhian Griffiths
Catrin Jones
Shelley McMullan
Amelia Roberts
Gemma Thomas
Hannah Smith
Sarah Flower
Clare Head
SUBS USED
Abbie Manning
Stacey Evans
Saffron Williams
Beth Topping