North Wales women’s football reports – Feb 18: Wins for NFA, Pwllheli, Amlwch & Flint

GENERO ADRAN TROPHY QUARTER-FINAL

CPDM Y Felinheli 0 Aberystwyth Town 4

Clinical finishing was the difference as Adran Premier top-four side Aberystwyth triumphed against impressive Tier 2 hosts Felinheli in the Adran Trophy.

Underdogs Felin had plenty of chances, but were unable to make the most of them, while the net-finding ability of the visitors at Treborth perhaps reflected the contrast between T1 and 2.

In the eighth minute Gwen Jones put Aber ahead with a well-timed chip over the goalkeeper.

The lead was doubled on 20 minutes with a close-range finish from Rebecca Mathias.

Close to half time, a brilliant strike into the top corner from Gwen Jones gave the Premier side a commanding 3-0 advantage.

No further goals in the second half until the 80th minute when the returning Bethan Roberts made it 4-0.

Jenna Tugwell-Allsup, Alaw Hughes, an early replacement for the injured Katie Midwinter, and Ffion Williams all had efforts for the hosts, but none overly-exerted Town keeper Sophie Steele.

Felin manager Aaron Jones-Evans said: “It was a really competitive game. We had loads of chances but just couldn’t put them away. Just that composure and tier one experience carried them through, but it was a great performance from us.”

GENERO ADRAN NORTH

NFA 1 CPDM Bangor 0

NFA are up to fourth after a first-half Melanie Peake goal was enough to earn them back-to-back wins for the first time in Adran North.

Bangor, beaten 4-0 at home by the Rhyl side three weeks earlier, made it much closer this time and their second-half efforts merited an equaliser, but it was not to be.

It was very much a midfield battle in the first half. NFA had a few attacks but Bangor dealt with them comfortably, admirable to see especially as they were without regular keeper Becca Elliott.

On the half-hour the hosts had a corner and Peake knocked the ball home.

Home keeper Katie Spruce was forced into a fine save to keep out a visiting volley before the break.

The second half saw Bangor produce some great football, but NFA captain and player of the match Georgia Williams was everywhere.

Another goalbound effort from the visitors had Spruce running backwards, but she produced a superb dive to grasp the ball.

Bangor gave it their all in the last 10 minutes and looked like scoring but NFA held firm.

Away team manager Aron Griffith said: “Firstly, the girls put a shift and a half in today. Throughout the match it was a battle for both teams and everyone gave everything out there.

“Gutted we couldn’t convert one of the many chances we had but that’s the story of the game sometimes, we played some brilliant football but couldn’t get the goal for an equaliser or potentially winning the match, but all the best for the rest of the season to NFA.”

BETTY PICKERING CUP

Group A
Amlwch Town 2 Northop Hall 1

A close-fought battle saw Amlwch claim a third win in five games in their Betty Pickering Cup group, where they sit in second spot.

Emma Roberts put the Anglesey hosts ahead with a 40th minute penalty, the only score of the first half.

There were no further goals until the 91st minute, when a Daisy Allen own goal doubled Town’s advantage.

Shannon Thomas conceded an OG five minutes into added time to give Hall some hope, but it was Amlwch’s day.

Group B
Kinmel Bay 1 Flint Town United 3

Flint made it 12 straight wins in league and cup this season by coming out on top in another tough contest at Kinmel Bay.

Having long secured top spot in Group B, the Silkwomen took a 27th minute lead at Y Morfa through Zoe Stopford from a Ruby McGilloway assist.

Kinmel Bay were up for the battle, though, and equalised on 43 through their very much in-form taliswoman Seren Williams.

All to play for after the break, and it was Flint who scored next when Rosie Hughes set up Tegan Crockett to make it 2-1.

Crockett turned provider on 85 as Stopford put away her 17th goal of the season to seal the points.

Kinmel Bay had plenty of chances too, and the game could have finished up a lot closer.

Flint manager Elliott Hale said: “Another good test along the way.

“Kinmel Bay have improved every time and so have we. Both teams went in to win and our character and quality outweighed it. Good to see adaptations throughout the game whether that’s the way we play at home to how we play away or what we do In certain scenarios etc.

“We knew it would be a test going in but knew that if we stuck to the game plan we’d get the job done. We’re learning from our mistakes and that’s all we can do to keep improving.”

Group C
Denbigh Town 0 CPD Pwllheli 7

Hat-tricks from Lois Thomas and Jini Owen-Hughes guided group winners Pwllheli to a comfortable victory at Central Park.

Owen-Hughes made it 13 goals in seven games with her first treble for the team, having scored in every one of those matches.

Thomas also has 13 this term, Sunday bringing her second hat-trick of 2023-24.

In the first half, Owen-Hughes and Lois Thomas scored one each before Catrin Thomas added number three before the break.

After the interval, Owen-Hughes added a double to her tally before Thomas did likewise.

This was Pwllheli’s seventh win on the bounce.