Nel Huws hits treble as Felinheli make it seven straight league wins, Nomads triumph at NFA

GENERO ADRAN NORTH – MARCH 3, 2024

CPDM Y Felinheli 6 (N Huws 9, 57 & 86; Ffion Williams 5 & 90+7, C Evans pen 53)
CPD Y Rhyl 1879 1 (Bannister 90+4)

Nel Huws notched her first hat-trick for a Felinheli side which stayed second in Genero Adran North after celebrating a seventh straight league win.

After beating Sunday’s opponents Rhyl 4-1 seven days earlier at Belle Vue, there was a different look to Felin for the return at Cae Seilo, with many notable absentees due to injury or being not available.

Sara Baines earned her first start at right-back and Kyla Cain stepped in at left-back to replace Shannon Jones.

The changes didn’t seem to faze Aaron Jones-Evans’ side, who started well, creating chances early on and utilising their pace on a familiar pitch.

On five minutes the hosts took a well-deserved lead through Ffion Williams, who was put through by Catrin Evans and fired home.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 to the home team, who worked the ball well with Jenna Tugwell-Allsup finding Hana Wellings at the edge of the box.

Wellings threaded a lovely through ball to the onrushing Nel Huws, who expertly slotted her finish beyond the diving goalkeeper.

Rhyl, as usual, battled through the half creating a couple of chances themselves, while Felin had plenty of opportunities to boost their tally, but on a difficult surface it was hard for the teams to get flowing football going. The half ended 2-0 with Felinheli in total control.

HALF-TIME: Felinheli 2-0 Rhyl 1879

Rhyl started the second half brightly, working the ball well through their talented midfield, but the makeshift back-four of Felin handled the attacks efficiently.

On 53 minutes the hosts did extend their lead through a Catrin Evans penalty, Tugwell-Allsup having burst into the box on one of her trademark runs and being fouled in the area. Evans made no mistake.

Felinheli again had control of the tie and within four minutes of the third goal going In it was 4-0, Huws in the right place at the right time.

Evans, who had been a menace all game, played a dangerous ball into the box, the goalkeeper had no choice but to parry into Huws’ path and again she kept her cool to finish right-footed.

On 61 minutes there was an unfortunate injury to Rhyl top-scorer Sade Benjamin, who had played really well up front throughout, holding the ball up and trying to bring players into the game, but she had to be replaced.

With the pitch breaking up and players getting tired the game turned into a stop and start affair with a lot of fouls and three yellow cards being brandished within two minutes, two for 1879 and one for the reds.

Felinheli got some control back and started passing the ball well.

In the 86th minute Felin got their fifth – and what a goal it was. It wasn’t quite the perfect hat-trick but who cares when you can finish first time on the volley into the roof of the net like Nel Huws did.

Again, it was Evans with the assist, crossing the ball from the right and finding Huws on the back post whose technique was on point and made it 5-0. Three top quality finishes from the Felinheli player.

Against the run of play, with tired legs Rhyl did pull one back through Becca Bannister.

Rhyl got a free kick at the edge of the box, it was fired in and saved well by Catrin Beech. The defence failed to clear the ball which fell to Bannister at the edge of the area and her shot was helped into the net by striking one of the many divots on the pitch.

Felinheli weren’t done. This time Huws, who had a brilliant afternoon, found Ffion Williams with a great pass in behind the defence. Williams was clinical with her finish to make it 6-1.

Winning manager Jones-Evans said: “As I’ve said before, this squad keeps showing what they can do when times get hard.

“With no less than seven first team players missing today, the strength in depth of this squad is superb and to play a very physical Rhyl side and still come away with a convincing win shows what they are made of.

“All we can do as a team is just keep going and keep doing our best, this one’s gone and we are onto the next one, one game at a time.

“I want to congratulate Sara Baines on her full debut today, a new signing that stepped into a full senior team and held her own against a tough Rhyl side.

“The club’s thoughts go out to Sade Benjamin and we are all hoping for a speedy recovery.”

NFA 1 Connah’s Quay Nomads 3

Nomads remained in the title picture with a 3-1 success at Rhyl side NFA.

The Quay won an early penalty when Cerys Foston committed a foul in the box and captain Kylie Jones finished nicely from the spot.

NFA woke up their ideas and levelled on the half-hour.

Home keeper Katie Spruce held a shot and kicked long to Kaelyn Williams, who skilfully turned a defender and set up Jess Mills to lob home.

Spruce produced a couple of fine saves before the Deesiders regained the lead on 33 minutes, Polly Wild-McGregor with the assist and Sophie Rawling firing left-footed through a crowded six-yard box and finding the top-left.

Nomads came out strongly for the second half, forcing further good stops from Spruce with NFA also defending well.

However, on the hour, a cross from the left found its way to three Nomads players unmarked at the back post and Anais Bathily made it 3-1.

NFA had very few chances in the second half, but defended stoically and the final score was a considerable improvement on previous defeats to the Deesiders.

Wild-McGregor was outstanding in setting up endless chances for her team-mates, while captain Jones had another excellent game.