CPD Merched Pwllheli reach Betty Pickering final with 13th straight win

BETTY PICKERING CUP SEMI-FINAL

CPD Pwllheli 3 (C Davies 8, J Owen Hughes 48, Dunwoody 82)
Flint Town United 1 (Stopford 60)

Losing a match 13-0 could easily ruin a team’s season – but for CPD Merched Pwllheli it has had exactly the opposite effect.

Last October, the Llŷn Peninsula side conceded a baker’s dozen without reply in the Welsh Cup to Adran Premier giants Wrexham AFC Women – who went on to reach the final and finish third in the top league.

Back then, the number 13 could have been considered unlucky for Pwllheli. but since that loss they have won every single game and on Sunday that winning streak reached…..13!

Seven days after beating fellow invincibles Flint in the North Wales Women’s League play-off final, Pwll repeated the dose in the Betty Pickering Cup semi at The Rec.

So now, Erica Jones’ side are on course for a treble – North Wales West Division title winners (10 straight victories), overall North Wales League champions and possibly Betty Pickering Cup trophy lifters.

Standing in their way in the Betty Pickering final will be the not inconsiderable challenge of Llangefni Town, who Pwll have defeated twice in the league this term, but only by two 2-1 scorelines.

Pwllheli edged past Flint 3-2 in extra time in the play-off final and the second game against the Silkwomen was another tough one, but the Llŷn queens got the job done.

The home side broke through in the eighth minute, tall defender Charley Davies heading in from a Jini Owen Hughes corner.

It remained 1-0 up to half time and the tie was in the balance, but three minutes after the restart Pwll scored a crucial second.

Lois Thomas found Jini Owen Hughes, who drilled a lovely shot into the bottom corner for her 21st goal of the season. The 17-year-old has been a major factor in Pwllheli’s path to glory.

Flint are never beaten, and just like in the play-off final, where they fought back from two down to force extra time, they threatened another comeback when Zoe Stopford made it 2-1 with her 27th goal this term.

However, this time there was to be no equaliser and in the 82nd minute super sub Llinos Dunwoody nodded in a Katie Bowe corner to seal the win.

PWLLHELI’S MAGICAL 13

Oct 22: Caernarfon Town (away – league) 12-1
Nov 12: Denbigh Town (home – Betty Pickering Cup) 7-2
Jan 7: Trearddur Bay (a – lge) 5-1
Jan 14: Llanystumdwy (h – lge) 6-0
Feb 4: Llangefni Town (a – lge) 2-1
Feb 11: Amlwch Town (a – lge) 5-2
Feb 18: Denbigh Town (a – BPC) 7-0
Feb 25: Caernarfon Town (h – lge) 9-0
Mar 3: Llanystumdwy (a – lge) 3-0
Apr 7: Trearddur Bay (h – lge) 8-0
Apr 28: Kinmel Bay (h – BPC) 2-0
May 5: Flint Town United (n – North Wales League West-East play-off) 3-2 (aet)
May 12: Flint Town United (h – BPC) 3-1