GNW selects its six best games of 2024 in North Wales women’s football

We’ve reported on some cracking games in North Wales senior women’s football this year.

Here are our top six

6 Llangefni Town 3 Caernarfon Town 5 (March)

No-one saw this result coming in March.

Having lost 7-1 to Llangefni on the opening day of the 2023-24 campaign, the Cofis enjoyed sweet revenge at Cae Bob Parry.

On paper, judging by previous results and the West division league standing, this game should have only gone one way, but what unfolded was quite the opposite.

Ellie Coulson gave Cefni an early lead, but on 13 minutes an outswinging corner from Llinos Hughes found recent signing Jemma Rowlands to score her first goal for the club.

Caernarfon’s second came six minutes after, Amber Brown with a brilliant first time finish into the bottom corner.

On the half-hour, the Cofis were 3-1 up. This time Hughes’ corner found the head of Lauren Murphy, who guided the ball expertly home.

Expecting a second half rally from Llangefni, it was the Cofis who started better as Lisa Jones was bundled over in the area and Brown netted from the spot.

The hosts rallied and goals from Jess Jones and Coulson made it 4-3 with still 17 minutes left.

Llangefni now threw the whole kitchen sink at Caernarfon only to be denied at every turn by the Cofis’ defence.

Then in the 81st minute, the visitors clinched it when Manon Evans set up Brown for her hat-trick.

5 Flint Town United 4 Llanfair United 3 (September)

In their first game as a Tier 2 club in September, Flint edged a thrilling victory over a much-improved Llanfair.

Both teams produced superb attacking football, all seven goals coming in a 40-minute spell between 15 and 55.

The deadlock was broken through an absolute rocket by Flint skipper Ruby McGilloway from 25 yards.

Two minutes later, Llanfair’s chief danger Sophie Cook scored direct from a corner.

On the half hour it was 2-1 Flint. Rosie Hughes’ corner came to Taylia Chaloner, who showed sublime skill and composure to find defender India Howarth, who applied the neatest of finishes.

Llanfair levelled again soon after when Cook burst clear down the left, into the box and drilled home – 2-2 half time.

Just a minute into the second half, Jennifer Haynes slotted in a neat finish for Flint.

On 52, however, Cook capitalised on indecision at the back to complete her hat-trick and make it three-apiece.

Three minutes after, a Ruby Hastings delivery into the box enabled Haynes to score the winner.

4 CPDM Y Felinheli 4 Llangefni Town 4 (Felin won 4-3 on pens – October)

Despite being 2-0, 3-1 and 4-3 down, Felinheli came back to win this October Welsh Cup thriller on penalties.

Having lost 9-3 the previous weekend in the Genero Adran Trophy at Flint Town United – who had been knocked out of the Welsh Cup at 6-2 Llangefni – the form book favoured the tier 3 side from Anglesey against the tier 2 outfit at Cae Seilo. But this was another day.

The home side began well, but Llangefni scored first through a Ffion Owen strike.

Felinheli conceded a corner in the 28th minute which caught the wind, bounced back off the post and fell kindly to Hannah Owen, who tapped in for 2-0.

Chances came and went but in the 37th minute Felin got a goal back through Llywela Edwards.

Before half time Town released Hannah Owen on the left, who cut inside and drove a cross into the box. Unfortunately for Felin, it bounced off the back of captain Kelly Jones and with keeper Catrin Beech already committed to coming to claim the cross it found its way into the back of the net.

Half-time: Felinheli 1-3 Llangefni

With the wind behind them and playing down Cae Seilo, Felinheli were dominant in the second half.

The hosts hit the bar twice, struck the post and forced Katie Spruce into a remarkable double save before all that pressure started to pay off.

Jordanne Greenough made it 3-2 with a lethal finish on 55 and Katie Midwinter equalised with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.

Back came Llangefni who edged ahead in the 71st minute when Ellie Coulson capitalised on a keeping error from close range.

Felin were back on terms in the 84th minute, Greenough finding 16-year-old sub Rubie Davies, who made it 4-4 against her old club with a clever finish.

It was all down to pens and Felinheli prevailed 4-3.

3 Kinmel Bay 3 CPDM Y Felinheli 3 (Felinheli won 4-1 on pens – September)

Although tier 2 favourites Felinheli eventually progressed on penalties in September’s Welsh Cup clash, what a fantastic effort it was from tier 3 underdogs Kinmel Bay at Y Morfa.

Trailing 3-1 early in the second half, Naomii Oakley’s side produced a magnificent comeback to make it three-apiece – and they could have won it in normal time.

Bay took an 11th minute lead with a clinical finish from hat-trick hero Amy Chesters.

Felin equalised after 35 when Fflur Williams’ pace took her clear of the Kinmel defence and she found the net.

Three minutes later Millie Sergent tripped Jenna Tugwell-Allsup in the box and Hana Wellings made it 2-1 Felin from the spot.

Two marvellous saves from Shelby Wild before the break ensured Bay did not fall further behind.

Eight minutes into the second half it did become 3-1 when Ellie Jones crossed from the right and Fflur Williams whipped home a fierce and unstoppable right-foot shot.

Within five minutes, however, the hosts pulled it back to 3-3.

Connie Williams fed a lovely pass over the defence through to Chesters, who volleyed home a beauty.

And it was all-square when Chesters nodded in a Natasha Standing corner to the near post.

Both sides missed chances before the end, but it finished 3-3 and Felin triumphed 3-1 on pens.

2 CPDM Henllan 3 Denbigh Town 4 (September)

What a turnaround!

Newcomers Henllan led neighbours Denbigh 3-0 in September’s Vale of Clwyd derby, only for Town to fight back and grab a 4-3 victory.

Within three minutes of the start Henllan took the lead as poor defending from Denbigh led to a simple finish for Beth Roberts.

After further close calls, the villagers finally had their second with 24 on the clock. A corner was half cleared before falling to Mali Roberts, who fired home via the upright.

Denbigh were convinced they had halved the deficit when Amber Hellon raced through, her effort was fumbled by the goalkeeper before appearing to have crossed the line, but the referee waved away all protests.

A minute later Henllan made it three when Lleucu Williams headed home from a corner to make it 3-0 at half time.

Within nine minutes of the second half starting, Denbigh found themselves with one back. A corner was swung in by Lowri Claybrook that deflected off of the head of Beth Kell, falling nicely for Hellon to thump home inside the box.

As the rain grew gradually so did Denbigh’s confidence, and on 65 minutes Claybrook’s corner was poked home by the evergreen Ceri Purvis.

Three minutes later, Claybrook played a one-two on the right touchline before her effort somehow wrongfooted the keeper and found the back of the net.

Now level, there was no letting up from Town. Hellon had been brilliant all afternoon and took the ball in the middle of the park before bursting forward and smashing home from distance.

That turned out to be the winner, but full marks to Henllan, a young, inexperienced side which gave the ‘older heads’ of Denbigh a real run for their money.

1 North Wales League Play-Off Final 2023-24
CPD Pwllheli 3 Flint Town United 2 (AET – May)

It was everything you could wish for from a final between the top two Tier 3 teams in North Wales.

A two-goal lead, a great comeback to force extra time and a winner worthy of gracing any major football occasion.

Llandudno’s OPS Wind Arena was the venue in May for a classic contest between the North Wales League East and West champions. The first final of its kind in the league’s history.

West title winners Pwllheli took a 20th minute lead.

Lois Thomas’ attempt from an angle was palmed out by Becky Bott, but from the rebound Magi Hughes set up Stacey Sansome who lashed high into the net.

Flint’s best chance of the opening 45 came when Zoe Stopford headed just wide from a brilliant Ruby Hastings cross.

Pwllheli finished the half strongly. Thomas steered wide from a good position before Jini Owen Hughes was denied by Bott and from the rebound captain Magi Hughes clattered the bar.

There was no let up from the Llŷn Peninsula side after the break, Bott saving superbly from Thomas before the lead was doubled after 48 minutes.

Magi Hughes threaded a perfect through ball for Jini Owen Hughes to bravely poke past the advancing Bott.

It appeared the vastly more experienced Pwllheli had a Flint side in just their second season of competitive football in their pockets.

But the Silkwomen were far from beaten.

Rosie Hughes made a stunning run into the box, leaving a trail of defenders in her wake, but Pwll keeper Sara Williams produced a magnificent stop with an outstretched leg. Had Rosie scored, this would have been John Barnes England v Brazil 1984 Mk 11.

Hughes then fired straight at the keeper before the Essity side halved the deficit on 74 minutes, Hastings making it 2-1 with a near-post strike.

Then in the 85th minute – the equaliser.

Stopford did superbly to win the ball and work it across the box where the gleeful Rosie Hughes found the empty net.

Pwllheli nearly won it before the end of the 90.

Jini Owen Hughes was through one-on-one, but Bott came up with the best of her marvellous saves on the day.

Sansome then let fly with a sublime 30 yard shot which beat Bott but hit the bar.

Extra time saw both teams tested by the searing heat, but Pwllheli showed their superior experience by keeping possession the better.

The winning goal was something else.

Lois Thomas broke down the right, beat her marker, relentlessly forced her way to the byline, cut inside and curled the ball into the corner for a goal from the gods.