MAGNIFICENT: Wrexham AFC Women storm into another Welsh Cup final

BUTE ENERGY WELSH CUP SEMI-FINALS

Wrexham 4 (Iddenden 6 & 56, Jones OG 25, Cairns 29)
Pontypridd United 0

For the second season running Wrexham AFC Women are Bute Energy Welsh Cup finalists.

For the season year running they will face mighty Cardiff City in the final.

Last year, the pride of North Wales lost 2-0 in the final, but since then Steve Dale’s side have broken the Cardiff jinx, beating the Adran Premier champions on March 9 following an eight-match losing streak since returning to the top flight in 2023-24.

Now the monkey is off their backs, Wrexham will be aiming to take their new-found confidence into the 2025 final at Rodney Parade, Newport, on April 27.

The Red Dragons made it through to another final on Sunday with a comfortable 4-0 win over Pontypridd United at Latham Park, Newtown.

Wrexham produced an endless amount of beautiful, attacking one-touch football which left the Genero Adran South underdogs chasing shadows at times.

Only the heroics of goalkeeper Amelia Forkings prevented a much bigger scoreline.

Dale’s dazzlers took a sixth-minute lead when Abbie Iddenden’s header from a Carra Jones corner flew above Forkings for the opener.

Wrexham came so close to a second when Ava Suckley crossed low from the right, the ball ballooned out off Forkings, who then denied Lili Jones and Brooke Cairns before gratefully gathering a third effort on goal within a matter of seconds.

The Adran Premier side’s second goal on 25 minutes was unfortunate on Ponty.

Lili Jones played the ball forward and in an attempt to intercept Lucy Jones looped the ball over her keeper for an own goal.

The third Wrexham goal was marvellous. Cairns exchanged passes with Iddenden before drilling home a lovely near post strike.

Forkings produced a good stop low down to deny Lili Jones from 20 yards before the break.

HALF-TIME: Wrexham 3 Pontypridd 0

It became 4-0 in the 56th minute. Keren Allen fed the ball to the right, Cairns cut inside and fired in an attempt which Forkings kept out but could only spill into the path of the ever-alert Iddenden, who celebrated her 11th goal of the season.

Iddenden’s fierce hit soon after was more than capable of delivering her hat-trick, but this time Frkings saved well.

Pontypridd’s best chance saw Nicole Fenton burst into the box, but Liz Craven smothered well and a covering Amber Lightfoot put the ball out for a corner.

Forkings pulled off further fine saves from Iddenden and sub Leah Burke, while Cairns went close twice to making it a personal double.

WREXHAM

Liz Craven, Phoebe Davies (Katie Sharp 79), Erin Lovett, Abbie Iddenden, Brooke Cairns, Amber Lightfoot (Rebecca Pritchard 67), Carra Jones, Ava Suckley (Rosie Hughes 67), Lili Mai Jones (Leah Burke 85), Keren Allen, Mari Gibbard.

PREVIOUS NORTH WALES APPEARANCES IN WELSH CUP FINALS

1992-93: Pilkington (Rhyl) 1-0 Inter Cardiff
1993-94: Pilkington (Rhyl) 2-2 (4-2 pen) Inter Cardiff
1994-95: Inter Cardiff 1-1 (4-3 pen) Bangor City
1995-96: Newport Strikers 1-0 Bangor City
1996-97: Bangor City 3-0 Newcastle Emlyn
1997-98: Barry Town 3-0 Bangor City
1999-2000: Barry Town 2-2 (3-0 pen) Bangor City
2000-01: Bangor City 3-0 Newport Strikers
2001-02: Bangor City 4-2 Newport County
2002-03: Cardiff City 1-0 Bangor City
2005-06: Cardiff City 11-0 Pwllheli
2006-07: Cardiff City 6-1 Caernarfon Town
2007-08: Cardiff City 9-0 NEWI Wrexham
2015-16: Cardiff City FC Women 5-2 Llandudno
2023-24: Cardiff City 2-0 Wrexham

APPEARANCES: 15
WINS: 5
LOSSES: 10