Betty Pickering Cup Final: Pwllheli win first leg of massive double showdown

BETTY PICKERING CUP FINAL – APRIL 27

CPD Pwllheli 2 (Jini Owen Hughes 18, Charley Davies 44)
Llangefni Town 1 (Ceri Slaney pen 61)

Round one to Pwllheli – on to round two this Thursday!

On Sunday, the Betty Pickering Cup was at stake, and it was Pwllheli who triumphed in a close-fought final at the Hops and Barley Community Stadium, Rhyl.

Sweet revenge for the Llŷn side after their 5-1 loss to Llangefni in the showpiece game of this same competition last season.

Now attention switches to Thursday evening when a potential title decider between the two teams takes place.

North East Wales Women’s League West Division leaders Cefni will be home to second-place Pwllheli at Cae Bob Parry.

Llangefni have 29 points from 11 games, as well as a better goal difference of 10 over Pwll, who are on 26 points from 10 matches.

A win for Cefni on Thursday and the title is theirs. A draw will mean Pwllheli needing a huge win in their final fixture at Trearddur Bay to be crowned champions on GD.

If Pwllheli are victorious at Cae Bob Parry, they will go level on points with Town and would then require just a draw at Trearddur to claim the title for a second successive season.

Sunday’s final at the fantastic Rhyl stadium was a good, honest contest from first whistle to last.

Llangefni had a chance in the opening seconds when Catrin George got in behind the Pwll defence, raced into the box, but her delivery into the middle could not find a Town player and the black and whites cleared the danger.

Pwllheli settled and Lois Thomas’ cross from the right was almost fumbled into her own net by keeper Katie Spruce, before great defending by Marissa George denied the Llŷn outfit a near certain goal.

Spruce did well to tip a Magi Hughes effort bound for the top corner away from goal.

Inside the first 15 minutes Pwll had no less than eight corners, but the quality of most of them was not the best.

However, in the 18th minute Erica Jones’ side took the lead.

Charley Davies’ free kick from the Pwll half was flicked into the box and Jini Owen Hughes lobbed Spruce to make it 1-0.

Magi Hughes went close to a second before on 27 minutes Cefni threatened for the first time in a while when Ffion Owen broke to the left byline and her curling attempt to score did not miss by much.

Jini Owen Hughes and Magi Hughes fired just off target before Pwllheli doubled their lead in the 44th minute.

A Jini Owen Hughes corner from the left caused panic in the Cefni defence and Davies forced the ball over the line.

HALF-TIME: Llangefni 0-2 Pwllheli

Cefni were far from finished and the Ynys Môn side started the second half in determined fashion.

It looked as if they had pulled a goal back when Ffion Thomas beat keeper Sara Williams to the ball and rolled it goalwards, but Llio Jones produced a stunning clearance off the line.

Town were back in it on 61 minutes when a penalty was awarded for handball and Ceri Slaney dispatched the kick clinically.

Sub Jen Cox could have made it 2-2, but from a clear opportunity she lofted just over the bar.

The outstanding Beth Jones was a Cefni hero on 75 minutes when she cleared a volley off the line.

In the closing stages both Ffion Owen and Slaney went close to an equaliser, but Pwllheli held on to secure their first silverware of the season.

With the title still to be decided and a meeting with CPDM Y Felinheli in the NEWFA Challenge Cup final to come, will Pwll add to their trophy cabinet?

PLAYERS OF THE MATCH

Pwllheli – Charley Davies

Oustanding all over the pitch, in defence, in the centre and in the opposition box. Maintained her great recent scoring record, put in numerous cracking tackles, won plenty of headers and was the best passer on the field.

Llangefni Town – Beth Jones

Fantastic show at the back. Made a magnificent goal-line clearance, produced some tremendous tackles and joined the attack when she could, using the ball well on numerous occasions.

TEAMS

Pwllheli

Sara Williams
Llio Jones
Charley Davies
Magi Hughes (c)
Lois Thomas
Leanne Rees-Hughes
Stacey Sansome
Lowri Hughes
Sioned Bohana (Erin Williams 68)
Jini Owen Hughes
Hayley Rees-Jones

Llangefni Town

Katie Spruce
Marissa George
Beth Jones
Mared Roberts (Amber Brown 86)
Catrin George (c)
Ffion Thomas (Milly Lowe 57)
Ellie Coulson (Jen Cox 57)
Hannah Owen
Ffion Owen
Ceri Slaney
Llinos Hughes