Reports – Thursday: Pwllheli title favourites after win at Llangefni, Kinmel Bay nine undefeated

NORTH EAST WALES WOMEN’S LEAGUE WEST DIVISION – REPORTS, TABLE AND FIXTURES MAY 1

REMAINING FIXTURES

Sunday, May 4: Trearddur Bay v CPD Pwllheli, Caernarfon Town v CPDM Llanystumdwy

Sunday, May 11: Kinmel Bay v Llanystumdwy

Llangefni Town 0 CPD Pwllheli 1 (Magi Hughes 76)

Captain Magi Hughes’ magnificent top corner strike clinched the win which leaves Pwllheli needing a point from their final game to be crowned West Division champions for a second successive season.

Pwll will visit Trearddur Bay on Sunday requiring just a draw to finish top and book a place in the East-West play-off against Berriew to determine the overall North Wales champions.

Thursday night’s clash at Cae Bob Parry was the mother of all six-pointers.

A Llangefni win would have sealed them the title, a draw would have left Pwll requiring a huge win from their last game at Trearddur to finish champions on goal difference.

Only a Pwllheli victory would make them firm title favourites and that is what the Llŷn Peninsula side managed to do.

It was another great contest between these two well-matched teams who are very rarely separated by more than one goal whenever they meet.

While Pwll have won six of eight matches between the sides, they have never defeated Llangefni by more than a single goal. There was one draw, earlier this season, and the only convincing victory for either team in the series was in last season’s Betty Pickering Cup Final, which Cefni won 5-1.

Both sides knew what was at stake on Thursday and a very tight encounter ensued with defences on top.

Town started strongly, but after around the 20-minute mark Pwllheli settled and started to threaten, however the home back-line was very solid.

In the second half, Pwllheli were more lively and passed the ball around well, but it looked like a 0-0 draw was on the cards until in the 76th minute Hughes lashed in her 11th goal of the season. From outside the box, the skipper curled a beauty into the top-left corner.

Cefni came back all guns blazing and forced some late corners which were delivered superbly, but Pwll held out for the narrowest of wins in a game which was a credit to North Wales women’s football.

LINE-UPS

Llangefni Town: Katie Spruce, Marissa George, Beth Jones, Mared Roberts, Catrin George (c), Ffion Thomas, Ellie Coulson, Jennifer Cox, Hannah Owen, Ceri Slaney, Llinos Hughes. Subs: Amber Brown, Ella Ramseyer-Bache, Lara Cain.

Pwllheli: Sara Williams, Llio Jones, Charley Davies, Lowri Hughes, Magi Hughes (c), Lois Thomas, Stacey Sansome, Sian Moore, Leanne Hughes, Jini Owen Hughes, Hayley Rees-Williams. Subs: Sioned Bohana, Marsli Owen, Cassie Ogilvy, Erica Jones, Nia Jones.

Trearddur Bay 0 Kinmel Bay 3 (Amy Chesters 33, Lexi Walsh 80 & 88)

Kinmel Bay extended their unbeaten run to nine games with an emphatic 3-0 result at Trearddur Bay on Thursday, showcasing grit, determination, and clinical finishing.

The Anglesey hosts, 5-0 losers at Kinmel four days earlier, started the match with intensity and purpose, creating several early chances and putting the visitors under pressure.

Despite their spirited efforts and a handful of near misses, they couldn’t find a way past the Kinmel Bay defence and young keeper Hannah Topham.

The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute against the run of play. Amy Chesters found the net with a composed finish, latching onto a well-weighted assist from Lexi Walsh to give Kinmel Bay a 1-0 lead going into half-time. It was Chesters’ 25th goal of 2024-25.

The second half saw Kinmel Bay shift gears, increasing their tempo and asserting more control over the game.

Their persistence paid off in the 80th minute when Walsh turned scorer, slotting home from close range after a clever assist from Natasha Standing.

Walsh struck again in the 88th minute to seal the victory, finishing off a flowing move initiated by Georgia Williams. Her late brace capped off a commanding second-half performance from the visitors.

With another solid display and clean sheet, Kinmel Bay continue their impressive run and look to have a decent chance of holding on to third place in the West Division.