Unpleasant scenes mar end of stormy Bute Energy Women’s Welsh Cup tie

Bute Energy Welsh Cup round one – November 23, 2025

Flint Town United 0
Wrexham Foresters 5 (Miller 15, Tobin 27, 44 & 46, Kural 56)

There is no place in football for scenes like those which blighted the closing stages of today’s Welsh Cup tie at the Essity Stadium.

Several scuffles broke out involving players, management and supporters following the 80th minute dismissal of Wrexham Foresters player-manager Kirstie Kural for a second yellow card.

Kural did not walk to the dressing room immediately, instead standing near the away dugout but behind the barrier.

What happened next was far from tasteful. Unrest ensued involving players, management and supporters from both clubs. While some tried to calm the situation, others were only making things worse as several confrontations were seen.

Eventually things calmed and the tie was completed with Foresters winning 5-0.

The sad thing about the troublesome scenes was there was no need for them.

The game was long won, with Tier 3 Foresters outclassing the home team from Tier 2 Adran North.

Kural took out opponent Isabella Devereux as she tried to break forward near the left touchline – a clear bookable offence – and saw a second yellow.

It was a bad day for Flint, who were without star player Rosie Hughes through injury, plus a few other regulars, but still fielded a team capable of a better result than they got.

Aside from some rash challenges, especially in the early stages which led to Flint’s Zoe Stopford and Mia Warburton having to leave the field injured, Foresters produced superb passing football far too good for the Tier 3 Central Wales North League they operate in. They are Tier 2 standard at the least – their finishing was phenomenal.

Kural, who had scored a hat-trick in each of her first eight matches, netted just the once on this occasion, but otherwise controlled the game when she concentrated on her football – absolutely different class.

Star of the show, however, was Laura Tobin, who bagged a magnificent hat-trick for the visitors. Also on target was Savannah Miller.

Having already knocked one Adran North side in Y Felinheli out of this season’s Welsh Cup, Foresters have now added another Tier 2 scalp to their record.

This team will be a match for most teams left in the competition in the last 16.

The action

Flint could have taken a third-minute lead when Stopford sent over a brilliant cross from the right which keeper Laura Fuller failed to hold and Devereux volleyed the loose ball over the bar.

Stopford hobbled off in agony in the 13th minute after being caught by Kural and on the quarter-hour Wrexham edged ahead.

Tobin delivered a magnificent cross from the left and Miller volleyed in at the back post.

Substitute Warburton required lengthy treatment after being clattered in midfield, but was able to carry on before getting carried off later in the game after further aggravating her knock.

Beth Roberts, outstanding again for the Silkwomen, drilled wide before the away lead was doubled on 27.
Kural picked out Tobin who scored with a brilliant lob.

In the 29th minute Kural was yellow-carded – not before time – for what appeared to be dissent. She laughed and bowed to the crowd when her punishment was jeered.

Warburton followed her opponent into the book on 33.

Foresters were peppering the home goal at this stage, shooting from anywhere.

Then on 43 minutes Kural’s majestic pass from midfield released Tobin, who once more applied a deadly finish.

Flint could have pulled one back when Daisy Hughes beat the keeper when latching onto a tremendous pass into the box, but a Foresters defender made the clearance.

HALF-TIME: FLINT 0 FORESTERS 3

Flint desperately needed a goal at the start of the second half – but in fact the exact opposite happened, Foresters made it 4-0 before a minute had elapsed.

It was Tobin working the magic again – a stupendous left-foot curler from just outside the box flying in beyond keeper Shaunacy Kennedy.

Tobin ensured she was involved in all five goals when she set up her manager for the fifth on 55. The No17 crossed from the right and the magical Kural volleyed home superbly.

Flint pushed for a consolation, but it was not to be.

Wrexham Foresters strolled their way through the rest of the game, with those late scenes the chief talking point.