Archive Classics No 20: Wrexham Ladies take the points in Welsh Premier battle away to Llandudno

Having covered North Wales football for close on 40 years. I’ve attended and reported on hundreds if not thousands of games across the pyramid.
Here’s another in a series of classics from the archives

This is Number 20 in the series and our first women’s game.
The first women’s league match I covered happened in the 2013-14 season, when Wrexham Ladies visited Llandudno in a Welsh Premier Women’s League encounter at Cae Ffwt, Glan Conwy

Welsh Premier Women’s League 2013-14

Llandudno Junction 0
Wrexham 2 (Hayes 30, Musgrave 60)

May 4, 2014

Wrexham ran out comfortable winners of an end-of-season clash where they were aiming to seal a top-six place in the Welsh Premier.

Cae Ffwt in Glan Conwy was the venue for this one. I thought ir was scheduled for the Hotpoint pitch in the Junction, but when I arrived there was no-one in sight.

I managed to contact the Llandudno management on the telephone. They were at a wedding but were able to tell me the game had switched to Cae Ffwt. Another taxi journey…..

These teams had drawn 2-2 earlier in the season, so both may have fancied their chances of a victory.

One of the key players for Wrexham was lively striker Ashleigh Hayes, who banked 15 goals in 18 appearances that season.

Hayes broke through at around the half-hour mark, racing onto a through ball, rounding keeper Jess Hughes and finding the empty net from an angle.

Llandudno were competing well, with Stacey Tradewell looking lively in attack and Katie Bowe attempting to get a hold on the midfield.

Half-time: 0-1 and plenty to play for.

On the hour, Wrexham took a big step towards the points when Lexi Musgrave lashed in an absolute rocket from 20 yards.

Musgrave later got herself red-carded for language directed at the referee, but even with 10 players Wrexham looked solid with keeper Delyth Morgan not overly troubled. Bowe was unlucky not to score when she hit the crossbar.

In the end a clear enough win for the Reds who were managed by Ronnie Green, nowadays assistant-manager at CPD Y Rhyl 1879.

I mainly visited the game to see Ashleigh Hayes, my first real female football idol, in action, but while I was impressed with her, Bowe and Tradewell also caught my eye for the visitors.

Phoebe Davies also played well for Wrexham. Twelve years on she is still a star with the new Wrexham AFC Women side.

This game was the start of a long and rewarding relationship with Llandudno Ladies which sadly no longer exists.

ALSO FEATURED SO FAR IN ARCHIVE CLASSICS….

• Caernarfon Town 3 Liverpool 2 (Aug 8, 1987)
• Prestatyn Sports 2 Llandudno Albion 1 (May 2015)..
• Prestatyn Town 7 Carmarthen Town 1 (Apr 16, 2013)
• Rhyl 3 Aberystwyth Town 1 (Aug 31, 2016)
• Halkyn United 0 Denbigh Town 2 (Apr 6, 1996)
• Prestatyn Town 5 Caernarfon Town 0 (Sep 2008)
• Glantraeth 2 Penrhyndeudraeth 1 (May 2017)
• Penrhyndeudraeth 4 Glantraeth 1 (May 2016)
• Holywell Town 1 Caernarfon Town 3 (9.3.2019)
• Chirk AAA 2 Penlan Club 1 (8.4.2017)
• Rhyl 4 Porthmadog 5 (6.1.2018)
• Bala Town 2 Differdange 03 1 (9.7.2015)
• Denbigh Town 1 Bangor 1876 0 (24.2.2023)
• Holywell Town 4 Penrhyndeudraeth 2 (19.4.2015)
• Rhyl 1 Wrexham 4 (12.5.2004)
• Rhyl 5 Goytre United 2 (4.3.2006)
• Prestatyn Town Reserves 2 Gwalchmai 1 (30.4.2010)
• Bethesda Athletic 3 Rhyl 2 (9.2.2008)
• Llanfairpwll 2 Prestatyn Town 3 (5.4.2008)