Mari hits a treble as Amlwch strike six times in island derby

NORTH WALES COAST WOMEN’S LEAGUE – OCTOBER 18, 2026

Holyhead Hotspur 2 (Hughes, Stockall)
Amlwch Town 6 (Saunderson 3, 1 pen, Murley 2, Evans)

A fantastic team performance saw Amlwch Town Ladies secure an impressive 6-2 victory over Holyhead Ladies at Bryn Du, Ty Croes/
After a relatively even first 15 minutes, it was Holyhead who struck first, with Abi Hughes finding the back of the net.
Amlwch responded just five minutes later. A perfectly timed through ball from Lauren Bate found Elin Murley, who made no mistake to bring Town level.
That goal sparked something in Amlwch, and just seven minutes later, Casey Evans’ relentless pace and work rate paid off as she put Town in front.
Holyhead remained persistent, looking to use long balls to release their attackers. However, with Sara Parry returning to football after an incredible 20-plus-year absence, she looked as though she hadn’t missed a season!
Alongside her, Beth Shapely produced a solid, assured performance on her return after some time away from the game. The two centre-backs provided a strong foundation for Amlwch, remaining organised and alert to the danger throughout.

In the middle of the park, Ffion Clement was equally important, producing a disciplined and composed display. Her positional awareness was excellent, consistently finding herself in the right areas to protect the defence and support her teammates.
Behind them, goalkeeper Ceri Pritchard did everything asked of her, getting the basics right, dealing with what came her way and providing a reliable presence between the posts.
Just before half-time, Mari Saunderson stepped up with a trademark moment of precision, finding the net directly from a 30-yard free kick to give Amlwch a deserved 3–1 lead going into the break.
Despite the two-goal advantage, Town knew the job was far from finished. Against a young, well-organised Holyhead side, one lapse in concentration could quickly create an opportunity for the opposition. Consistency, shape and discipline would be key.
The second half got off to the perfect start for Amlwch. Just a minute after the restart, Murley struck again to extend Town’s lead to 4–1.
Credit to Holyhead, who refused to let their heads drop and dug deep to find a second goal through Grace Stockall.
Amlwch continued to apply pressure, with wingers Frankie Davies and Murley causing problems for the Holyhead defence. Murley was then fouled inside the box, giving Town the perfect opportunity to restore their three-goal advantage. Saunderson calmly converted to make it 5–2.

There was also a crucial defensive moment when Holyhead broke through on goal. Summer Williams produced an outstanding recovery sprint from halfway, getting back to deny the attacker the opportunity to get a shot away. It was a superb example of the commitment and work rate shown throughout the Amlwch team.
On the right-hand side, Llio Williams also delivered an outstanding performance, working tirelessly to contain the Holyhead attack.
Saunderson then completed her hat-trick in the 77th minute, finding the net with another superb free kick, this time from what seemed an almost impossible angle.
Town continued to create chances, with Casey Evans consistently causing problems for the Holyhead defence. However, Holyhead’s goalkeeper Hannah Brotheridge deserves plenty of credit for producing some excellent saves

REACTION

Amlwch Town manager Lefty Wright

“It’s no secret we’ve had a difficult few weeks, with injuries and players missing leaving us down to the bare bones… At 10 o’clock on Sunday morning, we genuinely thought the Holyhead game was going to be called off because we didn’t have a squad.
Football’s like a roller coaster, full of ups and downs, and that’s what makes it the game we all love and Sunday would have to be described as The Smiler if you went to Alton Towers.
To go out there, put in a performance like that and get the result was absolutely fantastic… surprised, no because I know what this group is capable of but very, very proud.
To a woman Amlwch Town were superb, individually and collectively and that’s right up there with our best performances of the season, and that’s the benchmark moving forward… Every single one of them should be proud of what they achieved on Sunday.
Anyone who knows Amlwch Town Ladies FC knows this has always been a great club with a real family feel, and that’s something we’ve wanted to continue from the start… yes its a game of Football, but it’s also about more than that at Amlwch and we want to be open, transparent and keep things simple.
Things haven’t necessarily come together how we originally planned, but the way Tracey, Lauren, Maldwyn, Geth and myself have gelled as a management team has been a massive positive… Everyone brings something different, but we’re all pulling in the same direction and want what’s best for the girls and this club… Let’s keep building on Sunday, through the highs and the lows, and enjoy the ride together.”

Assistant-manager Lauren Bate

“It’s our first season back in the league, and every game is another building block for us to grow and improve. As anyone who knows football will tell you, it’s a rollercoaster of highs and lows, but today we showed real effort, determination and belief out there.
“I honestly think anyone could have taken Player of the Match today, which says everything about the team performance. Ultimately, football is a team game, and I’m incredibly proud of what we showed today. We keep building, keep believing, and keep pushing forward together.”