Saints Exit FAW Women’s Cup In Ding-Dong Battle At Park Hall

Match Report

Goals: Ashworth (22), Harrison (25)
Substitutions: Lockley for Ashworth (50), Samson for Marshall (85)

Match report by Michael Davies
Lead image: Brian Jones

The New Saints FC Women bowed out of the FAW Women’s Cup in spectacular fashion against Cardiff City Women, in a dramatic 3-2 defeat. 

Andy Williams’ side raced into a 2-0 lead in the first-half, after Lisa Owen was dismissed, but the visitors from south Wales pulled off a hard-fought comeback with the Cardiff City captain, Siobhan Walsh, getting the winner. 

The match was an exciting affair throughout, as there was constant action in the 90 minutes. 

The result means that The New Saints go out in the second-round stage of the competition. 

In the opening minutes, a through ball led Danielle Broadhurst into the box and the forward shot, but Sarah Parkes stood up tall and saved the opportunity.  

Five minutes later, an over-the-top ball from Caitlin Chapman led Emily Ridge one on one with the keeper, before she was taken down by Lisa Owen, and the referee, Arthur Smallman, had no other choice but to send the defender off the pitch. Moments later, Lucie Platt had a free-kick from just outside the penalty area that was met by a save from Amelia Forkings. 

A few minutes on, Ffion Price had a wild attempt for Iain Darbyshire’s team from 30-yards out that went over the crossbar. 

The Saints were up the other end of the pitch seconds later and scored. A scramble in the box led to Platt and Ridge having shots, but ultimately it was Courtney Ashworth’s effort that went in off the crossbar, and went over the line to put the home side a goal up. 

In the 25^th minute, TNS went two up as Lexi Harrison stole the ball in the middle of the park and ran with it into the Cardiff box, with the ball slotted past Forkings’ right-side.  

Catherine Walsh had a header in the box for Cardiff in the 27^th minute that was followed by a shot from outside the box in the 28^th from Megan Saunders that went wide of the post. 

On the half hour mark, TNS had a goal that was ruled out for foul on Forkings. Ridge put the ball in the back of the net from a Chapman free-kick, however Forkings was taken out in the process. 

A couple of minutes on, Zoe Atkins had a shot in the box for the away side that went wide of Parkes’ post. 

Atkins pulled a goal back in the 37^th minute, as she lobbed Parkes from just outside the box. 

Just before half-time, Walsh had a free-kick effort from 25 yards out that went wide of the TNS post. 

At the start of the second forty-five, a ball got whipped in from a corner for the Bluebirds that found Atkins who headed wide. 

Seconds on, Cardiff levelled, as Megan Saunders had a lob from just inside the box that found its way past Parkes. 

In the 55^th minute, Lexie Harrison brought down a Cardiff player just inside the box and a penalty was given. Seconds on, Walsh stepped up and Parkes saved the spot-kick. 

67 minutes in, a well-worked corner saw Ridge run, with the ball being passed to Lia Lewis, who shot as it was saved by Forkings. 

Shortly after, Lilly Billingham had a corner in the TNS box, as Parkes saved comfortably. 

With a quarter of an hour to go, Saunders had an effort that saw Parkes make a spectacular save to tip the chance on the crossbar, and deny the Cardiff player. 

In the 82^nd minute, Cardiff kept on knocking, as Price had an effort from 30-yards out that went over the crossbar. 

The away side’s pressure told in the 85^th minute as they got the winner. The Cardiff captain, Siobhan Walsh, scored a header from a corner that got whipped in the box. 

Andy Williams’s side will now return to Genero Adran Premier action, facing Swansea City Ladies at Park Hall Stadium.