Spoils shared between Saints Women and Linnets at Park Hall

Match Report

Goals: Jones (5)
Substitutions: Ridge for Kendrick-Jones (69), Buckland for Evans (79)

Match report by Michael Davies
Lead image: F28.Online

The New Saints Women and Barry Town United played out a 1-1 draw at Park Hall Stadium in the Genero Adran Premier.

A Lexi Jones goal was cancelled out by an Ellie Preece strike, as both teams walked away with a point.

In the Adran Premier table, The New Saints stay in second on goal difference, having played a game more than Briton Ferry Llansawel, who currently sit in third.

Shauna Duffy’s team took the the lead early on in the match, as Maria Francis-Jones played a good through ball to Lexi Jones, and the 17-year-old slotted a shot past Molly Arnesen from a few yards out.

The visitors equalised soon after in the ninth minute, where Ellie Preece intercepted a back pass that ended up with the former Cardiff Met player finding the back of the net from inside the penalty area.

Chantelle Teare almost got The New Saints Women back in front shortly after. The number nine shot from close range, but was denied by an Arnesen save.

Another decent chance arrived before the half-hour, when a great ball from Lia Lewis found Francis-Jones inside the box, and the Wales international hit the crossbar, before the visitors cleared their lines.

In the 36th minute, The New Saints came close once more, as a Francis-Jones corner found a Saints head inside the 18-yard-area, but the ball went over the crossbar.

Moments before break, Francis-Jones had attempt from just outside the box that narrowly went off target, with the sides level at half-time.

Midway through the second 45, the Linnets were on the attack, as Preece hit the ball in the box, however Elliott was there to make a fine point-blank stop.

At the other end of the pitch seconds on, Jones had a shot from close distance hit the post, with the game in the balance heading into the last 20 minutes.

Not long before the match finished, The Saints had a couple of free-kick efforts. Francis-Jones hit a 20-yard set-piece over the crossbar, before a Sophie Phillips attempt from slightly further away was gathered by Arnesen.

The referee blew his whistle soon after that left the two teams walking away with a point.

Duffy’s side will hope to get back to winning ways next week in the Adran Premier, as the Oswestry-based team make a trip to Aberystwyth Town.