A tough day in the capital for The New Saints Women

Match Report

Goals: Teare (54)
Yellow cards: L. Lewis (79)
Substitutions: Hill for Teare (90), Samson for Chapman (90+3)

Match report by Michael Davies
Lead image: Kian Abdullah

The New Saints Women suffered their first defeat of the season in a 3-1 loss away at Leckwith Stadium against Cardiff City. 

The Bluebirds took a two-goal lead in the first-half through strikes from Eliza Collie and Molly Kehoe, before The New Saints got one back in the second-half through Chantelle Teare, before Collie sealed the match for The Bluebirds in added on time.

Defeat sees The Saints slip to fifth in the table after three games.

Cardiff City were close to taking the lead in the 8th minute, where Mackenzie Olden ran through on goal and had effort from outside the box, but Mackenzie Hadyn-Jones was there to stop the attempt.

The Bluebirds had another attempt not long later through a corner that found Megan Bowen, but the number 15 had the header deflected wide.

In the 17th minute, Eliza Collie had a header from close-range, however it was met by a fine save from Haydn-Jones.

The home team did take the lead a couple of minutes on. Collie went around Hadyn-Jones and scored into an empty net.

City came close to a second soon after when Molly Kehoe had a strike in the 18-yard-area, where a terrific stop by Haydn-Jones denied the Cayman Islands international.

Seconds after, Helen Evans went up the other end of the pitch, and shot from 35-yards out, with the effort inches over the crossbar.

In the 36th minute, Bowen had a header from corner, with the opportunity going over the bar from a few yards out.

Before half-time, Kehoe netted a second for Iain Darbyshire’s side through a strike from outside the penalty area that went flying into the top corner of the net from just inside the box.

At the start of the second 45, The New Saints were on the attack as Caitlin Chapman had an audacious effort from distance that narrowly went wide of the target.

Greg Draper’s side did get one back to narrow the City’s lead in the 53rd minute. Chapman crossed in a ball that found Teare, who headed the ball into the back of the net from close-range.

An equaliser almost came moments on through a Chapman over-the-top ball that found Emily Ridge, and the number 35 shot inches wide from inside the box.

Past the hour mark, Rhianne Oakley got a shot off for Darbyshire’s side, where the shot was hit inches off target.

In the 67th minute, Oakley had another effort, however Hadyn-Jones made a magnificent stop from point-blank range to keep Draper’s team in the encounter.

The Saints were back up the other end of the pitch not long after, and it was Ella Hartley with the latest shot that forced Ceryn Chamberlain to tip the ball over the bar.

With not long to go in the game, Cardiff substitute, Maddison Lloyd, had a close shot that Haydn-Jones saved, and Collie shot the follow-up over the crossbar. 

The Bluebirds did get a third to seal the game in stoppage time. Lloyd crossed in a ball that found Collie, who scored at the near post to wrap up the game for the home team.

TNS are next in action on Sunday, October 8th against Barry Town United at Park Hall Stadium.