The New Saints lift Genero Adran Premier Plate after 3-0 win against Pontypridd United

Match Report

Goals: Dunkerley (36), Teare (78), Redding (83)
Yellow cards: Teare (87)
Substitutions: Williams for Buckland (46), Cudlip for Barlow (83), Samson for Ridge (83), Manders for Lewis (83)

Match report: Michael Davies
Lead image: Lewis Mitchell (FAW)

The New Saints Women rounded off the 2023/24 season by overcoming Pontypridd United 3-0 at USW Sport Park in the Genero Adran Premier Plate.

Grace Dunkerley found the net in the opening 45, before Chantelle Teare and Izzy Redding added to the tally in the second-half.

Victory meant The New Saints ended the Adran Premier Plate Conference with 29 points for, with Greg Draper’s team lifting the Plate post-match.

Pontypridd United started the game off brightly in the sixth minute, as Shannon Hindmarsh played a free-kick from her own half, with the ball finding Efa Preece-Jones, who hit the ball over the net from close-range.

The hosts had another effort in the 20th minute, this time Jasmine Turner shot from outside of the 18-yard-area, but the attempt dragged wide.

On the half-hour, The New Saints had their first effort on target. Brilliant ball control from Chantelle Teare in the opposition box led to the number nine hitting a strike from a few yards away, only to be denied by a fine save from Klaudia Wojtyczka at the near post.

Another attempt came for Greg Draper’s team not long later, where Teare made a magnificent run from her own half and found Mel Barlow on the edge of the 18-yard-area, Barlow struck the ball with power, however Wojtyczka was there to make the stop.

The Saints’ good work soon proved to make a difference in the 36th minute, as January signing, Grace Dunkerley, scored from six-yards away into Wojtyczka’s bottom-left corner for her first senior goal.

Saints were well on top in the encounter at this stage, as Emily Ridge came close to making it two, with the number 35 one-on-one against Wojtyczka, and it was the Pontypridd keeper that managed to make a save from point-blank-range.

At the other end of the pitch, Claire O’Sullivan’s team had two chances in quick succession before the break. Nicole Fenton initially had a shot inside the box that Ellie Suckley saved, before Preece-Jones headed wide from close distance seconds after.

At the start of the second 45, Preece-Jones almost got an equaliser for the Dragons following a shot from inside the penalty area, only to be denied by a great save by Suckley to keep the game at 1-0 to TNS.

In the 52nd minute, Saints substitute, Evie Williams, managed to fire the ball at goal from the edge of the box, with the long-distance opportunity narrowly going over the crossbar.

Past the hour, Teare struck an effort just inside the box, but the 22-year-old’s shot went wide of the target.

With 22 minutes to go, Madison Lloyd hit an attempt for Pontypridd on the other side of the field from 20-yards out, but it didn’t challenge Suckley, who collected comfortably.

In the 78th minute, TNS managed to double their advantage, when Teare made a good run into the opposition box and past Wojtyczka’s near post.

The third came not long after, with a Caitlin Chapman corner leading to a scramble in the box, before Izzy Redding powered the ball into the net from close distance.

That goal marked the end to the competitive season for Draper’s team, as TNS lifted the Genero Adran Premier Plate.