Saints Women comeback twice against Ferry to claim three points

Match Report

https://Twitter.com/tnsfcwomen/status/1990042261783282004?s=20

Goals: Harrison (17), Chapman (21), Lewis (38)
Yellow cards: Webb (86)
Substitutions: Thomas for Teare (64), Crees for Gibbs (80), Jones for Chapman (80), Evans for Harrison (90+2)

Match report by Michael Davies
Lead image: Craig Thomas / FAW

The New Saints Women remained fourth in the Adran Premier table with a 3-2 win over Briton Ferry Llansawel at Park Hall Stadium.

All the goals came in the first-half, as Briton Ferry took the lead twice through goals from Jade Crofts and Freya Peyton, with The New Saints hitting back thanks to Lexie Harrison, Caitlin Chapman, and Lia Lewis.

Briton Ferry Llansawel took the lead early on in the third minute, as Jade Crofts netted past Mackenzie Haydn-Jones’ bottom-left from a few yards out.

The New Saints had an opportunity not long after the restart through a Lexie Harrison pass into the box that found Gibraltar international, Caitlin Chapman, who shot on target from inside the box, but the ball went straight into the hands of Ferry keeper, Courtney Young.

Harrison got an equaliser for the Saints in the 17th minute, when the number ten made a great run from outside the box, weaved in and out of the defence, and netted past Young’s bottom-left.

The visitors retook the lead a couple of minutes on where a mishap at the back led to a Freya Peyton strike going into an empty net from close-range.

Saints got a second equaliser moments on in the 21st minute, when Teare passed a through to Chapman, who smashed a strike into the top of the net from outside the penalty area.

Mikey Harris’ team hit the front foot following the restart, and it was the same combination to the second goal, as Teare played a through ball to Chapman, who shot from 20-yards out, with a save by Young palmed away.

The Oswestry-based team took the lead for the first time in the 38th minute, as a fantastic corner from Wales international, Maria Francis-Jones, found captain, Lia Lewis, in the six-yard-area, and the 29-year-old chested the ball into the net from point-blank range.

A the start of the second half, Meagan Kearle tried her luck from distance for Ferry, however Haydn-Jones was there to catch up the ball.

In the 51st minute, Gibbs played a pass to Chapman, who managed to turn and have a shot, and was only denied of a second of the game by fine Young save.

Later on in the half, TNS pushed for a fourth, as Francis-Jones, hit a free-kick, from the edge of the box, which hit the crossbar before being cleared.

Another opportunity came for another TNS goal in the 75th minute, as Zara Gibbs chance from just inside the box went over the crossbar.

Right at the end of the of the match, Kearle crossed a ball into the box that found Laura-may Walkley-Witts, who had an effort from close-range that went off target, as TNS held on for the three points.

TNS take a break from Adran Premier action next week, with it being the start of the Welsh Cup campaign against Bangor at Park Hall on Sunday, November 23rd.