Saints Women knock out holders in Genero Adran Trophy

Match Report

Goals: Buckland (27)

Match report by Michael Davies
Lead image: F28.Online

The New Saints Women advanced to the semi-finals of the Genero Adran trophy for a fourth consecutive season with a 1-0 victory over the holders, Cardiff City, at Park Hall Stadium.

Olivia Buckland netted the only goal of the game that ultimately separated the teams.

The quarter-final Adran Trophy win was The New Saints’ first ever victory over the Bluebirds .

It was the visitors that had the first opportunity at goal in the 11th minute, as Seren Thomas-Condon had a shot inside the box that Becca Elliott managed to stop.

Cardiff City were reduced to ten players in the 13th minute. Mikayla Cook made an apparent stamp on Caitlin Chapman, and the Bluebirds’ number 21 was shown her marching orders by the referee.

Not long later, The New Saints almost capitalised on the opportunity. A Sophie Phillips over-the-top ball found Chantelle Teare, who ran through on goal, and shot inside the 18-yard area, but the was denied by a fine Ceryn Chamberlain save.

Before the half hour, The Saints broke the deadlock. A Cardiff back pass was intercepted by Chapman, and the 21-year-old managed to square the ball to Olivia Buckland across the box, where Saints’ number 25 slotted into an empty goal to net in back-to-back games.

Shauna Duffy’s team weren’t far off another in the 39th minute, when a Teare pass found Chapman, who hit a shot off target from close range.

Another chance arrived shortly before the break, as Francis-Jones made a cross that found Chapman at the back post, but the Northern Ireland under-19 international couldn’t fully connect with the opportunity.

At the start of the second 45, the Oswestry-based side came close to a second. Buckland passed a good ball to Chapman, and the winger hit narrowly wide off target from inside the box.

With just over 15 minutes to go, Cayman Islands international, Molly Kehoe, had a long-range strike for Iain Darbyshire’s Cardiff, but it drifted away from the net.

Moments on, TNS countered through a great Phillips over-the-top-ball that found Buckland, which led to a shot from the 17-year-old from a few yards out, however the effort was met by a good Chamberlain stop.

With not long to go, Helen Evans hit the crossbar from just outside the penalty area.

That was the end of the of the action, as TNS held on for a terrific win.

Duffy’s team are next in action against Swansea City at Park Hall Stadium in the Genero Adran Premier on Sunday, December 15.