Saints Women lose tight contest against Cheadle

Match Report

https://Twitter.com/tnsfcwomen/status/2024191975855980786?s=20

Goals: Teare (35, 88)
Substitutions: Crees for Chapman (29), Evans for Dunkerley (34). Gibbs for Ewers (34), Howard for Bowen (46), Homer for Webb (46)

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

The New Saints Women suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat against English tier four team, Cheadle Town Stingers, in a midweek friendly at Park Hall Stadium.

Cheadle Town scored through a Jess Gillin brace, and a goal from captain, Imogen Porteous-Williams.

Chantelle Teare replied with a double for the Oswestry-based team in a narrow loss.

The match was a competitive one throughout, which was just edged by the visitors.

In the opening exchanges of the match, Cheadle Town Stingers skipper, Imogen Porteous-Williams, had a shot from just outside the box that went narrowly wide of the net.

The English tier four team took the lead in the 5th minute, as a mix up at the back led to a Jess Gillin goal into an empty net from close-range.

A few minutes later, Chantelle Teare had an effort from outside the 18-yard area that went off target.

Gillin went up the other pitch for Cheadle Town in the 17th minute, as the winger hit the crossbar from a tight angle the penalty area.

Megan Bowen made a great save to stop Cheadle of a second goal moments on, when Izzy Dean had a header from close-distance that was palmed away by the 17-year-old goalkeeper.

Just past the half hour mark, Mia Davies delivered a great through ball to Teare, but the forward couldn’t get a shot away,

The New Saints found an equaliser in the 35th minute, as Gibraltar international, Caitlin Chapman, made a run down the right-hand side, and passed the ball into Teare, who netted from point-blank range.

Not too long after the restart, the Saints skipper, Lia Lewis, had a powerful effort from 20-yards out that narrowly went over the crossbar.

Into the second 45, Elizabeth Potier had an effort for the visitors shortly before the hour from not far out that hit the side netting.

Shortly after in the 61st minute, Chapman made a good run in the box and got an effort away which didn’t trouble Sophie Donald in the Cheadle goal, as the effort dragged wide.

Donald was made to work five minutes later, when Chapman ran up the pitch and passed the ball across the box to Lexie Harrison, who had two consecutive efforts from close-range, but were both met by excellent saves from Donald.

Cheadle went up the pitch seconds on and scored, as a defected shot from Gillin found the back of the net from inside the box for the number seven’s brace.

Saints look to hit back for a second equaliser in the 71st minute, with a strong Chapman effort from a few yards out caught by Donald.

A third goal came for Cheadle in the 76th minute, as Gillin crossed a good ball in that found Porteous-Williams at the front post, and the captain headed the ball into the net.

Towards the end in the 86th minute, a cross came into Cheadle’s number nine, Kenzie Bentley, who had a header from a few yards out that went over the crossbar.

Kieran Lee-Birch’s side managed to find a second goal in the 88th minute, as Teare danced around the Cheadle defence and goalkeeper to score into an open goal from close distance.

That was the end of the action as Cheadle walked away with the win.

TNS return to competitive action on Sunday, March 1st against Swansea City at Park Hall Stadium in the Genero Adran Premier.