Saints Women on cloud nine

Match Report

Goals: Ridge (14, 41, 49, 62), Helen Evans (26, 42, 57), Redding (31), Samson (58)
Substitutions: L.Lewis for Hartley (46), Watson for Helen Evans (59), Millie Evans for Redding (59), Teare for B.Lewis (75)

Match report by Michael Davies
Lead image: F28.Online

The New Saints Women made it through to the quarter-finals of the Genero Adran Trophy this evening thanks to a 9-0 win against Rhyl 1879 at Park Hall Stadium.

Emily Ridge got four goals, and Helen Evans scored a hat-trick, while the other goalscorers were Izzy Redding and Nicole Samson.

Victory means a quarter-final tie away at Swansea University on Sunday, January 7th.

Early on in the game, Evie Williams ran into the box and had a shot on target from close range that Bethan Thomas managed to gather.

In the 14th minute, The New Saints took the lead, as Helen Evans had a shot from distance that was palmed away by Thomas, but Emily Ridge was on the follow up to tap the ball home from six-yards out.

Not long later, Nicole Samson almost doubled the home team’s advantage through an effort from outside the box that narrowly went off target.

Moments on, the Oswestry-based team hit another effort at the Rhyl 1879 goal through a Georgia Griffiths half-volley from 25-yards away, which forced Bethan Thomas into a save.

The Saints made it a 2-0 lead in the 26th minute through a Beth Lewis corner that found Helen Evans in the box, who headed the ball into the Rhyl net.

Just past the half-hour mark, it was a third. Izzy Redding netted the goal of the season so far, as the centre-half hit an effort from 35-yards out that went over Bethan Thomas, and into the goal.

Greg Draper’s team’s fourth in the 40th minute, as a long-range attempt was saved away by Bethan Thomas, however Ridge was there to score on the rebound, in what was a similar goal to her first.

Seconds past the restart, goal number five came through a Staley pass across the box that found Evans, who tapped the ball into an empty net for a brace.

At the start of the second 45, Griffiths had an effort from 25-yards that forced Bethan Thomas into a stop.

Moments later, Matilda Edge made a pass into the box to that found Staley, who narrowly shot over the crossbar.

TNS found a sixth goal in the 49th minute, where Staley had a shot from just outside the box that was palmed away by Bethan Thomas, but the ball fell to Ridge, and number 35 scored from close range for a hat-trick.

A seventh came in the 57th minute through a Helen Evans wonder goal from 30-yards out that went flying into the top of the net.

The eighth goal happened shortly after, as Beth Lewis put in a cross that found Nicole Samson, who netted from point-blank range for a first senior team goal.

Number nine came just past the hour, with Staley delivering a through ball to Ridge, who tucked the ball past Bethan Thomas for the number 35’s fourth goal.

In the 81st minute, Dani Staley got an attempt away from 25-yards out that hit the post and went wide, but it wasn’t to matter, as TNS safely went through to the quarter-finals.

It’s back to Genero Adran Premier action this Sunday (December 17th), as Cardiff Met are the visitors to Park Hall.