Difficult day at The Rock for Saints Women

Match Report

Goals: Havard (37)
Substitutions: Chapman for Buckland (46), Thomas for Havard (66), Edge for Baker (85)

Match report by Michael Davies
Lead image: F28.Online

The New Saints Women suffered a 3-1 loss against Wrexham at The Rock in the first match of the Championship Conference in the Genero Adran Premier.

Ava Suckley scored a brace for the hosts, before Molly Havard netted towards the end of the first-half. Carra Jones found a third for Wrexham in the second 45 to secure the three points for the Red Dragons.

The result means The New Saints remain third in the Adran Premier table on 27 points.

Early on on the game, Grace Dunkerley crossed in a great ball that found Lexi Jones in the box, who shot from a few yards, with Liz Craven able to make a fine save down to her bottom-right for the hosts to stop the danger.

In the 17th minute, Wrexham had a chance of their own through distance, courtesy of Erin Lovett, however it was to cause no issues, as the opportunity went off target.

Not long later, Maria Francis-Jones whipped a corner in for Shauna Duffy’s side that found Helen Evans, who headed wide from inside the 18-yard-area.

It was Wrexham who took the lead in the 24th minute through Ava Suckley. The 21-year-old had a shot from 20-yards away that powered into the goal at the near post.

The Red Dragons took a 2-0 lead moments on, as a mishap at back led to a Suckley scoring a second into an empty net from close-distance.

Up the other end of the pitch, The New Saints found a goal back in the 37th minute, when Dunkerley put in a great cross that found Molly Havard in the six-yard-area , and the number 44 netted from point-blank range.

Before the break, Abbie Iddenden had a couple of a chances for Wrexham. The first was a good stop by an onrushing Mackenzie Haydn-Jones, and the second was a long-distance attempt that went over the crossbar.

At the start of the second 45, the Cefn Mawr-based side continued to attack, as goal-mouth scramble led to a decent save by Haydn-Jones.

Wrexham took a 3-1 lead before the hour, when a Carra Jones outside the box effort fired into the net.

Haydn-Jones made a good stop to prevent Steve Dale’s team of another in the 62nd minute. The former West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper stood her ground well to stop Amber Lightfoot from inside the 18-yard-area following an Iddenden shot.

With just over 20 minutes to go, Saints skipper, Lia Lewis, tried her luck from distance, but it was to come to no prevail.

It was to be last of the action, as Wrexham collected the three points.

Duffy’s TNS are next in action against Briton Ferry Llansawel at Park Hall Stadium in the Adran Premier on Sunday, March 9.