Abergavenny Women made a winning start to the Welsh Premier Women’s League season as they defeated Cascade Ladies 3-0 at Pen-y-Pound Stadium.
Sian Bull and Mali Summers scored in the first-half, before Lyndsey Davies made sure of the points to give Craig Morgan-Hill victory in his first game in charge of the Pennies.
The game was won from Abergavenny taking their chances when they were presented to them.
League new comers Cascade meanwhile offered a strong second-half showing but were unable to force Zara Pernalete into any work.
Goalkeeper Hollie Williams did however put in a solid performance and was unfortunate to be on the losing side with some fine one-on-one saves to keep the deficit to three goals.
The hosts began the game on the front foot with Amy Thrupp and Lauren Boyd causing problems for the away defence.
Captain Ceri Hudson had the chance to open her account but her free-kick was driven wide of the target.
Two further opportunities were presented to the hosts when Sian Bull’s stretched effort went wide before Boyd hit a shot straight at goalkeeper Williams after the ball fell kindly to the Pennies winger.
In Cascade’s first opportunity they almost opened the scoring directly from a set piece as Daisy Evan-Watkins’ corner hit the post.
Williams meanwhile was forced into action up the other end as she made a tremendous block to any Eliza Atkins a direct route on goal.
Abergavenny did break down the Cascade barrier eventually as in the 26th minute, Atkins found Bull in the box and she powered shot past Williams for the opening goal.
Bull’s strike created a weakness in the Cascade backline as spaces began to open up for the Abergavenny forwards to make.
Cascade’s best chance of an equaliser was when captain Annaliese Lewis’s well-delivered cross found Holly Hughes but the substitute was unable to test Zara Pernalete who was making her Abergavenny debut.
The home side were unfazed however and created more opportunities. From outside the box, Abergavenny’s Megan Jones hit the crossbar with a thudded effort.
They were then presented with an opportunity from 12-yards as Amy Thrupp was tripped in the box after she made a telling run from Davies’ delicate pass.
Defender Mali Summers stepped forward and smacked a low penalty past the despairing Williams who guessed the right way.
A quick-fire third was almost added as Thrupp headed just over from Bulls’ corner in the last chance of the half.
Cascade emerged from the dressing room with new inspired confidence.
Lewis and Evan-Watkins were building together a fruitful partnership as the two exchanged a number of passes in routes at goal.
Chrystalla Moreton’s shot from outside the box was Cascade’s best chance in an early spell of pressure.
As Cascade began to grow into the game, keeper Williams made a crucial block to deny Davies.
Davies was presented with another opportunity but as she broke into the box, she shot wide.
Substitute Carys Bufton almost increased the advantage for Morgan-Hill’s side as low driven shot sailed agonisingly wide of the post.
After a handful of chances, Davies did get on the scoresheet as she breezed through the Cascade defence to score with a composed finish.
Approaching stoppage time, she almost replicated her goal but this time Hollie Williams saved well at the near post to deny the Pennies frontwoman in the last notable opportunity of the match.
Abergavenny Women: Zara Pernalete, Megan Jones, Abigail Powell, Mali Summers, Zoe Russell (Elena Scrivens, 59), Eliza Atkins (Lauren Daniels, 55), Sian Bull, Ceri Hudson (C), Lyndsey Davies, Amy Thrupp, Lauren Boyd (Carys Bufton, 65)
Goals: Sian Bull 26, Mali Summers p 43, Lyndsey Davies 78’
Cascade Ladies: Hollie Williams, Sophie Hamer, Charlotte Palmer, Casey Thomas, Chrystalla Moreton, Lana Cooper, Daisy Evan-Watkins, Annaliese Lewis (C), Abbie Davies (Holly Hughes, 34), Mia Kemp (Charlotte Candy, 45), Jodi Bowles (Zoe Anthony, 83)
See how Abergavenny claimed victory over Cascade here:
(Featured Image: Will Cheshire)
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