Merthyr Town 2-5 Swansea University: Quick fire Horsburgh hatrick seals win for Students.

Merthyr Town hosted Swansea University at Penydarren Park in a battle down the bottom of the Ardal Genero Adran South on Sunday afternoon where the visitors capped off a 5-2 win thanks to a 18 minute hat trick from substitute Katie Horsburgh. Also goals from Emily Freeman and Lucy Morris capped off the win for the students.

The home side who we’re currently rock bottom on minus three points going into the game started the better side and they created the first chance of the afternoon, Jess Pascoe was causing problems, she cut in and fancied a shot, but it was easily saved from Parker-Smith.

The visitors then played themselves back into the game, Lucy Morris latched onto a through ball, and she as she was one on one with the keeper, she looked up, but her shot was placed straight at the keeper.

The dead lock was broken on the half hour, Emily Freeman found some room on the left-hand side, she delivered a good ball into the area, the keeper came for the ball and unfortunately it was under the arms of Shannon Miller and gave the students the lead.

Uni then had the upper hand, and they were now playing some lovely football, Emily Freeman gathered the ball in the midfield area, she looked up and found Lucy Morris with a through ball and Morris placed it into the net to double the student’s lead.

Merthyr however come out the second side the better side and cut the lead, it was a good ball into the area and the ball bobbled and the visitors couldn’t quite clear the ball and it fell to Sophie Whittle who found herself in some space and the ball managed to creep just inside the post and into the net.

But then the frantic start to the second half continued, Uni grabbed hold of possession and started passing the ball around the midfield very nicely, Lucy Morris then latched onto a through ball and even had enough time to look up, but her shot was straight at the keeper.

Then game then completely changed, Emily Freeman picked up the ball and played a through ball to Katie Horsburgh who just come off the bench and the tall midfielder rounded the keeper and tapped the ball into the net to give the visitors a 3-1 lead.

4 minutes later, Horsburgh was then found in the action again, it was yet again a lovely, placed ball by Freeman and Horsburgh found herself through on goal and she neatly slotted the ball away and the students were now flying and claiming an easy 3 points.

Emily Freeman was in the action again and the unselfish captain got the ball on the left, the keeper come out, but she neatly squared the ball across the area, and it was a tap in for Horsburgh who claimed her 19-minute hat trick.

8 minutes before the full-time whistle, the home side got themselves a consolation goal. It was a free kick in their own half, which was put into a lovely area by Sophie Whittle, and it was a tap in for Jenna Jones.

The score remained 5-2 going into the final 5 minutes on a cold afternoon in Merthyr, the visitors claimed the 3 points and stayed 6th but are now only 1 point behind Caldicot with there next game being against them at Sketty Lane in 3 weeks.

Merthyr Town: Shannon Miller (GK), Casey Cayford, Lilia Simonov, Sophie Whittle, Alysha Hitchings (C), Morgan Evans, Jess Pascoe, Isabelle Kaler, Ella Howells (Nicole O’Leary 60′), Amy Davies (Jenna Jones 77′), Kaylei Pugh (Charlie Prosser 69′).

Goals: Sophie Whittle 46′, Jenna Jones 82′.

Swansea University: Shelbie Parker Smith, Yasmin Bryd, Caitlin Meadows, Lucy Morris (Katie Horsburgh 56′), Emily Freeman (C) , Charley Haynes, Kate Webb (Jessica Haynes 56′), Lizzie Ferrar (Seren Farrup 60′), Becky Read, Isabel King, Freya Sullivan.

Goals: Emily Freeman 33′, Lucy Morris 37′, Katie Horsburgh 59′, 63′, 74′.