Cardiff City end decade long wait for Adran Premier title with win over TNS
Cardiff City v TNS in Adran Premier League at Leckwith Stadium on 26th March 2023. Credit: Perry Dobbins.
Cardiff City won the Adran Premier for the first time in a decade, after beating TNS 3-1 in the Championship Conference at Leckwith Stadium.
Two goals from Siobhan Walsh and one from Ffion Price sealed the silverware for the Bluebirds, but they were made to work hard for it as TNS posed numerous challenges from them.
The opening gambit was tentative. Neither side really having long spells of possession and neither having the cutting edge to carve out a chance.
Set pieces were proving a bright spark for City. A corner was scrambled of the line by Beth Lewis, while Ffion Price went close with a free kick, but Sarah Parkes got down well to make the save.
TNS have been the league’s surprise package this season, and they were matching the Bluebirds stride for stride and look more than capable of getting something from the game. A shot from distance from Lucie Platt testing Ceryn Chamberlain.
However, City nerves digressed on the half hour mark. Manon Pearce played the ball out to Price, and her cross turned into a shot and looped over Parkes into the net, causing an explosion of noise at the Cardiff International Sports Campus.
Their joy would be short lived as the Saints responded instantly to equalise. A Beth Lewis free kick from 35-yards somehow evaded everyone in the box and nestled in the far corner, they were relishing bursting the Bluebirds bubble.
Following the equaliser the game reverted back to the midfield battle that we had been used to, and going into half time, it was the visitors who seemed to be the most confident of the two sides.
At the beginning of the second half you could sense and feel the frustrations of the City players, a slack pass or a bad touch causing audible disgust in the Blues ranks.
But ten minutes into the second half they regained the lead. A Seren Watkins corner found the run of Siobhan Walsh at the near post, who headed past the keeper, as her remarkable goal scoring run from centre-back continued.
There was a feeling on the pitch and around the ground that another City goal would put the game beyond doubt. Eliza Collie set off to try and get the third, but Parkes made a low save to thwart her.
For large parts of the second half it didn’t look like there would be a third goal, but with seven minutes remaining, Lily Billingham was bought down in the area, leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Walsh stepped up to take it and sent Parkes the wrong way.
The Saints would fail to learn from their lessons as a couple of minutes later they fouled Billingham again in the box, leaving the referee to point to the spot again. This time, Walsh dragged her effort wide.
But it didn’t matter, as Cardiff held out to be crowned Adran Premier champions.
Player of the Match: Ffion Price
Siobhan Walsh’s brace of course deserves a mention but Price was solid again today. It was a tight game but Price’s opener really helped to settle down the Bluebirds. Her industrious work down the right flank was admirable once again and she has certainly been one of the players of the season in the Adran Premier.
Cardiff City: Ceryn Chamberlain (GK), Ffion Price, Hannah Power (Hollie Smith, 88’), Siobhan Walsh (C), Meg Bowen, Danielle Green, Manon Pearce (Lily Billingham, 61’), Danielle Broadhurst, Rhianne Oakley (Zoe Atkins, 66’), Eliza Collie (Catherine Walsh, 88’)
Unused Subs: Emily Roberts
Goals: Ffion Price (30’), Siobhan Walsh (55’, 84’ p)
TNS: Sarah Parkes (GK), Beth Lewis © (Courtney Ashworth, 84’), Nicole Samson, Chantelle Teare, Lucie Platt, Helen Evans, Georgie Gresham, Isobel Redding, Lia Lewis, Danielle Staley, Evie Williams (Faye Marshall, 89’)
Unused Subs: Libby Rubin, Olivia Rathe
Goals: Beth Lewis (32’) Yellow Cards: Isobel Redding (66’)
