An Alison Witts equaliser sealed the Conference Plate for Pontypridd United, after a 1-1 draw against a gutsy Barry Town United side.
After a quiet first half, Sophie Norman put Barry in front with an excellent header. But Ponty rallied back, and Witts’s clever finish sealed their second consecutive Conference Plate.
Before the game, it was announced that Sean Wharton had stepped away from his position as manager of Barry and that Dafydd Williams had been appointed as interim manager until the end of the season.
The opening foray was even but interesting. For Barry, they were looking to get forward at any opportunity and tried to get balls over the top for Mackenzie Olden to chase onto.
For Ponty, they were content to play the ball around the midfield and rely on the abundance of pace they had up front to get them in behind and cause the Barry defence headaches.
Frustratingly, much of the first half for both sides would consist of offside calls and stray passes.
Barry’s best chance came from a Taite Trivett cross that flashed across the face of goal, but no one was there to convert.
The Dragons’ best chance was almost a carbon copy of the Linnets’ half chance. Ellie Gunney with good progress down the wing before sending in a low cross, but no one in a white shirt was there to tap in.
Ponty started the second half with far more of an incentive in their attack, a more direct style of play, and it almost paid off for them early in the half. Liv Francis collected a ball over the top before jinking her way round Lauren Harris, but her curling effort cannoned back off the post.
Barry hadn’t scored a goal since the league split, but they finally got on the score sheet seven minutes into the second half. A corner from Holly Jenkins met by the head of Sophie Norman. Scenes of joy on and off the pitch for Town.
The visitors almost got themselves back into the contest immediately. Alison Witts fought for the ball expertly, and her effort just trickled past the post. Ponty were knocking on the door.
For all of Ponty’s pressing, Barry were matching it with tenacious work in the midfield and a defence set up to thwart their pacey forwards.
But their work was undone 15 minutes before the end. Witts beat the offside trap before taking a touch and sliding the ball past the onrushing Erin Brennan. With the Dragons level, could they find a winner and complete the comeback?
With one goal under her belt, Witts was eyeing up another one. Evie Hughes’ cross was met by the substitute, but Witts could only find the side netting.
It was becoming an all-hands-on deck situation for Barry, but Brennan was up for the task as she made two great saves in a minute. First a strong leg to deny Francis, and then a clever save to stop Witts from scoring.
Maddie Williams was next to try her luck with a great run into the box, but she could only prod her effort wide.
Barry battled hard and were deserving of their point in the end. Ponty will be disappointed not to win but will be happy that they’ve got the job done today.
Player of the Match: Hana Bennett
Ponty’s midfield has been great all season, but I thought Bennett did very well to cope with them. She got to every second ball, was not afraid to go into challenges, and had the vision to pick out a teammate when required.
Barry Town United
Erin Brennan (GK), Lauren Harris ©, Holly Jenkins, Nia Davies, Delia Ebbin, Hana Bennett, Taite Trivett (Demi Parry, 70’), Mackenzie Olden, Gina Robinson (Amelia Herbert, 86’), Faith Mulenga, Sophie Norman (Phoenix Phillips, 61’)
Unused Subs: Ruby Hamed-Jones, Maisy Fahey-Pennell
Goals: Sophie Norman (52’)
Yellow Cards: Mackenzie Olden (56’)
Pontypridd United
Maisie Jones (GK), Shannon Greenway, Clare Daley, Holly Broad ©, Ellie Gunney (Anais Trinci, 66’), Kirstie Pervin-Davies, Maddie Williams, Liv Francis, Efa Preece Jones (Alison Witts, 54’), Evie Hughes, Jasmine Turner
Unused Subs: Jess Osborne, Erin Parry, Holly Salmons
Goals: Alison Witts (76’)
Yellow Cards: Clare Daley (69’), Shannon Greenway (74’), James Fishlock (90’)
After the game, we spoke to Pontypridd’s goal scorer, Alison Witts.
“It was a tough game. Barry always have a fight in them, wherever they are in the table they always come out and put the hard tackles in! A tough one for us but glad we got the job done.
“Getting the goal and getting us the plate was obviously important, I probably could have put some more shots away but that’s football. But the main thing was to get the job done.
“Happy to win the plate and happier we didn’t leave it until the final game of the season. I don’t think anyone wanted to go into the final game needing a win, but we can go into it now and enjoy our football and hopefully get the right result.”
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