After a five-month hiatus, the Adran North and the Adran South finally got back underway this weekend.
There were derbies, goals, and flashpoints aplenty to discuss from this weekend. We take a closer look at those in the first roundup of the season.
Adran North
We start the roundup at Ffordd Derwen. For NFA, this was their first game in the Adran North after sealing promotion last season. However, they couldn’t have been handed a harder task, as Llandudno came to town. Dudno won the league two years ago, and they really showed their talent in this game, as they ran out 10-1 winners.
Two quick goals before the 20th minute mark from Maddie Williams and Stevie Donougher put the Seasiders two up, before Williams bagged her second on the stroke of half time. While the first half was tame for last season’s third placed side, they really ramped things up in the second half. Williams completed her hat-trick, there were goals for Stacey Tradewell and Sioned Phillips, while Donougher, who was making her debut for the club, scored another four and take her tally to five for this game. Jessica Mills scored a consolation goal for NFA in stoppage time.
For the newly promoted side, their season won’t be judged on this result, and they will come back stronger. For Llandudno, it was certainly a statement of intent.
After picking up three points all season last year, Airbus were looking start the season on a far more positive note. Their first opponents were title favourites Connah’s Quay, who showed their credentials straight away by dismantling the Wingmakers 5-0.
The Nomads didn’t have things all their own way in the first half, finding it tricky to break down the Airbus defence, but six minutes before the break, Shannon Hobbs broke the deadlock. Scoring a goal right before the break really set Connah’s Quay in motion, and they stepped up their game in the second half. Hobbs added a second two minutes into the half, there was a brace for Polly Wild-McGregor, while 16-year-old Phoebe Ellis came off the bench to score.
The perfect start for Connah’s Quay as they try and reach the playoff final for the first time. Airbus will take a lot from their first half, as they try and put together a successful season.
When looking at the fixtures for the opening day, one jumped off the page straight away, Bangor against Rhyl. It’s a fixture that’s always lively and fiery, and it was the Lilywhites who came out on top on this occasion with a 1-0 win.
New signing Sade Benjamin scored the only goal of the contest in the 18th minute to make sure Rhyl got off to the perfect start. Rhyl had a strong season last time out, and they will look to take a couple steps forward this season.
While a derby defeat will of course linger, Bangor can take a lot of heart from this. Taking a competitive team like Rhyl all the way will give them a lot of belief for the season ahead, and a sign that they will surprise teams this season.
The final game in the Adran North this weekend takes us to Powys, where Llanfair United hosted Y Felinheli. It was a below par season for United last time, but they certainly had some players who could drag them to a win. Felinheli are perhaps the dark horse this year after a strong finish to last season, and they picked up where they left off, as they defeated Llanfair 4-0.
First half goals from Nel Huws and Jordanne Greenough had Felinheli in a comfortable position at the break, before Shannon Jones scored a three-minute brace in the second half to make sure the three points came back home with them.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how Y Felinheli do against the likes of Connah’s Quay and Llandudno. For Llanfair United, they will want to bounce back straight away.
Adran South
After suffering heartbreak against Wrexham last season, there’s a lot of pressure on Briton Ferry to step up and get over that line this season. Their first fixture came against Pontardawe Town, who finished third last season, and with Catryn Cook up front, could cause anyone trouble. Despite the threat the visitors posed, Ferry swept them aside with an emphatic 11-0 victory.
After a tight and cagey opening 30 minutes, Mollie Jones opened up the game, as she scored a brace in nine minutes. Alison Witts joined the club from Pontypridd United over the summer, and she couldn’t have asked for a better debut. A first half hat-trick was followed up with two second half goals, as she took her tally to a fantastic five on the opening day.
There were two goals for Georgia Howells along with a goal each for Laura-May Walkley and Chelsea Deacon in the second half, as Ferry put the rest of the league on notice with an eyebrow raising win. For Pontardawe, it’s a matter of putting this result behind them and focusing on the next challenge.
The team fancied to challenge Ferry this season are Cascade. They got their campaign underway with a home fixture against newly promoted Coed Duon, who had lofty ambitions to challenge in this division. In the end, it was Cascade who emerged victorious with a 4-0 win.
Both teams had set up well defensively in the first half, with neither attack thriving, and it was looking like Coed Duon would hold on until half time. But they were dealt a sucker punch in stoppage time, as wonder strikes from Erin Parry and Molly Chapman had Cascade two up at the break in the blink of an eye.
With two goals under their belt, Cascade stepped up a level in the second half and played some wonderful free flowing football. A brace for Lauren Boyd was the icing on top of the cake in a good win for the Red and Blues. Coed Duon can take a lot of heart from the defeat for sure, and they will build on this result.
The second team debuting in the Adran South were Cwmbran Celtic. Their first game would be at home to Caldicot Town, who had strengthened well in the transfer window. In a topsy-turvy game, it was the Celtic who recorded their first win in the second tier, a 4-2 triumph.
Captain Eloise Meaney scored 16 goals in the third-tier last season, and she kept her momentum going in the second tier, as she put Cwmbran ahead 15 minutes in. But Jade Crofts, who signed from Cardiff Wanderers, put Caldicot back on level terms ten minutes before the break. Life for Cwmbran wouldn’t be smooth sailing, as last season’s top scorer Fiona Anthony was sent off before the break. Would that stop Celtic? Absolutely not, as Kim Harrison scored in first half stoppage time to make sure they went in ahead.
Harrison was on fire, and her goal eight minutes into the second half had Cwmbran in dreamland. Crofts was trying all she could to get Caldicot back into the contest as she grabbed her second, but Meaney’s second three minutes from time took the game away from the visitors. A thriller to start the season.
Our final stop this week takes us Stebonheath Park, as the third promoted side, Llanelli Town, got their campaign underway against local rivals Swansea University. In incredibly dramatic circumstances, it was the university side that took all three points with a 2-1 win.
After stumbling out the blocks last season, Swansea hit the ground running straight away and were ahead within the first five minutes, Hannah Perkins with the finish. But Llanelli hit back on the half hour mark through Stacey Webber. The game hung in the balance throughout, but in the 94th minute, Hannah Pinney scored the decisive goal and put a dagger through the hearts of Llanelli.
A big win for Swansea Uni, who will certainly be looking to have a better season this year.
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