Penybont see off Newport City challenge as Katie Richards nets hat-trick
Pontypridd Ladies v Penybont Women at Parc Abercynon on the 9th July 2023.
A superb display from Katie Richards helped guide Penybont into the second round of the Bute Energy Welsh Cup, with a 5-1 dismantling of Newport City.
16-year-old Richards grabbed herself a hat trick, while there were also goals for Maisy Fahey-Pennell and Maddie Priday. Lyndsey Davies scored a consolation goal for Newport, but they were well beaten on the day.
With both teams lying first and second in the third tier, no one was going to predict a slow and scrappy game, and that’s certainly not how the first half played out. Both fought to be on the front foot, and that made for an intense and entertaining first 45 minutes.
While Newport City did have most of the ball early on, they couldn’t find the final pass when they got into promising positions in the top third of the pitch. For Penybont, they looked compact, but had a lot of pace in attack to cause their opponents plenty of problems.
The first chance of the game resulted in the first goal, and that went Bont’s way. Katie Richards spotted Rebecca Smith off her line and attempted an audacious lob. The chip was certainly close to going in, but in an attempt to save it, Smith ended up punching the ball into the net. It will be Richards’ goal, but not one Smith will want to see back again.
The response from the visitors was good, and they almost found themselves level on the half-hour mark. A free kick caused a chain of events that really tested the Bont defence. Hannah Walsh missed from two yards out, someone hit the crossbar, another hit the post, before the ball was eventually cleared. The home side’s goal was living a charmed life.
Instantly, Penybont went up the other end and should’ve had their second. Richards made a great run into the channel and crossed the ball perfectly to Courtney Griffiths, but she missed from close range. All in all, a good half, but Bont had just edged it.
While they may not have been at their clinical best in the first half, Penybont put on a dominating performance in the second.
The first bit of action saw a chance for Newport City to equalise. Rachel Isaac’s clever pass fed in Lauren Daniels, who went one-on-one with Victoria Boyce, but she could only guide her effort over the crossbar.
How City would rue their golden opportunity, as Bont made them pay dearly. Richards managed to get ahead of her marker, before skipping past the onrushing Smith and rolling the ball into an empty net to double the lead. Two minutes later, she grabbed a superbly taken hat-trick, as she converted at a tight angle from distance.
Richards would go off, but her team were certainly not done scoring. Substitute Maisy Fahey-Pennell worked tirelessly to win the ball back high up the pitch, before curling a sumptuous strike over Smith for goal number four of the afternoon.
Newport would hit back, as Lyndsey Davies passed the ball into the goal, but the deficit would grow back to four in stoppage time, as Maddie Priday snuck her free kick into the bottom corner.
A great display from Penybont, who will be in the hat for the second round.
Player of the Match: Katie Richards
What a display from the striker. Not only does she know where the goal is, she can run in behind, she can out strength any opponent, she can run the channels, and she’s more than capable of setting up a teammate. She’s only 16, but Richards plays like a player beyond her years.
Penybont
Victoria Boyce ©, Isabelle Lewis, Layla Williams, Courtney Griffiths (Mikaela Hood 77’), Maddie Priday, Emma Thomas (Sara Jones 76’), Katie Richards (Mae Taylor 77’), Paige Richardson (Rebecca Struthers 61’), Georgina Watts, Nia Morris (Maisy Fahey-Pennell 55’), Ffion Owen
Goals: Katie Richards (23’, 68’, 70’), Maisy Fahey-Pennell (82’), Maddie Priday (90’)
Newport City
Rebecca Smith, Shauna Rostron (Ellie Young 77’), Hannah Walsh, Amy Doswell, Rachel Isaac (Chloe Jones 64’), Gabby Willavise © (Seren McQueen Oliver 77’), Lyndsey Davies, Lauren Daniels, Number 11 (Emma Godman 73’), Lucy Walters, Abigail Powell (Jade Williams 77’)
Goals: Lyndsey Davies (83’)
