Cardiff Met profit from own goal as Pontypridd United’s pointless start continues
Cardiff Met and Pontypridd United battle for the ball. (Image: Carl Robertson)
Cardiff Met ended Pontypridd United’s pointless start to the campaign as they edged past them 1-0 at Cyncoed Campus in the Adran Premier.
It was a good start to the game as both teams created well from the middle and used the width to good effect. However, in a defensive error, Pontypridd defender Shannon Greenway headed a seemingly harmless cross into her own net, in an attempt to clear it out for a corner in the 6th minute.
The visitors tried to equalize after a brilliant move from the midfield found Jasmine Turner on a one-on-one with Met goalie Daisy Farrow, who got a finger onto it to deflect it.
It was, however, the Pontypridd goalkeeper Klaudia Wojtyczka who was the star of the show in between the sticks throughout the game. She came off her line brilliantly throughout the ninety minutes to cut defensive openings, as she kept Emily Nicholson’s shot in a tackle-cum-save. The Archers attacked well from the left in the first half, as winger Faith Mulenga combined well with forward Ingrid Aadland, who loved to drop to the left herself.
Pontypridd did well in the next minutes to counter the Met link-up play, first by keeping a high and organized off-side line, and then by pressing high. Jasmine Turner and Sophie Topper were individually good for the travelers, but their work rate often had no end product.
Chelsea Cochrane almost had her moment of individual brilliance, when she volley-controlled a difficult long ball from the left, only to be tackled last moment by Clare Daley.
Cardiff Met ended the first half on a high, playing some beautiful football, apart from a defensive howler by their goalie Daisy Farrow who gifted the ball to Jasmine Turner in a dangerous position, who scuffed her volley shot.
The second half began in much colder and windier conditions, and the both teams were scrappy to start the half with. Pontypridd’s relentless pressure on goalkeeper Daisy Farrow almost worked, but the linesman came to the home side’s rescue, raising the flag for offside against Nia Jones.
Met’s Emily Bayliss dribbled herself out of an impossible situation in the 58th minute, as the Ponty defence took their frustration out a minute later with Nia Jones seeing a yellow for clattering into an incoming Met player.
Nia Jones pulled up her socks in the second half for the visitors, after a defence-breaking pass by Sophie Topper found Jones in a dangerous position, only for her to shoot a powerless shot.
Pontypridd found some rhythm after Klaudia Wojtyczka’s brilliant goalkeeping show at Cyncoed, but their attacks were handled well by the Met defence, especially Tiggeraa Webb.
The substitutions did not have the desired effect although Nia Jones seemed to motivate them enough to stay in the game throughout the half with a superb performance.
Goalie Wojtyczka continued an amazing performance, stopping a one-on-one shot by Met forward Aadland, who was spectacular throughout the game with runs and composed link-up plays.
Grace Corne’s match-winning tackle to deflect Ponty substitute Nadia Lawrence’s shot in the final minute of the regulation time was enough to see the Archers through, as they took home three points in a 1-0 win at Cyncoed in a thrilling which could have easily seen more goals from both sides, especially Cardiff Met.
Cardiff Met profit from own goal as Pontypridd United’s pointless start continues
Cardiff Met – Daisy Farrow (GK), Sophie Davidson, Amy Long, Tiggeraa Webb, Grace Corne, Emily Bayliss, Faith Mulenga (Lauren Payne 90+2′), Chelsea Cochrane, Ingird Aadland, Erin Murray, Emily Nicholson (Anna Houghton 77′)
Goals: Shannon Greenway (own goal) 6′
Pontypridd United – Klaudia Wojtyczka (GK), Shannon Greenway, Clare Daley, Madison Williams Nadia Lawrence 80′), Jasmine Turner, Ellie Gunney (Ffion Simmonds 80′), Katie Williams, Efa Preece Jones, Nicole Fenton (Carys Bufton 60′), Nia Jones, Sophie Topper
Yellow Cards: Nia Jones 57′
