Cardiff City, Swansea City, Wrexham and TNS all into semis

With cancelations wiping out the majority of fixtures yesterday, the only games left standing were the quarter final games of the Bute Energy Welsh Cup.

Rivalries were renewed, drama was played out, and some oddities took place, as eight teams battled it out for a place in the semi-finals.

Let’s take a look back at the week that was.

Bute Energy Welsh Cup

We begin this week at The Rock. Cast your minds back to April and to Latham Park. A place in the Adran Premier awaited the winner of Wrexham and Briton Ferry, and through Rebecca Pritchard, the North Walian team booked their place in the topflight and have gone from strength to strength since. Ferry have been yearning for a chance to get revenge on Wrexham, and the cup competitions have provided them an opportunity to do so.

The weather delayed the second act last weekend, but this week finally saw the two do battle again. The outcome went the same way as it did in Newtown, as Wrexham continued their streak over the Adran South side with a 2-0 win.

Steve Dale’s side were under the cosh a lot in the playoff final, but on their own patch, they were on the front foot. Amber Lightfoot saw her shot saved by Courtney Young, the returning Rosie Hughes was denied by a superb last-ditch challenge by Lowri Ridings, while Mari Gibbard failed to put her effort on target.

A goalless first half would have given Ferry hope, but they were dashed minutes into the second half, as Hughes caught on to Gibbard’s lofted ball to fire home. The goal certainly put a spring in their step, and they set out to put the icing on top of the cake.

For all their attacking incentive, the hosts were thwarted by the Reds, and they were holding out for much of the second half. But Libby Mackenzie, on the occasion of her 50^th cap, managed to find the goal and create breathing space.

Briton Ferry did push to reduce the deficit in the remaining minutes, but their efforts were in vain, as Wrexham marched into the last four. Is this their year?

We stay in North Wales for our next game. In the Adran Premier, both TNS and Aberystwyth Town are battling hard to finish in the top four. This weekend, they were battling to be one of the last four in the Welsh Cup. As expected, the game was close and dramatic, like their league encounters have been, and through penalties, it was the Saints who reached the last four.

The opening gambit was quiet, but Aber brought the game to life midway through the half; Niamh Duggan’s through ball slotted home by Lleucu Mathias. They could have added a second soon after, but Amy Jenkins couldn’t quite guide her header on target.

With the lead in their hands heading into the second half, Aber would’ve hoped to build, but the Saints had other ideas, as they equalised four minutes in the second period. Ella Hartley has been superb since her arrival, and she continued her good start to life at Park Hall, as she found the bottom corner from outside the box.

Chantelle Teare did put the ball in the net after the hour, only for the offside flag to ruin their joy. But they would be celebrating a legitimate goal not long after, as Georgia Griffiths netted after a flurry of blocked attempts.

But the pendulum swung once again before full time, as Aber equalised. Gwenllian Mason produced a finish beyond her years, as she chipped the keeper from outside the box. 2-2 after full time, to penalties we headed.

Two early missed penalties from Aberystwyth really set the tie in TNS’ favour, allowing Lia Lewis dispatching the decisive penalty and sending TNS through.

We head back down south and to the lowest ranked team left in the competition. A good run of form has certainly boosted Cascade’s confidence over the last few games, and a win on Sunday would be one of the best in their history. Opponents Swansea City hadn’t been at this stage of a cup competition for a good while, but a semi-final appearance would be a real statement of intent from them. It wasn’t to be for Cascade, as they fell to a 6-1 defeat.

The game started in surprising circumstances, with Cascade taking the lead, and what a goal it was. Erin Parry struck the ball well and true, and with the aid of the underside of the bar, put the home side ahead.

The lead, however, would only last four minutes, as Stacey John-Davis equalised from close range. Normally, when the prolific striker gets one, she’ll get another, and that’s exactly what happened. Controlling a pass from Sophie Brisland-Hancocks expertly, John-Davis lobbed the ball over the keeper.

Now in their groove, Swansea extended the lead further before the break. Kelsey Thomas raced away from the defence, before calmly slotting the ball away. There was to be a setback for the Swans midway through the half, as goalkeeper Claire Skinner sustained an injury. With no recognised keeper on the bench, Steph Turner took her place in goal.

Turner was tested, but the action at the other end of the pitch was busy, and Swansea found another three goals in the final quarter of an hour. Katy Hosford managed to find a brace, and in added time, Jasmine Guymer scored her first for the club. A good win for Swansea, and an unexpected clean sheet for Turner.

Finally, to the holders of this competition. No one has won the cup three times on the trot since Cardiff City did it between 2008 and 2010, but with an astonishing unbeaten run behind them, confidence was high. Up against them for a place in the last four were Pontypridd United, who seemed in dire straits. Their bad form continued, as the Bluebirds defeated them 3-0.

We’ve known for a number of seasons how dangerous Siobhan Walsh is from corners, and she once again proved that ten minutes in. Her header took a deflection off Shannon Hindmarsh before crossing the line. Only three minutes later and the lead had doubled, as Ffion Price’s cross was turned in by Tija Richardson.

For the rest of the game, City looked to add to the lead. Eliza Collie, Mackenzie Olden, Mkayla Cook Price, and Walsh all went close, but full credit to Ponty goalkeeper Klaudia Wojtyczka was in inspired form and kept the lead down to two.

However, Collie finally found the back of the net with four minutes remaining to round off the win. Will anyone stop the Bluebirds this season?

(Featured Image: Perry Dobbins)