Barry Town moved above Cardiff Met in the Adran Premier with a late penalty win at Cyncoed Campus.
Aimee Deacon scored in the final 16 minutes to give Stevie McCarthy-Campbell’s side the victory. Barry overtake Met who are second from bottom and have won just one of their last five league games.
Barry started the game strong, forcing Cardiff Met goalkeeper Daisy Farrow to make a save in the opening 10 minutes. Deacon hit the post from a long-range attempt. Luckily for the Archers, the clean strike hit the post instead of the back of the net.
Met finally got some hold in the game with Anna Houghton, whose interplay with Ellie Preece found Esme Kilburn-Thompson able to take a shot, putting it just wide of the stick.
Barry, however, controlled much of the half with some quick passing through the middle and releasing India Shanahan on the right. Aimee Deacon and India Shanahan kept challenging the Met defence throughout the half, with Deacon often finding Shanahan free on the right, whose crosses into the box found no takers.
Cardiff Met kept trying to shoot from distance, but the shots lacked power and direction. Barry kept a high defensive line but often covered the distance back when the Met midfield found Ellie Preece or Anna Houghton on the wings.
A lot of Barry’s attacks were pacy counterattacks through India Shanahan on the right, and though Catherine Walsh made her presence felt offensively with a long-range attempt, she failed to arrive in the area to tap Shanahan’s crosses into the back of the net.
Cardiff Met ended the half on a high after being on the back foot in almost the entirety of it. Left-back Faith Mulenga combined well with Anna Houghton and Emily Bayliss to ask the Barry defence some serious questions. However, the two teams went into the changing room all square at the break.
Barry Town replaced India Shanahan with Grace Batsford, who returned to the Cyncoed Campus only a month after transferring away from the Archers. The away side began the second half on a high, a Catherine Walsh free-kick from right outside the box found a couple of heads in a dangerous position to hit the post, the second time for Barry.
Nieve Jenkins, Met’s newest signing from Swansea City, showed her physical prowess after powering through the Barry midfield, shielding the ball well and releasing Ann Houghton on the left with space.
The Archers continued the momentum with some beautiful football, first with Faith Mulenga and then Anna Houghton. The Met wingers continued to combine well, but the end product and lack of options in the box frustrated the Archers faithful.
There were unfortunate scenes when Met centre-back Grace Corne was subbed off after a bloodied cut just above her eye following a collision.
Barry Town’s perseverance paid off in the final 15 minutes when Met captain and defender Tiggy Webb pushed a Barry forward not once, but twice inside the box, as the referee pointed it to the spot with no hesitation. Deacon stepped up and slotted it past Daisy Farrow, who guessed it right and even got a hand on it, but could not stop it from going past her.
Cardiff Met pushed offensively after conceding, but could not get any attack of substance, despite Anna Houghton’s work rate and skill to get past defenders with ease. The new-look and young Archers side showed plenty to impress but lacked that finishing touch. Barry Town had the last laugh, taking home all three points thanks to Aimee Deacon’s outstanding performance.
Cardiff Met WFC
Diasy Farrow (WK), Sally Grimm (Kennesha Nanette 87’), Faith Mulenga, Tiggy Webb (c), Grace Corne (Samantha Dziminowicz 69’), Emily Bayliss, Ellie Preece, Chelsea Cochrane, Esme Kilburn-Thompson, Nieve Jenkins (Summer Kilby 80’), Anna Houghton.
Yellow Cards – Emily Bayliss 55’, Tiggy Webb 73’.
Barry Town United WFC
Erin Brennan, Lauren Harris, Holly Jenkins (Caitlin Davies 90+2’), Hana Bennett, Danielle Broadhurst, India Shanahan (Grace Batsford 46’), Catherine Walsh (Sienna Stone 68’), Chloe Tiley (Evie Griffiths 85’), Aimee Deacon, Angharad Beman.
Yellow Cards – Holly Jenkins 90+1’.
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