Swansea City stay hot on Cardiff City’s heels – Adran Leagues roundup

After almost a month away, the Adran Premier finally roared back into our lives, as phase two got underway.

As well as the Adran Premier, there were vital matchups across the Adran North and the Adran South.

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

Adran Premier – Championship Group

We begin our roundup in Leckwith. Reigning champions Cardiff City had back-to-back wins in cup competitions while the league took a pause, and now heading back into the Adran Prem, they were looking to kick on and stretch their advantage at the top. Up against them were Aberystwyth Town, who had a new man in the dugout. The night before the game, Gari Lewis stepped down from his role as manager, and as a result, Anthony Williams had been appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season. It was a rough start for Williams, as City ran out 3-0 winners.

The Bluebirds got off to a strong start, but dropped off soon after, and much of the first half was quiet and cagey. However, midway through the half, City found the breakthrough. After a defensive mix up between Libby Isaac and Margot Farnes, Rhianne Oakley was on hand to sweep into an empty net.

After an uneventful first half ended, the hosts started quickly in the second half. Hollie Smith headed home from a Ffion Price corner, before Eliza Collie capitalised on Molly Kehoe’s rebounded shot to make it three.

The majority of the contest thereafter was spent in the midfield, with neither team able to assert dominance over the other. Aber were resilient throughout the game, but they simply ran into a better team on the day. City stay top.

Chasing the Bluebirds are Swansea City, who are coming into a rich vein of form in the league. Making the trip to Llandarcy this weekend were Wrexham, who reached the final of the Welsh Cup last Sunday. However, the Hollywood Reds made a losing start to phase two, as the Swans ran out 3-2 winners.

It didn’t take Swansea long to score the opening goal, as Katy Hosford’s cross found Steph Turner, who nodded home. Yet, their lead didn’t last long as Wrexham equalised a minute later. Rosie Hughes broke into the box and laid the ball off to Amber Lightfoot, who showed great composure in finding the bottom corner.

Chances came and went for both teams, but it was the home side who would edge ahead once more five minutes before half time. Katy Hosford dribbled expertly into the box, before dispatching her shot away with ease.

Into the second half, and despite losing Stacey John-Davis to injury, Swansea were able to build on their lead further. Ellie Lake’s inviting cross was headed home by, who else, but Hosford. The captain leads the goals and assists charts and is strengthening her claim to be Player of the Year.

It could have been more for the title chasers, but they went close on many occasions. Monet Legall’s chip was saved well by Del Morgan, while Kelsey Thomas couldn’t direct her shot into the net. In fact, it was Wrexham who would find the next and last goal, as Carra Jones found the top corner.

But it was a matter of too little too late for Wrexham, who start phase two with a loss. For Swansea, they’re still five points behind Cardiff City.

Adran Premier – Plate Conference

The sight of Cardiff Met in the bottom four is incredibly rare, but that’s where the Archers find themselves after a torrid season. Their first opponents in the plate were TNS, who hadn’t won any of their last seven games in all competitions. That run was stretched to eight matches, as Met ran out 4-1 winners: their biggest win of the season.

Things started well for the Saints as they took lead inside eight minutes. Chantelle Teare danced into the box, and laid it across to Emily Ridge, who was able to find the bottom corner from close range.

Despite having a few chances after, TNS couldn’t build on their lead, and they would be made to pay for it moments before the break. Firstly, Sophie Davidson saw her long-range strike tipped onto the crossbar by Ellie Suckley, but there to put in the rebound was Esme Kilburn-Thompson. Minutes later, the Archers scored a second. Kilburn-Thompson’s shot inside the box was parried away, but only to Molly Chapman, who tapped home.

Having held a rare lead at half time, Met wasted no time in finding more goals. Having scored one already, Kilburn-Thompson found space inside the box and fired into the bottom corner. The home side were in dreamland, but the dream was about to get even better for Kilburn-Thompson, who found her third goal 13 minutes before the end; scrambling the ball home after Chapman had hit the crossbar.

A stunning win for Met, who bolster their ambitions to win the plate. For the Saints, they need to find form somewhere and quickly.

The side heading into the plate conference in the best form were Barry Town, who had only lost one of their last four games heading into the second phase. Facing off against them at Jenner Park were Pontypridd United, who knew only wins would do from here on in. In a tightly contested game, it ended 1-1 between the Linnets and the Dragons.

The star for Pontypridd for many weeks now has been goalkeeper Klaudia Wojtyczka, and once again on Sunday, the Polish shot stopper was on form to thwart Barry in the first half. Superb saves to deny India Shanahan and Hana Bennett kept the scores level at the break.

And how Ponty would build on that, as they took the lead seven minutes into the second half. Efa Preece Jones beat the offside trap before finding the net, as she scored Ponty’s tenth goal of the season.

But they couldn’t quite hold on and seal their first win of the season, as Barry equalised 20 minutes before the end. Catherine Walsh’s free kick was well saved by Wojtyczka, but Taite Trivett was on hand to salvage a point for the home side.

Barry reduce the gap to TNS to one point at the top of the bottom four. For Pontypridd, they will be relegated if they lose to Cardiff Met next weekend.

Adran North

Llandudno kept their place at the top of the Adran North with 3-1 win away to bottom of the table Airbus.

The Wingmakers frustrated Dudno for the majority of the first half, but they were finally broken down as Maddie Williams finished from close range after a clinical pass from Stacey Tradewell. After going into the break with a one goal lead, they doubled it nine minutes into the second half through Shona Roberts.

Laura Pratt pulled one back just after the hour mark to set up a tense finish, but the away side got themselves over the line with eleven minutes to go through Claire Conville. With Felinheli not in action, next week’s game between them and Llandudno looks set to be a title decider.

The reason why it’s a title decider is because Connah’s Quay slipped up on the road, losing 2-1 to Rhyl.

All the goals came in the first half. It only took Llio Davies two minutes to open the scoring, and when captain Rebecca Bannister doubled the lead midway through the half, Rhyl were in dreamland.

The Nomads pulled one back soon after through the in form Anais Bathily, but they couldn’t find any more goals during the game. The result means the pre-season favourites won’t win the North and are set for another season in the second tier. For Rhyl, the last time they played Connah’s Quay, they lost 8-1, and this result could go a long way for them.

Elsewhere, Llanfair United picked up their second win of the season, as they came out on top in a barnstorming 4-2 victory over Bangor.

In a game that swung one way then the other, Harriet Davies had put Llanfair ahead, only for Menna Evans to pull one back. But Bangor suffered a blow before the break, as Becky Jones scored in first half stoppage time.

Things got even better at the start of the second half for the Powys based team, as Mary Griffiths scored from the penalty spot, but once again, Bangor pulled one back through Evans. Yet, Jones scored her second and Llanfair’s fourth to give them the breathing space they needed to get the win.

Adran South

Briton Ferry lifted the Adran South trophy in style on Sunday, as they beat Cascade 3-1.

After being given a guard of honour from the visitors, Ferry scored the first goal of the game through Laura-May Walkley, but they were brought level before the break with Annaliese Lewis scoring an equaliser. However, Lucy Powell put the champions back in front in the first minute of added time with a stunning volley.

Walkley added her second and Ferry’s third early in the second half to seal the win. That was Walkley’s eleventh goal of the campaign, and she could be vital yet again to Ferry’s promotion push. Cascade stay second.

Behind Cascade are Cwmbran Celtic, who won a 3-2 thriller away to Pontardawe Town.

If Celtic score a goal, more often than not it’s Jade Crofts who’s scored it, and this game was no different. Two goals in four first half minutes from the star striker had the away side in a strong position heading into the break.

Pontardawe sit bottom of the Adran South, but they clawed their way back into the game admirably. Catryn Cook netted first and then Sara Llewellyn scored a second and the equaliser, and the comeback was on. But cometh the hour, cometh the hero, and that hero was once again Crofts. Her strike eleven minutes from time sealed another important win for a team who have been the surprise package this season.

The final game of the weekend takes us to Jubilee Way, as Caldicot Town picked up their second win of the season, defeating Llanelli Town 1-0.

With the game remaining goalless until the dying embers, Millie Pearce popped up with the all-important goal three minutes from time to spark wild celebrations. Caldicot are three points clear of Pontardawe, while Llanelli stay fifth.

(Featured Image: Andrew Dowling/FAW)