Cardiff City made it three Adran Premier games unbeaten with a 3-0 home win over Barry Town.
A Lauren Harris own goal, coupled with strikes from Eliza Collie and Fiona Barry, made it a relatively easy afternoon for Iain Darbyshire’s side, who keep their place at the top of the Adran Premier.
As we take a look back at today’s game, here are the three stars who shined.
Fiona Barry
Barry was awarded the player of the match award, and it’s no surprise when you look back at her performance.
Barry Town this season have been pretty successful with their new style of play, but it does mean that they play with a relatively high line, and Fiona Barry was able to punish that time and time again. There aren’t many players in the Adran Premier who are quicker than her, and the way she was able to flick a switch and accelerate away was special.
It’s taken a little bit of time for Barry to settle in South Wales, as perhaps expected, but what she has managed in this first half of phase one is score. Now what we’re seeing is a player that is becoming used to her surroundings, used to her teammates, and we could see a completely different Fiona Barry from now until the end of the season. One that could light up the league.
Kerry Walklett commented: “I think Fiona’s ceiling is really high. When she wants to be that player, she can be. There probably has been a little bit of a settling in phase with her, but me, Laura Curnock and Fiona call ourselves Team England, because we all come from over the border and all travel up together! Over the last six weeks, she’s really settled into the group and she’s getting better and better.”
Cardiff City 3-0 Barry Town: Bluebirds stay top of Adran Premier after dominant win
Mikayla Cook
Having suffered a couple of injuries at the start of this season, Mikayla Cook is back, and she was firing on all cylinders.
When it came to the last campaign, we became used to seeing Cook utilised in that wing-back spot, but today she played further up the field, and we saw her use a wide range of abilities. Yes, there’s the pace, but there’s also the technique which is second to none. Dangerous crosses into the box, balls in behind, and having the confidence to take first time shots.
There’s plenty of versatility in this current Cardiff City squad, and Cook proves that, when you have an arsenal of abilities like she does, you can play anywhere in this system. The Bluebirds lost a lot of players over the summer, but if players like Cook can keep going on their upwards trajectory, they will still be a danger to every team that they face.
Kerry Walklett commented: “Having someone like Mikayla making those runs in behind makes my job so much easier. She’s got electric pace, she’s good on the ball, and overall, she just makes my life a lot easier. What’s good with Mik as well is her intelligence. If I roll out, she’ll roll in and vice versa, and we’re both willing to be selfless for each other, so having her back on the pitch is a real boost for us.”
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Kerry Walklett
There was a spot for someone in this Cardiff City midfield this season to make a name for themselves, and so far, Kerry Walklett is grabbing that opportunity with both hands.
What impressed me today is the variety of roles she played in the middle of the park. In the first half, she acted as an attacking midfielder, and she thrived in that role. Playing cute little balls through to her teammates, dictating the tempo, almost like a conductor. Her assist for the third goal in particular encapsulated what she can do when in a forward position.
Then, in the second half, she played a bit of a deeper role and acted like a bit of a sweeper in front of the defence. For a playmaker like Walklett, the fact she slotted into that role perfectly shows how much she’s developed since joining the club. It’s not been an easy couple of months for the former West Brom star, but now, she really seems to be finding her feet.
Kerry Walklett commented: “I think I’ve really found my feet over preseason. Joining in January is difficult, and the girls were smashing it last season. To come in at that time was really tough, and I was patient, but the girls in front of me were doing a brilliant job so I had no qualms about that. I was waiting for this preseason to find out where I sit in this group, and the manager has given me opportunities and I hope I’ve taken them. I’ve worked really hard to expand my game in a deeper role, and I feel like I’ve settled into the group and off the pitch, and I’m in a really good place.”
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