The final act of 2023 was written this weekend, as every side looked to go into 2024 in the best shape possible.
We had games in the Adran Premier, Adran Trophy, and Adran North to help round out what has been a monumental year for Welsh football.
Let’s take a look back at the week that was.
Adran Premier
We start this week at Park Hall. Heading into the midway point of the season, TNS had been a little hit and miss. Dropped points here and there had them outside the top four, but two wins on the trot has put them back in control of their own destiny for the final spot in the Championship Group. Cardiff Met, meanwhile, still looked to be adjusting to life under their new manager, Daniel Delahay. Having only picked up two league wins this season, they headed into this one floating in sixth place. Their poor run continued, as the Saints made it three wins in the row by claiming a 4-1 victory.
It was the Archers who made the better start to the game, as Tiggi Webb headed in from Erin Murray’s corner a mere five minutes into the game. As soon as they stopped celebrating, TNS were level. Caitlin Chapman has made herself an early contender for Player of the Season, and she made sure those calls got louder, as she struck home from 25-yards out.
The rest of the game was an attacking feast. Chances came thick and fast, but there was some superb goalkeeping and defending on show. Ella Hartley and Chantelle Teare were denied for the Saints by keeper Carys Gittins, while Mackenzie Haydn-Jones was in fine form for the home side, making vital saves from Anna Houghton and Ellie Preece.
With how both defensive units were performing, it did look like a draw was the most likely outcome, but TNS got into their groove in the final quarter of an hour. Lia Lewis struck home from a Teare pass before Helen Evans finished from Chapman’s cross. Teare had been a menace all afternoon, and she rounded out the win with a delicious chip over Gittins.
A good win for the Saints, who end the year with three wins on the trot. For Met, they end the year with three defeats on the spin and look destined for a bottom four finish.
To West Wales next. Both Aberystwyth Town and Cardiff City met in the second game of the season, and the Seasiders put in a stellar performance to leave South Wales with a point; the only team to take points off the Bluebirds this season. There was to be no repeat of that at Park Avenue, as City dismantled Aber to win 5-0.
From the off, City swarmed into the Aber half and had chance after chance, but no goal to show for it. They had to wait until the half hour for the opener to come; Tija Richardson won the ball back well before playing in Eliza Collie, who stroked a composed finish into the bottom corner. Four minutes later Collie had her second, as she capitalised on a defensive error.
It only took ten minutes into the second half for the next goal to come about, as the referee awarded a penalty for a foul on Molly Kehoe in the area. Seren Watkins took full advantage and dispatched the spot kick expertly. Watkins was to have an involvement in the fourth goal, as her free kick was headed in by captain Siobhan Walsh.
But the day belonged to Collie, and she secured her hat-trick in style by rounding the keeper and tapping the ball home. It’s now 31 games unbeaten in the league for the Bluebirds, who are top of the table for Christmas. Aberystwyth stay fifth.
The final game in the Adran Premier takes us to Jenner Park, where two teams met with very different ambitions. Barry Town United were looking to extend the gap between themselves and the bottom of the table, while Swansea City were looking to keep pace with the Bluebirds at the top of the table. A professional display meant the Swans stayed six points behind Cardiff with a 4-0 win.
A frantic five minutes led to Swansea gaining a quick two-goal lead. Firstly, Stacey John-Davis beat the offside trap expertly to prod home before Nia Davies headed the ball into her own net. While chances were difficult to come by, the Swans never looked threatened, despite the best efforts of Barry winger Taite Trivett.
The second half was much of the same, with the away side penning the Linnets in. We had to wait until the final ten minutes for the final two goals of the contest. Katy Hosford cut inside and found the back of the net before she set up Robyn Pinder for a tap in in the final minute of stoppage time. Swansea end the year on a high, while Barry remain six points above the only relegation spot.
Adran Trophy
To the trilogy at The Rock. Last week in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup, Wrexham defeated Briton Ferry. Now, a week later, they met again, this time in the last sixteen of the Adran Trophy. Like last Sunday, the result went Wrexham’s way, as they defeated Ferry 4-0.
The Adran South side made numerous changes from last week’s defeat, with many senior players not taking part in this Round of 16 tie, and instead, players from their U19 team stepped up to the plate. Perhaps their inexperienced at this level showed early on, as Wrexham gained control quickly. TJ Dickens fired a free kick over the bar, Carra Jones shot over, and Rosie Hughes’ volley was deflected wide. 0-0 at half-time, could Ferry cause a huge upset?
Shortly after the resumption, the away side had two glorious chances to score. Del Morgan was forced to make a good save from Lowri Baker’s shot, and from the resulting corner, Lowri Ridings hit the crossbar.
How Ferry could have only wished one of those chances went in, as they found themselves behind shortly after. Jones’ shot was too much for the goalkeeper to handle, and the ball spilled into the goal. She’d only have to wait four minutes for her and Wrexham’s second, as she raced onto Mari Gibbard’s pass and guided the ball home.
There was now breathing space between the two teams and the Red Dragons could control the game, but they had to wait until stoppage time for their final two goals. Dickens finally scored from a free kick, while Ava Suckley was able to find the top corner with a fine finish.
A brave performance from Ferry’s youngsters, who can certainly take a lot of pride from this game. For Wrexham, they now have a last eight game against Cardiff City to look forward to.
Adran North
The sole game in the second tier came at Ffordd Derwen, as NFA took on Felinheli. In a game full of action, it was Y Felin who took all three points with a 3-2 away win.
Felinheli couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game, as they raced into a three-goal lead inside half an hour. There was a brace for Jenna Allsup, while Catrin Evans also converted a penalty. However, in a first half which saw over ten minutes added to the end of it, NFA managed to score two, both coming from Amy Webster.
Chances fell to both in the second half, but neither could add to their tally. Y Felinheli move up to third, while NFA remain in sixth place.
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