Genero Adran Leagues
Newly crowned Genero Adran Premier champions Wrexham signed off their title-winning campaign with a 2-1 home defeat to Swansea City on Easter Sunday, before lifting the trophy in front of a record crowd at The Rock.
Swansea made a dream start in north Wales, taking the lead after just six minutes when Ellie Lake beat Hannah Snape and saw her cross-shot loop over goalkeeper Liz Craven and into the net. Swans forward Stacey John, in her final career appearance, thought she had doubled the advantage with a composed finish from Aimee Deacon’s through ball, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. However, the visitors did grab a second goal on the stroke of half time. Teenager Deacon met Chloe Chivers’ low cross and scooped her effort over Craven into the far corner.
Wrexham’s golden boot winner Katie Barker reduced the deficit with her 25th league goal of the season. She latched onto Snape’s lofted pass, rounded the advancing Amelia Forkings and found the net via the post from a tight angle. Barker came close to levelling on two further occasions, forcing Forkings into a vital one-on-one save before a deflected close range strike flew inches wide of the post. Swansea held on to become the only side to win away at Wrexham this season, ending a four-match losing streak in the process. The victory also provided a timely boost ahead of their Bute Energy Welsh Cup final against Cardiff City in a fortnight. The Swans responded impressively to last week’s shock defeat by The New Saints, turning the tables on the champions in fine style.
In the day’s other Championship Conference fixture, Iain Darbyshire marked his final match in charge of Cardiff City with a 1-1 draw against The New Saints at the CIS Stadium. The Saints threatened for much of the first half, but Cardiff took the lead on 34 minutes when Madison Lloyd turned home Amy Long’s cross from close range. The visitors eventually made their pressure count, equalising in the 71st minute as Chantelle Teare latched onto Kelsey Richardson’s pass, rounded Ceryn Chamberlain and slotted in her eighth goal of the season. Mikayla Cook nearly gave the outgoing manager the perfect send-off late on, but her first time strike crashed against the post.
Carys Bufton scored a hat-trick as Aberystwyth Town concluded their season with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Barry Town United at Park Avenue. Bufton put the hosts ahead inside three minutes by slotting home after Barry failed to clear a long ball. The visitors levelled immediately through Beca Thomas, who finished a well-worked move. Sienna Stone tucked away the rebound from Thomas’s saved shot to put Barry in front, before a stunning strike from Bufton made it 2-2 at the interval. The Linnets regained the lead through Keira Harris, but a late collapse allowed Aberystwyth to complete a dramatic turnaround. Libby Isaac turned home Bufton’s set piece delivery before a foul by India Shanahan inside the area resulted in a straight red card for the Barry forward and a penalty, which Bufton converted to complete her hat-trick and secure all three points.
Briton Ferry Llansawel recorded their biggest league win of the campaign with a 5-1 victory over already-relegated Pontypridd United at USW Sports Park. Lucy Powell produced a moment of magic to open the scoring in the 10th minute, curling a free kick into the far corner. Jess Denscombe was denied by the bar moments later, but Ferry soon added a second as Jade Crofts steered home from Laura-May Walkley-Witts’ cross.Maia Owen rounded off an impressive 23-minute spell by heading in at the near post from Alice Broadley’s delivery. Lowri Ridings almost added a fourth before the break, but her header from Powell’s corner came back off the bar.
Genero Adran North
Connah’s Quay Nomads made it two consecutive unbeaten league campaigns by thrashing Berriew 5-0 on Easter Sunday. The champions were frustrated early on, with two goals from Elana Harley and Aimee Redfern ruled out for offside following Phoebe Ellis corners, while Alisha Whitehead-Hughes struck the bar from the penalty spot. Whitehead-Hughes made amends on 37 minutes with a stunning strike from the edge of the area for her first league goal of the season. Meg Andrews added a dipping effort from distance, before substitutes Meg Galeandro and Libby Mackenzie netted clinical finishes. Galeandro completed the scoring in stoppage time with a deft lob from Evie Chard’s lofted free kick for her second of the afternoon. Jordan Parry’s side celebrated retaining the title, their unbeaten run in the division now stretching to a remarkable 29 matches.
Flint Town United secured third place with a 2-1 victory over runners-up Llanfair United at the Essity Stadium. Llanfair took an early lead through top scorer Tania Wylde’s 12th goal of the season, but Flint levelled quickly via Shannon Hobbs. The Silkwomen completed the comeback five minutes before half time when Ruby Hastings tapped home from Rosie Hughes’ low cross – her first goal in nearly three months.
Felinheli ended their campaign with back-to-back wins for the first time this season, defeating Llandudno 4-2 at Cae Seilo. Shannon Jade-Jones set up Alaw Huws twice and scored herself as Felinheli built a three-goal cushion by the 56th minute. Huws completed her hat-trick just seven minutes later – her sixth goal in three games – to give the hosts comfort. Maddie Williams and Olivia Rigby pulled two goals back for Llandudno, but it proved too late. Felinheli finished fourth, having scored at least two goals in each of their six home games, while former champions Llandudno ended the season in fifth.
Genero Adran South
Cardiff Met Women celebrated their title success by coming from behind to beat Pure Swansea 2-1 at Cyncoed Stadium. Swans forward Kalena Walters-Wright scored her fifth goal in as many games to give the visitors the lead at the break but Met’s star striker Esme Kilburn-Thompson equalised just past the hour with a close range header from Olivia Jones’ corner. The Archers then completed the turnaround in the 73rd minute through Anna Houghton’s sixth league goal of the season. Jonathan Nash’s side finished the campaign with just one defeat and now turn their attention to the Promotion Play-Off Final against Connah’s Quay Nomads at the end of April as they look to return to the Genero Adran Premier at the first attempt. Pure Swansea challenged Met at the top for much of the season but had to settle for sixth place after a fourth successive defeat.
Carmarthen Town claimed the runners-up spot in their debut season in the second tier after storming to a 7-2 victory over Taffs Well at the LHP Stadium. Summer Evans’ free kick set the Old Gold on their way, before Jasmine Guymer and Ophelia Jenkins both scored braces to make it 5-0 at half-time. Rianne Jones and 16-year-old academy prospect Alys Grant pulled two goals back for the Wellwomen, but Aimee Heath’s first goal since January and Flavia Jenkins’ top corner finish from Casi Jones’ pass completed Carmarthen’s biggest win of the season.
Nothing could separate in-form sides Penybont and Cascade YC in a 1-1 draw at the DragonBet Stadium. Neither side broke the deadlock in the first half, though Cascade midfielder Megan Waite was sent off for a second bookable offence. Penybont eventually capitalised on the numerical advantage when Mae Taylor opened the scoring in the 79th minute. Cascade, however, found a late equaliser with one minute of normal time remaining as Ellis Lunn netted her 12th league goal of the season. Penybont therefore bettered their tally from last season by two points, while Cascade finished the campaign unbeaten in their last nine league games.
Llanelli Town were relegated from the Genero Adran South after a 5-0 defeat to Cwmbran Celtic at Stebonheath on Easter Sunday. Llanelli needed a win to keep survival hopes alive but fell behind on the stroke of half time through Chelsea Cochrane. The floodgates opened in the second half as Cochrane added her second and Fiona Anthony struck to make it 3-0 by the hour mark. Cerys Shipley and Anthony added late goals to complete a convincing display by Celtic who finished third with their highest ever points tally in the division.
