City Women produced a brilliant performance to record a 3-0 victory over Barry Town United at Cardiff International Sports Campus.
First half goals from Fiona Barry, Eliza Collie and an own goal from Lauren Harris gave the Bluebirds all three points in a dominant performance from the defending champions.
City made two changes to the team that beat Aberystwyth Town 4-2 last weekend, with Nieve Jenkins and Barry coming in.
The hosts got off to the perfect start, taking the lead with five minutes on the clock after Mikayla Cook played in a threatening cross from the left, which was turned into the net by Harris’ attempted clearance. Last season’s top scorer Collie added a second just three minutes later, after Barry played in her own dangerous cross into the box, with Collie getting the last touch directing it towards goal.
Summer recruit Barry continued to cause the visitors problems, making another surging run from the halfway line, weaving through defenders along the way, but her effort just went the other side of the post. However, she did get on the scoresheet shortly after, being found by Kerry Walklett with the through ball and she ruthlessly fired it into the roof of the net to make it three before half time.
City continued to create chances after the break, with Collie and Cook going close with efforts immediately after the restart. Ffion Price also attempted to add to her tally this season through a trademark free-kick, but the effort was just too high and went over the bar.
Goalkeeper Ceryn Chamberlain was quiet for most of the match but tested for the first time on the 75th minute mark, making a good save to keep out Ellie Gunney. The Bluebirds came closest to adding a fourth through substitute Seren Thomas, who tried her luck from 25 yards out, but her effort crashed against the crossbar.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 3-0 BARRY TOWN UNITED
Cardiff City: Chamberlain, Owen, S Evans, Bowen © (Thomas 74’), Jenkins, Price (Malin 89’), Kehoe, Barry (G Evans 84’), Walklett, Collie, Cook. Subs Not Used: Phelps, Billingham.
Barry Town United: Arnesen, Harris, Jenkins (Herbert 88’), Corne, Murray,, Long (Attwood 71’), Turner, Freeman, Aadland, Bufton (Gunney), Preece. Subs Not Used: Stone, Ellingham.
REACTION | IAIN DARBYSHIRE
After the full-time whistle, head coach Iain Darbyshire said: "I think that is the best football we have played in the time I’ve been here. We’ve given the players a lot of freedom, we look fresh, recharged and we’re enjoying it. We’ve worked hard over the last few weeks to build the intensity into what we’re doing and we found that today.
"The only criticism is we probably should have scored more, with the chances we had it could have been eight or nine. Huge credit to the players, they’ve taken on the new information that we have given them and they look like they’re enjoying it.
“I’m really proud of the players for taking the new information on board from the staff, it’s not perfect, so we’ll keep working on it but we’ll keep working on it each week. The messages are clear from what we want to do, but we’ve given the players the freedom to play where they need to go to get on the ball and I think fluidity is the key word we’ve expressed the last few weeks and I think we got that today.”