A dominant Cardiff City Women maintained their unbeaten league status with an impressive 3-0 win over Wrexham AFC Women at Cardiff City Stadium.
A brace from in-form Eliza Collie and a goal from substitute Tija Richardson secured the win for the Bluebirds, who remain six points clear at the top of the Adran Premier.
Head coach Iain Darbyshire named an unchanged side following last weekend's 6-0 victory over The New Saints at Park Hall.
The hosts started strongly, with Collie coming close to scoring inside three minutes, winning the ball on the edge of the box, but her effort deflecting wide. However, she didn’t have to wait long to break the deadlock. Just four minutes later, Collie chased down a through ball over the top of the defence by Siobhan Walsh and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Charlotte Bolland.
City kept up the pressure on the travelling Wrexham throughout, with Molly Kehoe and Seren Watkins both forcing good saves from Bolland. The Bluebirds soon doubled their lead, Ffion Price delivering a superb cross into Emma Beynon, who drew a save from the keeper, with Collie on hand to tap in for 20th goal in all competitions this season.
Darbyshire's side started the second as they begun the first, with a chance inside three minutes. Kehoe again caused trouble for the defence but was unable to keep her shot on target. Beynon then came close to scoring shortly after with a speculative effort from 25 yards out, and fired just wide of the post.
But it was substitutes Mikayla Cook and Richardson who combined to find the third goal and seal the victory. Cook kept the ball in play, played in a cross to find Richardson at the near post, who finished brilliantly. The three points ensures Cardiff City’s lead at the top of the table remains at six points.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 3-0 WREXHAM
Cardiff City Women: Chamberlain (Phelps, 81), Price, Power, Walsh (C), Bowen (Walklett 82’), Smith (Cook 63’), Adams, Watkins (Richardson 73’), Beynon, Kehoe, Collie (Basham 73’).
Wrexham AFC Women: Bolland, Sharp (Lovett 80’), Allen (C), Davies, Pritchard (Hughes 60’), L Jones (Mackenzie 74’), Dickens , Lightfoot, Gibbard, C Jones, Suckley (Whitefoot 74’). Subs not used: Ankers.