Adran Premier Report | Cardiff City 4-1 Wrexham
City Women recorded an impressive 4-1 victory over Wrexham at Cardiff International Sports Campus on Sunday afternoon.
First half goals from Laura Curnock and Ffion Price put the Bluebirds in the ascendancy, before Mikayla Cook and Lily Billingham struck in the second period to secure victory.
Head coach Iain Darbyshire made three changes to the starting XI that faced Cardiff Met last time out, with Ceryn Chamberlain, Shannon Evans and Curnock coming into the team.
City started brightly, with Price and Fiona Barry both having early efforts at goal. As the Bluebirds continued to knock on the door, captain Megan Bowen went close with a header from a corner. The visitors grew into the first half and had two efforts through Olivia Fuller and Brooke Cairns, but goalkeeper Ceryn Chamberlain was on-hand to save both.
At the other end, Darbyshire’s side were patient in their search for an opener and were clinical when a clear-cut opportunity arose. Bowen found Curnock free on the right, who applied a fantastic finish to open the scoring in the 28th minute.
Just five minutes later, winger Cook drove into the box before being fouled, leading to the referee awarding a penalty. Price stepped up to cooly finish into the bottom corner, giving the Bluebirds a 2-0 lead at the break.
City made a fantastic start to the second half, adding a third goal in the 50th minute, as Barry played in Cook on the left, who fired brilliantly into the net for her first gaol of the season.
With 69 minutes on the clock, the visitors pulled a goal back through Ava Suckley, finding the net following a corner. Despite a buoyed Red Dragons side having a spell of pressure late-on, Billingham beat the offside trap in added time and fired home to seal the three points.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY WOMEN 4-1 WREXHAM AFC WOMEN
Cardiff City: Chamberlain, Owen, S Evans, Bowen ©, Price, Walklett, Kehoe (Jenkins 56’), Billingham (Thomas 90+2), Barry, Cook (G Evans 90+2), Curnock (Collie 70’). Subs not used: Phelps.
Wrexham AFC Women: Craven, Davies, Fuller, Lovett (Sharp 90’), Cairns, Hughes, Lightfoot (Pritchard 56’), C Jones, Suckley, L Jones (Gibbard 43’), Allen © (Clark 46’). Subs not used: Gibbard.
REACTION | IAIN DARBYSHIRE
After the full-time whistle, head coach Darbyshire said: “It’s a huge three points. Wrexham are always a difficult challenge when we play against them, but I thought that in the first half, once we figured out their shape, we were fantastic. We controlled the game really well and were unlucky not to be a few more goals up at half-time. We spoke then about having to dig deep in certain moments, which we did and the reward was Lily [Billingham] killing the game for us at the end. I’m massively proud of the performance and long may that continue.
“Laura [Curnock] has worked really hard to get to where she is. We’ve spoken to her recently about her work off the ball and the intensity we need her to play at. She responded really well when she came on against Cardiff Met last week and earned her starting spot today. She set the tone from the off, which is what you have to do in that position. I’ve got no doubt that Eliza [Collie] will do the same when she gets her chance.
“It’s frustrating that we conceded from a corner. We weren’t aggressive enough in the zones, but we can look at that. Football is a game of moments and that moment went their way. To see how we responded was really pleasing.
“I still think our team is growing. We’re still learning about each other and there’s so much that we’re still figuring out. We’re ticking off the games one by one and improving every week. There are going to be ups and downs, but you can see that we’re going in the right direction.”
REACTION | LAURA CURNOCK
Striker Curnock, who netted the first goal, added: “I thought we were solid. They had a spell towards the end of the second half and had momentum from their goal, but we showed grit and determination to see it through and come away with the win. I’m delighted with the goal, I knew from the moment that I hit it that it was goal-bound, so I’m really pleased.
“I’m feeling settled at the Club. It took some time coming into a new team, a new environment. We’ve got some tough fixtures between now and Christmas, so we just need to take it week-by-week and go back into training on Tuesday with fresh energy.”