City Women secured a place in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup Semi-Finals after a dominant second half display saw them beat Barry Town United.
A first half strike from Fiona Barry and second half goals from Molly Kehoe, Mackenzie Olden and Laura Curnock secured the win.
After a cagey opening ten minutes, the Bluebirds took the lead through Barry. Her curling effort from outside the box flew past Mackenzie Ellingham in the Barry net.
City had the best opportunities to double the lead. Ffion Price’s free kick found Megan Bowen at the back post, but she couldn’t quite steer her header on target. Olden then had a chance as a mistake at the back granted her space and a chance on goal, but her effort went just past the post.
The visitors created their first chances just before the break, as Amelia Herbert’s cross managed to work its way to the back post, but Harris couldn’t poke the ball home.
City came out firing in the second half. Shannon Evans saw her shot cleared off the line, then Olden' effort on goal warmed the hands of Ellingham. The Bluebirds continued to push for the second goal and found it with 64 minutes played. Olden produced some magic to open up space, where she found Kehoe on the edge of the box, who fired a brilliant effort in off the inside of the post.
Only minutes later, Price’s free kick was put into the danger area and Ellingham spilled the ball straight into the path of Olden, who reacted the fastest to poke the ball home. A great moment for Olden as she picked up a goal in her first start since recovering from an ACL injury.
Substitute Eliza Collie almost added a fourth as her effort hit the outside of the post, but the Bluebirds then secured a place in the Semi-Finals with seven minutes to go. Second half substitute Curnock found herself in space in the 18-yard box, where she calmly slotted the ball into the far corner.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 4-0 BARRY TOWN UNITED
Cardiff City: Chamberlain, Owen, Bowen, S.Evans, Price, Walklett, Long, Thomas (Collie 45’), Kehoe (Billingham 72’), Olden (Jenkins 84’), Barry (Curnock 72’). Subs Not Used: Phelps.
Barry Town United: Ellingham, Harris (Gunney 72’), Jenkins, Murray, Broadhurst (Tiley 85’), K.Harris, Freeman, Stone (Corne 76’), Ådland, Herbert, Beman. Subs Not Used: Turner, Attwood.
REACTION | IAIN DARBYSHIRE & MACKENZIE OLDEN
After the full-time whistle, head coach Iain Darbyshire said: “I was more pleased with the second half performance. We looked a little bit sluggish in the first half and we know we can start better than that. We spoke about it at half time that we were playing in second gear and that we could step up. I felt that we did that in the second half and credit to the players, they took on the information well.
“It’s an emotional one to see Mackie scoring. We’ve seen her transform herself over the last 12 months since her injury. She has been so committed, dedicated and has influenced so many people around her as well. She really deserved that today. We have built her up, getting her used to contact and not rushing her, but we felt that today would be right for her. She got a goal and an assist and she deserves all the credit for her hard work."
Goalscorer Olden, who netted on her first start since returning from an ACL injury, told Y Clwb Pel Droed: “I don’t think words can describe it. I’ve worked so hard over the last twelve months and I came into today just trying to do my best and put everything that I’ve been working on into the game. To come away with a goal and an assist is amazing. I could never have dreamt for something like that to happen. I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself, but for the assist, everyone in this league knows I’m left footed, so I thought I’d cut in on my right. I saw Molly in the corner of my eye and managed to find her, she did the rest.
"For the goal, I knew if the keeper spilled it, it was 50/50 whether I could get there or not. I stuck my foot out and it managed to go into the net. The time away is definitely the hardest thing about an ACL injury. Physically, it’s a difficult one, but the mental side of it is a lot harder than the physical side. You can do your rehab, but the mental part of being away from your team, your friends, isolating yourself with rehab, that’s the hardest part.
"The girls have been right behind me the whole time I’ve been away. Over the last twelve months, they’ve been cheering me on, they hype me up in training, and they always keep telling me to just go for it. We are a really close-knit team and the bond between us is amazing. Iain has been behind me 100% too. He’s always backed me and he told me to go out and play the way I usually play and be myself.”