Bute Energy Welsh Cup Report | Llanelli Town 0-14 Cardiff City

Cardiff City Women began their defence of the Bute Energy Welsh Cup with a 14–0 win over Llanelli Town at Stebonheath Park.

Striker Madison Lloyd and Eliza Collie netted four goals apiece, while Mackenzie Olden and Danielle Green netted braces, with Mikayla Cook and Kelly Adams also on the scoresheet.

U19 duo Lloyd and Summer Bowen-Quirk were both included in the starting XI, with defender Megan Bowen captaining the side for the first time.

City started brightly and took the lead inside five minutes, as Green cut inside from the left and found the net for her first goal of the campaign. The Bluebirds found a second five minutes later, as a goalmouth scramble led to Olden netting her first competitive goal for the Club.

With 17 minutes on the clock, Lloyd found space at the back post to finish clinically, recording her first senior goal for the Bluebirds. Striker Collie then got on the scoresheet, as she beat the offside trap and applied the finish.

Before the break, Green netted her second, as she was found free on the left by Olden, allowing City’s no. 11 to drive forward and see her effort at goal loop into the net. Olden then turned from provider to scorer, finishing calmly for her second goal of the afternoon.

The Bluebirds added to their lead in the second period, with Cook cutting inside from the right and finding the bottom corner. Summer signing Adams got her first goal for the Club, heading home from Cook’s corner.

Striker Lloyd’s energetic performance was rewarded with a second goal, as she finished from close-range with 65 minutes on the clock. Collie was next to secure her brace, turning home from Mali Ackerman’s pinpoint cross.

In the final ten minutes, Lloyd netted her third with another clinical finish, before Collie turned home following some good work from Lisa Owen. Both Lloyd and Collie netted in the final five minutes, as City booked their place in the next round.

FINAL SCORE: LLANELLI TOWN 0-14 CARDIFF CITY WOMEN

Llanelli Town: Jacobs, Williams, N Martin-Evans, Philllips ©, Morris, Hallahan, Webber, Kujawska (Rumbelow 46’), Mainwaring (Morgan 58’), Breddy (Thomas 73’), C Martin-Evans.

Cardiff City Women: Forkings, Cook, Bowen-Quirk, Bowen © (Arthur 46’), Green (Owen 63’), Adams, Broadhurst, Richardson (Ackerman 63’), Lloyd, Collie, Olden (Kehoe 76’). Subs not used: Chamberlain.

Head coach Iain Darbyshire shared his thoughts following the full-time whistle:

“I thought we played really well," Iain began. "We had an opportunity to try out a new shape and to give minutes to players who needed it. It was really good to get them some game time. The U19s players came in and did really well as well. Credit to Llanelli, they battled all the way through to the end and they can be proud of themselves.

Commenting on the performance of Player of the Match, Madison Lloyd, Iain added: “Maddie’s on fire for us at the moment. She’s someone who has come through our U16s, our U19s and now in our senior team. That’s fantastic and it’s great for the Club. It shows that we’re not just giving players minutes for the sake of it, we’re giving them minutes because they’re very good footballers and they deserve it.”

Striker Mackenzie Olden, who netted her first competitive goals for the Bluebirds, said: “The girls played really well. We came into this game wanting to try different things, different tactics, a change of positions and that went really well for us, so we can take that into the league season now as well.

“It’s a really good feeling for me to get some goals and assists. It always gives you a confidence boost as an attacker.”