In a top of the table clash, CAHC 2s faced Cardiff & Met 4s in what was sure to be a tough match. With the away leg being Carmarthen’s only defeat so far this season, a draw at home would ensure the 2XI’s promotion for next season. The 2s were all in for the win though as not only would this give them a fighting chance at catching Met in the table with only two league games left to play, but the match was also going to be counted as the semi-final of the league cup.
From the off, intensity was high, play was fast and it was clear that this was going to be a close match. Both teams had early chances and neither could keep possession for long. Midfielders Lucy Davies, Mari Davies, Kate Howell, Tirion Evans and Poppy Mackenzie-Jones worked tirelessly to keep the game under Carmarthen’s control and the ball out of the defensive quarter. A missed opportunity by Met gave Carmarthen a quick break, with forward Yasmin Burgess-Williams receiving the ball, tapping it through the Met defenders and making a lightning-quick run towards goal before firing a shot past the keeper, 1-0 Carms.
The speed of play remained for the rest of the half, Carmarthen trying their best to slow the game down, but Cardiff’s abundance of substitutions were forcing the intensity higher. Eventually, only minutes from half-time, Cardiff earned a short corner. The initial defensive effort got the ball out of the 23, but it quickly came back in and a lucky deflection gave Cardiff the goal they had been looking for. The score was even going into half-time.
Spirits were high in the Carmarthen camp going into the second half, the 2s knew they were starting to irritate Met with their solid press and triangle passes and the win was still very much up for grabs. It was quickly apparent that Cardiff had adapted their press to completely cut off Carmarthen’s transfer options, but movement from the 2s broke it up nicely.
Pressure from Carmarthen’s forwards Siriol Richards, Charlotte Harries, Ffion Raymond and goalscorer Burgess-Williams kept the pressure firmly on Met with several short corners awarded to the home side. Finally, a blocked shot fell to Richards who deflected the ball into the net, Carmarthen were back in the lead, 2-1.
The game was far from over though, Cardiff advanced yet again and after a couple of top-drawer saves from Carmarthen keeper Lowri Davies, a loose ball was picked up by a Met attacker and nobody could stop her short-range tap in at the post, 2-2.
The match was winding down, fatigue was well and truly setting in and Carmarthen defenders Ellie Routley, Emily Stibbs and Delyth Rees were doing everything they could to keep Cardiff at bay. The thought of always stressful penalty flicks to decide the result started to loom in the minds of both teams. But then, another period of attack by Carmarthen saw the ball find its way to youngster Mackenzie-Jones right at the top of the ‘D’, and, with her signature slap hit of the ball, she sent it rocketing through the Cardiff defence and onto the backboard, 3-2 with minutes to go!
Cardiff threw their all in, a massive defensive effort from the entire Carmarthen team denied them a goal from open play, but just as the final whistle was about to blow, they won a short-corner. This was the final play of the game, Cardiff sent it to the top, slipped it out wide and let off a shot which was picked up by Stibbs and swiftly directed at the foot of the Cardiff attacker, ending the match.
Promotion is now guaranteed for the 2s, and a place in the league cup final too. Carmarthen 2XI’s next matches will be the Challenge cup semi-final on Sunday 22nd in Cardiff against Gwent 4s.
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