Cwmbran Celtic Ladies vs Carmarthen Town

Match Report

MatchdayProgram

We went into this game against 2^nd placed Carmarthen knowing that we had to win to stand any chance of displacing our opponents to finish as runners-up and even then the results of the last round would have to favour Georgia Shwartz’s side. The match got off to a controversial start when Town’s Lani Hogben bundled Maisie Morris over on the edge of the 18 yard box. It was a clear foul but the referee ruled that Lani was the last woman denying a clear goalscoring opportunity and sent her off. The video shows otherwise – there was a defender in close proximity so for the 2^nd match running at Celtic Park, the referee’s decision was to have a significant bearing on the game, remembering Summer Bowen-Quirk’s dismissal against Cardiff Met in our previous match.

We immediately pressed our advantage with Hollie Channing to the fore. She hit the resultant free kick just wide of the post and then put Maisie Morris in who shot wide. In the 17^th minute Gracie Grosvenor. out on the right, passed the ball inside to Fiona Anthony whose shot went high and wide of the keeper into the net for our first goal. Five minutes later we scored a fabulously worked 2^nd goal. Eloise Meaney started the move playing the ball forward to Channing whose clever dummy allowed the ball to pass two defenders for Morris and then Cerys Shipley to move the ball into the path of Morris at which point two more Town players got in each other’s way and up popped Channing to intercept the ball and sweep it into the corner of the net. Our next opportunity was from a Channing corner which Meaney headed just wide at the far post.

We continued to dominate the play in the 2^nd half. Georgie Cridland played Fiona Anthony in and her shot across goal was well saved by the diving Ffion Ashman. Next up, Fiona Anthony miskicked in front of an open goal. Morris was on hand to recover the ball which fell to Gracie Grosvenor whose shot was straight at the keeper. Carmarthen had 3 shots on goal which all went wide. In the 81^st minute we sealed the victory with our 3^rd goal. Substitute Casey Daniels strode down the right flank, ghosting 2 defenders in the process and reached the bye line before scooping the ball across goal for Maisie Morris to score with a simple tap in.  Maisie then set up our last chance for Fiona Anthony who shot wide.

So into the last round of matches, the chase for the runners-up spot sees Carmarthen as clear favourites. They play bottom but one Taffs Well and a win will give them 2^nd place. 3^rd placed Penybont play 6^th placed Cascade whose current form, unbeaten in their last 8 league games, makes this a tough encounter for Penybont who need to win and Carmarthen draw or lose to snatch 2^nd spot. We  play bottom team Llanelli Town. We have to win and hope Carmarthen lose and Penybont not win to finish runners-up.