Cwmbran Celtic Ladies vs Cascade YC

Match Report

Us and Cascade have had many close cup battles over the years and we went into this game with 2 cup wins apiece in the past 5 seasons. We won in this competition’s semi-final last season on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

We had the first opportunity when Cerys Pinchard’s free kick from distance just eluded the lunge of Eloise Meaney. From the goal-kick Cascade played the ball out and Chrystalla Moreton swung a long ball over the top for 16-year-old Tina Reakes to outpace the Celtic defence and lob the ball over Amie Preston-Roberts into the net for her 36^th goal of the season for 3 Cascade teams.

In the 12^th minute we equalised when Cerys Pinchard’s superb left-foot in-swinging corner was headed goalwards at the far post by Georgie Cridland before Maisie Morris knocked it over the line to score. We had the ball in the net again when Maisie charged down a clearance and raced down the left wing before crossing for Chelsea Cochrane to lay the ball back for Casey Daniels to hit the post and Fiona Anthony followed up to tap the ball into the net, but the effort was ruled off-side.

In the 2^nd half the lightning-fast Reakes was through on goal but the combination of a challenge by Summer Bowen-Quirk and a block by Amie Preston-Roberts denied her a shot on goal. Then Amie saved a shot but the ball slipped from her grasp. However she dived sideways to grab the ball before any damage was done. The game ended all square.

In the penalty shoot-out Gracie Grosvenor, Eloise Meaney and Georgina Cridland scored for us. Amie stuck out her foot out to stop the last spot kick to give us a 3-2 win. We will face Cardiff MET, Adran League winners, newly promoted to the Premier League in the final. This will be our 6^th final appearance in our 14 years existence.