The New Saints confirmed their place in the Genero Adran Premier Championship Conference with a 2-0 victory over Aberystwyth Town at Park Hall on Sunday afternoon.
Saints trio Grace Dunkerley, Caitlin Chapman and Kay Baker were all denied by Aberystwyth goalkeeper Sophie Steele, but the hosts eventually found the breakthrough in first half stoppage-time as Zara Gibbs tucked away a loose ball into the bottom corner.
Lexi Jones gave TNS comfort with 64 minutes on the clock as the striker fired into the roof of the net from close range for her first league goal of the season. The result marked Kieran Lee-Birch’s first win as Saints manager, while Aberystwyth remain sixth in the table after a third consecutive away defeat.
Cardiff City maintained their lead at the top of the table with a convincing 6-0 victory over bottom-of-the-table Pontypridd United at the CIS Stadium.
Mikayla Cook opened the scoring in style for the Bluebirds after just 15 minutes played as her strike from distance flew into the bottom corner. Meg Bowen headed home from Cook’s corner before Maddison Perrott produced a clinical finish through the legs of Pontypridd goalkeeper Anna Phelps to give Cardiff a three-goal lead at the break.
Cook fired into the roof of the net from close range to add a fourth goal for the home side early in the second half before she turned provider twice more for Madison Lloyd, who finished from Cook’s low crosses to bag a brace against her former club and round off an emphatic win.
Genero Adran Premier
Iain Darbyshire’s side remain a point clear of Wrexham, who came from behind to triumph 3-1 over Briton Ferry Llansawel at The Rock.
Ferry found the breakthrough inside just eight minutes as Grace Evans steered the ball home from Freya Peyton’s teasing low cross, but Wrexham were level just six minutes later as Brooke Llewellyn’s foul on Faye Knox inside the area allowed Katie Barker to step up and score from the penalty spot. Ava Suckley almost completed the turnaround for the hosts by half-time but her effort rattled the crossbar.
Jenny Sugarman’s side eventually went in front for the first time on 62 minute as Rosie Hughes smartly headed home Barker’s cross from close range, before Hughes bagged another nine minutes later as she received Josie Smith’s perfect through ball and fired past Courtney Young.
Ferry ended the evening with 10 players as defender Olivia Kett-White was shown a straight red card for bringing down Barker when the striker was through on goal.
Swansea City enjoyed a winning return to the Swansea.com Stadium as Chloe Chivers’ hat-trick inspired a ruthless 7-1 victory over Barry Town United.
Chivers put Swansea ahead inside just three minutes with a fierce strike from distance, while Stacey John quickly doubled the home side’s lead as she tapped home the rebound after Molly Arnesen tipped Aimee Deacon’s header onto the post. Taite Trivett got her name on the scoresheet with a sublime strike from 25 yards out as the Swans opened up a three-goal lead at half-time.
Chivers grabbed her second of the evening with a composed finish one-on-one with Arnesen before a clever lob from substitute Emily Thomas, who had only been on the pitch for six minutes, made it 5-0. Chivers completed her hat-trick in style with 15 minutes remaining as the forward found the net from the edge of the area once again.
Amelia Herbert scrambled home Lauren Payne’s cross to register a consolation for Barry, but the Swans had the final say as Thomas rose highest from Trivett’s cross and headed beyond Barry’s substitute goalkeeper Emily Blunt. Yzzy Taylor’s side are five points behind leaders Cardiff, while Barry remain in seventh.
Genero Adran Premier results
Cardiff City 6-0 Pontypridd United
Swansea City 7-1 Barry Town United
The New Saints 2-0 Aberystwyth Town
Wrexham 3-1 Briton Ferry Llansawel
