Cardiff City defeat Wrexham to lift Bute Energy Welsh Cup

Wrexham 1-3 Cardiff City

• Cardiff City claim a fourth consecutive Bute Energy Welsh Cup
• A crowd of 1,391 for the final Rodney Parade
• Bluebirds have Ceryn Chamberlain to thank for penalty heroics

Cardiff City lifted the Bute Energy Welsh Cup for a fourth consecutive time, as they defeated Wrexham 3-1 at Rodney Parade.

The game was only six minutes old when the first goal went in, and what a strike it was. Spotting Liz Craven off her line, Lily Billingham proceeded to fire a sumptuous strike over her and into the top corner, evoking memories of Emma Beynon’s wonder goal from last season’s final.

Wrexham responded well, and their duo of Ava Suckley and Abbie Iddenden up front were useful outlets for the Red Dragons. It was the former’s cross that caused havoc for the City defence. Ceryn Chamberlain parried her cross into a dangerous area, and Brooke Cairns was the first to respond to it, but her effort was cleared off the line.

How Wrexham would rue that missed chance, as City doubled their lead shortly after. Ffion Price’s cross from deep found the head of Shannon Evans, who powered the ball back across the box and into the far corner.

However, a lifeline was handed to Wrexham minutes after the second goal. Chamberlain was penalised for bringing down Iddenden in the box, leaving the referee no option but to award a penalty. The striker picked herself up to take the spot kick, and she dispatched it into the bottom corner to reduce the deficit down to one heading into half time.

Iain Darbyshire’s team almost added a third very early in the second half as Fiona Barry was fed through by Billingham, but one-on-on with Craven, it was the Wrexham keeper who came out on top.

But on the hour mark, another flashpoint. Kerry Walklett tackled Suckley in the box, and the referee gave Wrexham yet another penalty. This time, Suckley was tasked with trying to convert it, but unlike Iddenden, she couldn’t find the back of the net, with Chamberlain making a smart save. But the North Wales side weren’t deterred by the miss, and almost found a stunning leveller, but Lili Jones’ powerful hit cannoned back off the crossbar.

With the game hanging in the balance, a calm head was needed, and it was Fiona Barry who provided that moment of calmness for City. Latching onto a looped ball over the top of the defence, the youngster rounded the onrushing Craven, before stroking home into an empty net.

Wrexham kept pushing for a root back into the game but struggled to breach a resolute Bluebirds defence. Suckley’s shot from outside the box looked destined to nestle in the bottom corner, but Nieve Jenkins put in a block in the nick of time to preserve her side’s two-goal advantage.

That was to be Wrexham’s final real opportunity of the game, as Cardiff City added yet another Bute Energy Welsh Cup to their ever growing trophy cabinet.

Wrexham

Liz Craven, Phoebe Davies (Erin Lovett, 83), Abbie Iddenden, Brooke Cairns (Katie Sharp, 79), Amber Lightfoot (Rebecca Pritchard, 79), Carra Jones, Natalie Clark, Ava Suckley, Lili Mai Jones, Keren Allen and Mari Gibbard (Rosie Hughes, 67)

Goals: Abbie Iddenden (p) 31’

Yellow Cards: Phoebe Davies 42, Keren Allen 68’

Cardiff City

Ceryn Chamberlain, Ffion Price, Nieve Jenkins, Megan Bowen, Fiona Barry (Eliza Collie, 79), Mackenzie Olden (Laura Curnock 75), Kerry Walklett, Shannon Evans, Molly Kehoe (Scarlett Baker-Perry, 90+4), Lily Billingham and Amy Long (Grace Evans, 90+5)

Goals: Lily Billingham 6, Shannon Evans 29, Fiona Barry 74’

Yellow Cards: Fiona Barry 52′

Bute Energy Welsh Cup Player of the Match: Lily Billingham