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Match Previews

PREVIEW | CPD Y Rhyl 1879 vs Wrexham AFC Women

Red Dragons look to seal Genero Adran North title with a game to spare

5 March 2023

Wrexham AFC Women head to Rhyl’s Belle Vue Stadium on Sunday, knowing a win will seal the Genero Adran North title with a game to spare.

The Red Dragons – who have won ten league games out of ten this season – put themselves on the brink of the title with a late victory away to rivals Connah’s Quay Nomads last time out.

That result put them five points clear of second-placed Nomads, against whom they finish the season – at the Racecourse Ground – on Sunday March 26.

And Steve Dale’s side know they can prepare for their homecoming – for which tickets will cost £1 – as champions, should they maintain their winning streak and bring three points home from Rhyl.

Fixture information

Sunday March 5, 2023

Genero Adran North

CPD Y Rhyl 1879 vs Wrexham AFC Women

Venue: Belle Vue Stadium, Rhyl, LL18 4BY

Kick-Off: 2pm

Entry: £3 adults, £1 children

On the brink

Wrexham AFC Women stand on the brink of a first Genero Adran North title, having missed out in heartbreaking fashion on the final day last season.

On that occasion, a ten-game winning streak was ended by a late defeat to Llandudno, in a winner-takes-all finale to the inaugural campaign.

This time, the title is in Wrexham’s hands with two games to spare – the Red Dragons having won ten in a row again this season.

The equation is quite simple – beat CPD Y Rhyl 1879 away, and Wrexham are champions. Drop points, and it opens the door for Connah’s Quay Nomads – who play Llandudno and then Wrexham in their final two games.

The opposition

After winning the North Wales Women’s Football LRebeague last season, finishing the season unbeaten with 16 wins and two draws – and an incredible 118 goals scored – Rhyl have found their debut season in the Genero Adran North much tougher.

A chastening 8-0 loss to defending champions Llandudno proved a baptism of fire, but they do currently sit fourth in the table.

A pair of wins against struggling Airbus UK Broughton, and a victory against Llanfair United, has earned them nine points, while they also reached the last 16 of the Genero Adran Trophy.

They go into this game on the back of a 3-0 loss to Llanfair, courtesy of Gemma Jones’ hat-trick, but had previously showed they are no pushovers in this league with a narrow 1-0 loss to Connah’s Quay, and a 2-1 defeat to Llandudno.

Veteran striker Laura Williams scored in the latter game, while Rebecca Bannister tops their scoring charts in the league this season with four to her name.

We’ve met before

This will be the third time the two teams have met this season, with Wrexham having triumphed in each of the previous two.

The last time they met at Belle Vue Stadium was in the Genero Adran Trophy, and it ended in a dramatic stoppage-time Wrexham win.

With Rosie Hughes absent, Amber Lightfoot opened the scoring in the first-half but Wrexham were unable to put their stamp on the game. Captain Rachael Nattrass grabbed a late equaliser for Rhyl, only for teenager Lili Jones to keep her cool, slamming home a stoppage-time penalty to seal victory.

The next meeting of the two teams was more straightforward from a Wrexham perspective. After a slow opening ten minutes, Wrexham then ran riot – Ava Suckley, Amber Lightfoot and Sophie Hodson all scored within the next ten minutes, and Libby Mackenzie and Suckley again made it 5-0 by half-time.

Lauryn Lyons then stepped off the bench to score two in the second-half, as Wrexham claimed a big 7-0 home win at Ponciau Banks.

Team news

Wrexham welcomed back Phoebe Davies from injury last weekend, with the experienced full-back coming on as a second-half substitute against Connah’s Quay Nomads.

The tenacious defender bolsters Wrexham’s options at the back, and they head down the North Wales coast with only Lauryn Lyons (knee) unavailable.

That means selection decisions for Steve Dale, with captain Kim Dutton having been an unused substitute against Nomads with Mari Gibbard and TJ Dickens favoured in the middle of midfield.

Sophie Hodson and Lauren McCaffrey were also among the substitutes, and represent attacking alternatives should Dale wish to shuffle his attacking quartet.

Match Previews

Match Reports

CHAMPIONS | Wrexham AFC Women seal Genero Adran North title

REPORT | CPD Y Rhyl 1879 1-11 Wrexham AFC Women

5 March 2023

Wrexham AFC Women are the Genero Adran North champions, storming to a stunning 11-1 win away to CPD Y Rhyl 1879 to wrap up the title with a game to spare.

Rosie Hughes scored five goals and Amber Lightfoot also hit a hat-trick in a dominant display, with Lili Jones, Rebecca Pritchard and Libby Mackenzie also on target.

The win – Wrexham’s 11^th out of 11 in the league this season – gives them an unassailable lead at the top of the Genero Adran North table.

It means the Red Dragons will lift the trophy in front of the Wrexham fans on Sunday March 26, when they conclude the league season at the Racecourse Ground.

And Steve Dale’s side will then compete in the play-off final with the Genero Adran South champions – licenses permitting – for a place in the top flight next season.

Manager Dale named an unchanged team for Wrexham to the one that had started the win against Connah’s Quay Nomads last weekend.

And Wrexham were straight onto the front foot, as Rebecca Pritchard’s cross was claimed by the goalkeeper within the first minute, after a patient team move.

Lili Jones released Amber Lightfoot over the top on three minutes, but the ball took an age to drop for the winger and her shot was deflected wide.

Just a minute later, though, Wrexham were in front – Lili Jones’ corner was headed goalwards, and while the initial shot was saved, Hughes was on hand to thump home the rebound.

Another corner caused Rhyl more problems in the sixth minute, as TJ Dickens played the ball short and Jones crossed, but Libby Mackenzie shot over.

Wrexham doubled the lead on 11 minutes though, as Hughes threaded an inch-perfect through ball through to Lightfoot, who finished low on her left foot.

Hughes was the provider again on 13 minutes, dancing inside and teeing up Mackenzie, but the midfielder dragged her shot wide across goal.

Wrexham’s third did arrive on 20 minutes, however, and it was almost a carbon copy of the second. Hughes threaded the ball through to Lightfoot and, with the keeper slow off her line, she finished low again.

With Wrexham rampant, Hughes raced down the left-wing on 22 minutes and cut inside, but from a tight angle she shot into the side-netting.

Hughes could have added to the score in the 28^th minute, after Mari Gibbard was tripped in the area, but in a rare mis-step from the striker, she dragged her penalty wide.

Still, Wrexham remained well on top and Jones made it four in the 32^nd minute – lofting a long-range shot goalwards, which drifted over the goalkeeper, under the bar and in.

And Hughes did get her second on 41 minutes, and in some style, smashing the ball in on her left-foot from just inside the area.

It sparked a flurry of goals late in the half, as Laura Williams pulled one back for Rhyl on 43 minutes with a lofted finish.

Hughes then hit back at the other end, with a lofted finish of her own to complete yet another Wrexham AFC hat-trick.

And there was still time for Rebecca Pritchard to convert from close-range when Hughes cross was parried clear by the goalkeeper.

Mackenzie got her goal three minutes after the interval, pouncing on a mix-up between the keeper and a defender to score Wrexham’s eighth.

Hughes then stole possession on the halfway line on 51 minutes and raced forward, only for her right-footed shot to cannon back off the post.

Three minutes later, Hughes was in again – this time the keeper saved with her legs, before Rebecca Pritchard had two shots blocked and Hughes shot wide.

Lightfoot nearly completed her hat-trick on the hour, getting the ball onto her right-foot and beating a defender, but she shot wide.

Two minutes later, she shot left-footed from the edge of the box, and this time her shot was parried wide.

Hughes got Wrexham’s ninth on 64 minutes, however, getting in on goal once again and this time finishing coolly through the keeper’s legs.

And Lightfoot completed her hat-trick in the 66^th minute, with a low right-footed finish from the left of the area.

Hughes got Wrexham’s 11^th on 80 minutes, skipping around the goalkeeper and firing in her fifth of the afternoon.

Wrexham: Morgan, Lovett, L.Jones (R.Jones 61), Sharp, Roberts (Davies 71), Dickens, Gibbard, Pritchard (Hodson 56), Mackenzie (Dutton 56), Lightfoot (McCaffrey 71), Hughes

Match Reports