Reserves Beat Argyle

Cardiff City Ladies Reserves faced Plymouth Argyle Reserves in their last away game of the FA Women’s (Reserves) Southern Division 2 League campaign and came away with a convincing 6-1 win. With a few regular starters missing this gave Cardiff manager, Deb Ball the chance to start some of the young new players. At the start of the game Cardiff were welcomed onto the pitch by an applauding Plymouth Argyle squad, for their achievement in winning the league.

A reshuffled Cardiff team started the game well with them having most of the possession. They had the first chance of the game with in-form Suzie Davies beating the Plymouth defense to pass an inch perfect ball through to Cori Williams, but she was unlucky not to find the target.

Cardiff went ahead early in the first half with a through ball for on-the-day captain Rachel Cullen. She found Williams in space who fired the ball past the Plymouth keeper.

The Welsh girls kept dominating possession with strong defensive play from Sophie Cole, Sinead Mellin, Kay Hatley and Helen Hicks. A free kick from Cullen found Williams at the back post to header in for her and Cardiff's second of the game.

Neat play in the midfield by Cullen and Rachel Griffiths played a through ball to Williams whose shot was saved by the hands of the Plymouth keeper who was outside of the box. The referee had no hesitation in showing her red.

Cardiff's third goal came from a lay off by youngster Storm Buchanan, finding Williams. She crossed in and found Davies who smashed home her first goal for the club.

Williams thought she scored her hatrick just before half time following a free kick from Cullen. She stabbed the ball into the net only to be blown up for offside and Cardiff remained three up going into the break.

The second half started with Cullen dominating the play in the middle of the park, spreading the ball out to wingers Williams and Davies. Plymouth broke up the Cardiff midfield on a couple of occasions but there was no way passed the strong defense.

Cardiff substitutions saw Williams and Davies replaced by youngster Nikita John and debutant Ffion Cartwright. Minutes after coming on, John found herself in space on the edge of the box and she fired the ball into the top corner, scoring her first goal at senior level and the visitors fourth.

Youngsters Hicks and Buchanan did well on the right hand side, creating chances for strikers Davies and Cartwright, but on her debut, Cartwright could not seal her promising performance with a goal, finding her shot going just passed the post.

Cardiff scored their fifth when Buchanan fired in a cross from the right side, finding Davies in space, who neatly placed the ball into the back of the net.

The Cardiff defense was beaten for the first time in the game with strong play from the Plymouth winger, finding a through ball where their striker fired the ball past the untried Cardiff keeper Laura O'Sullivan.

 Cardiff ended the game strongly when John finished off the scoring with her second and Cardiff’s sixth. A ball across the box by Davies was touched on by Cartwright into the path of John who had no intention of missing from only a few yards out.

A promising performance from a young inexperienced Cardiff team saw them only one game away from an unbeaten league season. They complete the season with a home game against Reading Reserves on Sunday 12th February at the UWIC Playing Fields, Llanrumney. Kick off will be 2.00pm. Come and support the Champions.