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| Kelsey Davies (RED) has scored four in her last seven games - including the match winner at Rhyl |
Rhyl and Prestatyn 0 MBi Llandudno 1
Match-winner Kelsey Davies hauled herself away from her university studies to score the deciding goal in the 83rd minute of tonight's derby at the Corbett Sports Stadium.
Davies typified the spirit in the Llandudno camp, and indeed women's football in general, by racing against the clock from Liverpool to arrive in Rhyl 10 minutes before kick-off.
Her late goal settled a hard-fought encounter which ensured Tudno moved three points clear of their North Wales rivals in the Welsh Premier Women's League table.
Llandudno created the majority of chances in the opening half-hour, Rosie Hughes firing wide after great work from Stacey Tradewell in the 14th minute.
Tradewell then produced a remarkable turn and dummy which sold two defenders down the river before Sofie Owen lashed over the bar.
A run and shot from Tradewell saw home keeper Megan Roberts save comfortably, then Owen's dipping effort just cleared the goal frame.
R and P had a great opportunity from a Laura Williams corner but Ashleigh Mills headed wide.
Samantha Jarvis-Evans set up Tudno top scorer Katie Louise Bowe, whose 15-yard attempt was unusually off target.
Bowe's free kick was then well held by Roberts with Tradewell a fraction away from getting a decisive touch.
R and P's Cassandra Thomas delivered a lovely free kick into the six-yard box on 43 minutes but no-one in a white shirt was prepared to gamble and the ball drifted wide.
HALF-TIME: 0-0
The hosts began the second half well, a Phoebe Davies shot flying straight at visiting keeper Jess Hughes before Mills lashed over from 10 yards.
Some strong tackles were going in on both sides, the midfield battle between Tradewell and Davies a very interesting one.
Then in the 73rd minute Llandudno came so close when Bowe's free kick was cleared off the line, and from the rebound Jarvis-Evans rattled the post.
Tudno now piled on the pressure, Bowe and Tradewell playing a lovely one-two before the latter lost control and tried an innovative back-heel which did not come off.
Another Bowe free kick was grasped at the second attempt by Roberts, but the hosts gradually rode the storm and started to threaten themselves.
Tudno keeper Hughes was at full stretch to keep out a Laura Williams curler and Tonicha Dickens lashed the loose ball over the top.
A cross from R and P substitute Lucy Davies was cleared in desperation, but then came the crucial breakthrough.
Llandudno countered and Bowe hit a majestic left-foot pass into the path of Davies who lobbed outcoming keeper Roberts to make it 1-0.
R and P tried to rally but were now vulnerable on the break, player of the match Tradewell blasting a free kick just over before Hughes missed by inches from a Davies cross.
TEAMS
Rhyl and Prestatyn: Megan Roberts, Jess Lowrie, Cassandra Thomas, Rachael Nattrass, Tonicha Dickens, Joy Jamieson (Lucy Davies 79), Rebekah Hansen (Rebecca Bannister 51), Phoebe Davies, Laura Williams, Caroline Gardner, Ashleigh Mills. Other sub: Alaw Davies-Smith.
MBi Llandudno: Jess Hughes, Jemila Bukari, Claire Colville, Catrin Thomas, Rebecca Elliott (Jordanne Greenough 51), Stacey Tradewell, Samantha Jarvis-Evans, Katie Bowe, Kelsey Davies, Sofie Owen, Rosie Hughes.
