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Saints 1s Welsh Indoor Cup Report

Saints 1s made the trip to Methyr on 28^th January to play in the Welsh indoor championships, having qualified through the south wales indoor league. Placed in a pool with Howardians and Penarth, we knew it was going to be tough but we went in with confidence and started very well.

 A strong defensive display in the first game against the league champions Howards limited them to few chances, which goalkeeper Maddie Dagley and her defensive team of Jen Stuart-Smith, Liv Laxton, Phoebe Clarke and Vikki Stroud kept out. We went very close at the other end, with Kat Hunter and Katy Preston leading the attacking threat, but Howards also held firm, meaning the final result was a fair 0-0 draw.

The second game we faced was against a Penarth side which included several national league players from Swansea. This was another tough encounter and required everyone to be on top form. Half way through the first half, we won our first short corner and captain Amy Brook flicked it past the on-rushing Penarth keeper. Just before half time Kat Hunter added a second to finish off a well-worked team move. Penarth came out with a point to prove in the second half and scored from open play within a couple of minutes. They piled on the pressure but our defence stayed solid, with our press brilliantly limiting them to difficult chances, which they couldn’t convert. They won a penalty flick after a brilliant stop on the line by Jen Stuart-Smith unfortunately hit her knee, denying a certain goal. Maddie Dagley stepped up and proved how brilliant she had been all day by saving it! In the last minute of the game, a break out of defence led to a short corner, which Liv Laxton stepped up to convert confidently. The final score was 3-1 to Saints, and we had won the group!

Our semi-final was against Gwent, the runners up in the other group. We knew they would be a good team so called in back-up in the form of coach Adam Broomfield. His words of motivation meant we started well and went 1-0 up within 8 minutes, through another Kat Hunter goal. Gwent threatened our goal multiple times in the first half, with good direct play through the middle of the pitch. At half time, we were told to stop letting them do that, so we did as we were told and improved our structure in the second half, giving them very few opportunities. Kat Hunter converted another good chance to give us a 2-0 win, meaning we were into the final!

For a place in Europe, we faced the defending champions Dowlais. The indoor specialists are off to Europe in a few weeks, and we wish them all the best! The motivation of being the first Saints team to go to Europe for indoor meant we started very strongly and took Dowlais by surprise, going 2-0 up within 3 minutes from another 2 Kat Hunter goals, through a short corner variation and an individual field goal. The press, consisting of Amy Long, Katie Thorpe, Kat Hunter and Katy Preston, meant Dowlais were limited to short corner chances, and the brilliant goalkeeping of Maddie Dagley kept them out. These two organised, well-matched teams kept battling through to half time with the score remaining the same. At half time we were told to continue doing what we were doing, and make the most of any chances that might come our way, and we did so! Dowlais again threatened through their effective short corner routines, and managed to get one goal back. However, we kept our structure and positive play going, culminating in a quick ball out of defence to Katie Thorpe at the top of the D, which she calmly finished under the on-rushing keeper. We absorbed the Dowlais pressure for the remaining 5 minutes to come out victorious and to be crowned welsh indoor champions for 2017!

This tremendous victory was the result of a huge team effort and progression throughout the weeks building up to this tournament. With limited indoor experience and training, we showed our quality through an organised and well-drilled team, with some exceptional individual performances. A special mention must go to the tournament top scorer Kat Hunter, whose tireless work in both attack and defence, along with clinical finishing put the shine on a fantastic team performance.

A huge thank you to the players who took part in the league matches building up to this – Cat Fenton, Fi Tibbitt, Rhi Evans, Kitty Hardman, Becky Heslop and Imani Afzal, and to reserve goalkeeper Ffion Horrell who contributed brilliantly in the league and was primed to play her part in the finals, if necessary. Without the coaching and management team of Adam Broomfield, Scott Fulton-Brown, Daryl Kisby and Megan Blake we would not be in the position we find ourselves in.

We are looking forward to the challenge of competing in Europe next year and to continuing this good form into our outdoor league and cup campaigns! Thank you to everyone who has supported us!