Pontypridd Ladies vs Cwmbran Celtic Ladies

Celtic earned a well-deserved away victory versus former Celtic coach Claire O’Sullivan’s Ponty side who were relegated from the Welsh Premier last season. Celtic striker Jade Crofts won the battle of the sharp-shooters with a hat-trick against talented 2-goal 17-year-old Sophie McMullen but it was very much a team effort from Celtic’s girls on a cold, wet day.

Ponty took the lead through Lucy Jones but Jade equalised on the half-hour, latching onto a through ball from stand-in captain Fiona Anthony. Jade put Celtic in front on 51 minutes when Kate Williams won the ball in midfield, played to Fiona who played a glorious first-time pass for Jade to score. On 56 minutes Kate was again the provider, her long ball finding Jade on the edge of the box. She was tackled but the ball fell invitingly to Lauren Boyd whose trusty left boot found the corner of the net.

McMullen made it 3-3 but on 65 minutes Celtic were back in front. Superb ball control by Georgia Schwartz – she found Lauren who played Fiona in for an excellently worked goal. Fenton equalised for Ponty but Jade won the match for Celtic after Grace O’Reilly played her in with a wonderful long ball from her own half.

Celtic were well-served by the midfield engine room of Georgia, Kate & player of the match Fiona but the defence battled well to contain McMullen against whom debutant keeper Amie Preston made a particularly good diving save early in the game.