Match Report: Cardiff City FC Women 0-2 FC United of Manchester Women

Battling Bluebirds suffer defeat in final pre-season test against a strong opposition.

In a highly competitive outing, the visitors started on the front foot. Welsh international ‘keeper Claire Skinner had to be at her best to provide a low stop to deny Jessica Battle from a close range one-on-one opportunity, with seven minutes played.

It was the away side that broke the deadlock shortly after the twenty minute mark. Battle was on-hand to prod home a rebound from close range, after Skinner did brilliantly to tip Hannah Dale’s effort from distance onto the crossbar.

Cardiff City attempted to reduce the deficit shortly before the interval. A dangerous looking free-kick from Montana May flew just over the bar from 25 yards.

The second half continued to be a tough contest for both sides; Skinner doing superbly to deny Battle a brace on two separate occasions after the hour mark.

With 74 minutes gone, the visitors doubled their advantage. It was a soft penalty claim from Battle who won the spot-kick before Kirsty Chambers calmly stroked the ball home.

The determined Bluebirds searched for a way back into the game but the away side remained resilient at the back up until the final whistle.

FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY FC WOMEN 0-2 FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER WOMEN

Cardiff City: Skinner (Chamberlain 59’), Owen, May (Broadley 65’), Daley, Bourne, Jones (Green 71’), Underdown, Trialist (Cochrane 46’), Broadhurst (Legall 46’), Murphy, Trialist (Connolly 59’). Subs Not Used: N/A.

FC United of Manchester: Jackson, Jein, Davies, Carrington, Chadwick (Malpus 53’), Greenhalgh, Foster, Mather (Chambers 71’), Dale, Fields, Battle. Subs Not Used: N/A.