The Bluebirds completed a late comeback to gain a vital point in a six-goal thriller at Cardiff International Sports Campus
Goals from Fiona Barry, Lily Billingham and Laura Curnock earned City a draw.
Head coach Iain Darbyshire elected to make six changes to the side that beat Cardiff Met last weekend, with Lisa Owen, Nieve Jenkins, Amy Long, Hannah Power, Helen Evans and Fiona Barry all coming into the starting XI.
The Bluebirds started strong, controlling the tempo of the game and dominating possession. Mackenzie Olden was electric in the opening stages, often finding herself involved in City’s attack. After her initial shot was saved by TNS’ Mackenzie Haydn-Jones, Olden’s cross soon after found the feet of Mikayla Cook, whose shot was also denied.
City would continue to search for the opener, with Lisa Owen involved on both ends. Owen’s cross found Curnock, but her effort went wide. However, TNS’ Lexie Harrison found the opener in the 24th minute.
Following the opening goal, neither team were able to break through and create a clear-cut chance. In the 39th minute, Helen Evans’ cross almost found Curnock, who was inches from goal, but her effort went behind the goal.
The hosts got their breakthrough just before the break. Following a good spell of possession from the Bluebirds, the ball fell to Barry outside the box. She curled the ball towards the goal, flying past the TNS defence and through the goalkeeper’s gloves to level the scoring.
The visitors regained their advantage in the closing stages of the half after Maria Francis-Jones’ free kick found Caitlin Chapman, who headed home their second.
The Saints got their third in the opening minute of the second half through Zara Gibbs’ finish. Soon after being subbed on in the 57th minute, Billingham quickly joined the action.
Her shot from outside the box came close to the goal but drifted just wide. TNS found space behind again just before the 70th minute mark, but Ceryn Chamberlain produced a heroic save to deny the opposition.
The hosts won a free-kick outside the penalty box after Barry carried the ball deep into TNS’ territory. Barry’s shot travelled wide, giving the visitors a goal kick.
Darbyshire’s side continued to search for their second of the game and in the closing stages were given a lifeline following a poor goal kick from the opposition.
Curnock quickly possessed the ball and gave it to Billingham, who slotted home City’s second. Following this, the game drew to a halt after an injury, resulting in ten minutes of stoppage time.
Following a quick break down the right-hand side deep into the contest, the ball found Kerry Walklett who came close to levelling the score. It was a sign of things to come for the Bluebirds, as not one minute later, Curnock poked home Ffion Price’s cross to level the scoring. The Bluebirds continued to search for the winner, but the game ended in a draw.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 3-3 THE NEW SAINTS FC.
Cardiff City: Chamberlain, Owen, Power (Perrott 57’), Jenkins, Bowen, Curnock, Barry, Olden (Billingham 57’), Cook, Long (Price 75’), Evans (Walklett 75’) Subs not used: Saunders, Jones, Malin.
The New Saints FC: Haydn-Jones (Scott 90+8’), Francis-Jones, Gibbs, Davies, Webb, Baker, Dunkerley (Crees 65’), Richardson (Evans 78’), Harrison, Lewis, Chapman. Subs not used: Edge, Thomas, Buckland, Paraiso.
REACTION | IAIN DARBYSHIRE
After the full-time whistle, head coach Ian Darbyshire said: “They played exactly how we thought they’d play. We didn’t manage the transitions as well as we could have in the first 60 minutes. They had three shots and three goals, so we found ourselves in a sticky situation.
"The positive is the reaction from the players and their attitude. The way the last twenty minutes went, we should have won the game. We’re really happy to come back and it will be a positive point come the end of the season."
Darbyshire also commented on the Bluebirds’ comeback this afternoon, and what they did differently to inspire the fightback.
“We managed the transitions a lot better. We won the first contact, played forward more and were more clinical in that final third. We always believed we could get something out of the game and you can see that in the result.”
It’s now 22 goals in the last five games for City Women, with the boss quick to praise the players for this achievement.
“We’ve got a lot of good players, and the way we play is very expansive. We focus all the time in training on getting the bodies in the box in the right area. We do that effectively,” Darbyshire continued.
“I'm really happy we scored the goals, not happy that we conceded the three. We’ll go back, look at it, and we’ll fix it for next week.”