Cardiff ………………………………. 1
Manchester┬á …………………………┬á 2┬á
(after extra time)
An agonising golden-goal defeat from a determined Manchester side ended Cardiff ladiesÔÇÖ hockey teamÔÇÖs hopes of advancing to the next round of the BUCS Championship.
After an exciting 70 minutes concluded with the score at 1-1, the hosts succumbed to a well-executed penalty corner just seven minutes into the additional period.
The opening exchanges were an even affair, with both sides enjoying periods of possession without creating a great deal of chances in front of goal.
CardiffÔÇÖs best opportunity to open the scoring came when Elisa Brett skipped past two defenders on the left wing before some neat interplay resulted in Catherine Macauley almost scrambling home past a prostrate Manchester goalkeeper.
The home team also survived a scare when no Manchester stick was able to make contact with a menacing cross from the left hand side of the Cardiff goal in the 15th minute.
It was on 25 minutes that a Manchester penalty corner resulted in a scramble for the ball within the Cardiff ÔÇÿDÔÇÖ that left the away sideÔÇÖs winger free to put a cross in from the right-hand side which was then redirected into the net.
Cardiff, though, struck back just a minute later with a penalty-corner move that has now become their trademark. As ever, Louise Linley-Adams was waiting on the near side of the ÔÇÿDÔÇÖ to hit a slap shot past the bemused defenders that were rushing to the edge of the ÔÇÿDÔÇÖ from where the ball is traditionally struck.
Cardiff controlled possession for large parts of the second half, although it was not until the 55th minute that they created a clear chance to take the lead. After the third in a series of penalty corners, the ball fell to Janive Buhagiar, who couldnÔÇÖt quite lift the ball over the advancing Manchester goalkeeper from short range.
With 10 minutes to play, the game opened up considerably. CardiffÔÇÖs keeper Rhian Evans kept out the visitors on two occasions, once with a last-ditch stick save and again when she closed down a Manchester forward to prevent a shot on goal.
Cardiff had one last chance to win the game in regulation time when Livvy AbbottÔÇÖs shot from just inside the ÔÇÿDÔÇÖ was angled slightly too close to the keeper.
Cardiff looked the better side going into extra-time and seemed the more likely to score early on, only to be cruelly beaten in the 77th minute.
Nonetheless, this was a creditable display from the home team, who deserved more out of a game that they were in charge of for large periods.
Manchester, who play in Premier League North, will travel to Birmingham in the quarter-finals later this month.
Dave Riley
photo: Taliesin Coombes
Hi Jessica,
I’ve forwarded your message to the sports team here at Gair, you should hear back from them within the next few days.
I am a member of the Cardiff Hockey Team and wanted to know how we can access and view the rest of the photos taken during the match by Taliesin Coombes?
Thank you
Jessica