Cardiff City Ladies v Portsmouth Women – Sunday 3rd March 2024
It was back to the National League South for Pompey Women on the first Sunday in March as Jay Sadler’s side looked to put their disappointing National League Cup semi-final defeat at Newcastle United Women behind them by consolidating on their six-point lead over 2nd placed Hashtag United Women.
Mid table Cardiff City Ladies (LFC) were their opponents over in South Wales, ironically on St David’s Day weekend, for the match played in their neighbouring city of Newport with Newport Stadium the venue.
Heading south to the match from Birmingham on the M5 I could either do the route via the M50 past Ross On Wye and into Monmouthshire or, for an extra 7 miles but a similar a time, I could continue on the M5 and do the original Severn bridge crossing. I decided on the latter and after stopping at the adjacent Severn View services on the English bank of the river, I walked onto Severn Way (a bridge across the M48) to photo this iconic link from England to Wales that opened back in 1966.
The only other time I have been to Newport was when Pompey men won 1-0 at Newport County in October 2015 in our League Two days which in fact was my first ever blog on ‘PompeyNewsNow’. But that day I went straight to Rodney Parade as I had a lift and didn’t see any of the city.
As I had more time on Sunday, I arrived in Newport around 11:30am and briefly stopped by Newport Cathedral on Stow Hill as pictured below.
When planning my trip, I looked at recommended pubs for Newport County on Football Ground Guide and discovered the superb Ye Olde Murenger House which is on High Street in the city centre on the western side of the River Usk. As a CAMRA pub which is an 18th century mock Tudor building with a history on that site dating back to the 1530s – this sounded like an absolute must.
After finding Sunday street parking between the cathedral and High Street, I made my way past the city’s revered statue of Sir Charles Morgan who played such a pivotal role the city’s coal exporting legacy in the 19th century and much more. Then on Corporation Street there is the Chartists sculpture to commemorate the 1839 Newport Rising.
Whilst in this part of the world, it was a great opportunity to catch up with my mate Jim before the match as we arrived at the Ye Olde Murenger House around midday.
Being a Samuel Smith’s pub, a pint of Taddy’s Lager was in order as well some bar snacks of course.
Although Newport Stadium is a 2.3 mile walk from the pub, this gave me the opportunity to see some more sites after Jim left, starting with the ruins of the 14th century Newport Castle (sandwiched between Newport bridge and the railway bridge).
As mentioned earlier, the River Usk flows through the city before meeting the Severn estuary and pictured below is facing north to Newport Bridge (road into the city centre).
Pictured above, is the view facing south from Newport Bridge itself. Luckily my route to Newport Stadium meant I could hug the majority of the River Usk’s west bank. So I photographed its impressive bridges (from north to South: Newport City Footbridge, George Street bridge and then City Bridge, A48 road bridge).
When I walked across City Bridge to Newport Stadium, there is a spectacular view facing north back up the river towards the city centre with the beautiful Newport Mountains in the background.
About half a mile along the A48 after crossing to the east side of the city, I finally arrived at Newport Stadium.
Newport Stadium (AKA Spytty Park) is equipped for both football and athletics as both Newport City FC and Newport Harriers Athletics Club play there as well of course as Cardiff City Ladies.
There is still signage on the outside of the stadium for Newport County AFC who had a spell playing here between their Somerton Park days and 2012 relocation to Newport Gwent Dragons rugby ground – Rodney Parade as the Exiles ended their 25 year hiatus from the Football League one year later.
The stadium itself accommodates 2,450 spectators on two sides (although it has held more in the past presumably when the open terrace at one end was in use).
There is the main seated stand (which was the only part of the stadium in use for this game) and a covered terrace behind the dugouts on the opposite side.
The main stand I sat in is a decent size and holds 1,100 and looked pretty full. It has good sight lines although the running track means you are some way from the pitch.
Pompey Women started from the off with some decent early attacking play and dangerous looking crosses.
Then in the 10th minute, our first clear cut chance happened when Sophie Quirk cut in past The Dragons defence over on the far touchline and delivered a decent cross to Georgie Freeland whose volley just outside the six-yard box went just wide.
On 15 minutes, a similar move and cross by Quirk was this time crossed in to Emma Jones, who on the stretch saw her effort fly over the bar.
The hosts played with lots of bodies behind the ball throughout which meant they posed a limited threat to Hannah Haughton’s goal other than a shot from distance on 18 minutes that flew harmlessly wide. Then moments later Cerys Jones was unable to get her header on target.
Pompey Women continued attacking and not long later a decent ball in by Ava Rowbotham (making her 100th appearance for the club) to Freeland saw their keeper Laura O’Sullivan alert to grab the ball ahead of the striker.
It seemed the story of the half was decent attacking play and crosses by Pompey Women to try to unlock Cardiff’s stubborn defence were met with O’Sullivan quickly coming off her line to snuff out any danger.
On 40 minutes we had another opportunity to break the deadlock when a fine ball forward by Quirk to Emma Jones saw her run in the box and but her cross just out of reach for Freeland to get a shot in.
HT: Cardiff City LFC 0-0 Pompey Women
It was impressive to see the other facilities adjacent to Newport Stadium, with Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales in the background behind the covered terrace.
It was very encouraging for the Women’s game to see a number of local school girl football teams in attendance as they were at their vocal best throughout to cheer on The Dragons. Then at half time, they did a lap of honour around the pitch. Time then for the second half.
After a frustrating first half for the away side, Pompey Women resumed their attacking intent and in the opening minutes of the restart Leeta Rutherford’s ball in picked out the stretching Freeland but she was unable to find the target.
As the hour mark passed, it was all Pompey Women with Quirk’s cross unable to be turned in by Barrett from a tight angle who hit the side netting.
Then a superb ball chipped into the box by Rutherford saw Ali Hall (starting today ahead of Daisy McLachlan) control the ball down well and her shot forced an excellent save by O’Sullivan to tip over for a corner.
Pictured below, Barrett very nearly put us ahead directly from the ensuing corner when her in swinging kick came back off the cross bar.
Pompey continued to create chances with Quirk and Jones both coming close. Then on 70 minutes Jay Sadler made a double substitution where attackers Ella Humphrey and Emily Pitman replaced Barrett and Rowbotham respectively.
But despite Pompey’s dominance, in the 71st minute it was Cardiff who got the breakthrough. The Dragons broke down another Pompey attack with a fine move from their midfield that saw Ingrid Aadland play in Ellie Sargent who lifted it superbly over the advancing Haughton into the bottom corner. This was only the fifth league goal Pompey Women had conceded this season, but a real concern it could prove crucial for this game.
It looked like being one of those days for Pompey when on 74 minutes Hall’s dangerous cross in eventually fell to Quirk, but this time our leading scorer fired just over the bar when aiming for the top corner.
Then a cruel irony happened on 85 minutes – well for the PA man anyway. With Pompey Women once again on the attack, Jones ran into the box and just as she squared it to Jones, the announcer made a rallying call for the last six minutes for the Cardiff fans to make some noise just at the moment where Jones controlled the ball and struck it into the back of the net to equalise – our 100th goal in all competitions this season.
When teams (particularly an away side) get a late let off, there is that usual settle for a point or go for all three dilemma. Pompey Women having outplayed Cardiff City Ladies, and mindful of Hashtag now having a game in hand, went for the win.
So not long after the restart we surged forward and after Pitman controlled the ball in the box it broke to Jones who empathically smashed home her 15th goal of the season to send the travelling fans wild and loud renditions of the Pompey Chimes could be heard not for the first time that afternoon.
As the game went into stoppage time, Sadler made another double substitution to freshen up the attack with double goalscorer Jones being replaced by Tierney Scott as Quirk was replaced by McLachlan.
There was still time for a late scare in the last minute of added time when we conceded a free kick just on the edge of the box, but Cardiff’s short free kick was cleared and that was that.
Despite having to grind it out the hard way, it was three fully deserved points clinched by Pompey Women and their 13th league win a row this season.
FT: Cardiff City LFC 1-2 Pompey Women
Att: circa 1,100
The victory moves Pompey Women 9 points clear of Hashtag United Women, who do have a game in hand, but our goal difference is now 41 better than the Aveley based side. Cardiff City LFC remain 7th.
As I walked back over City Bridge to my car for my 96 mile drive back to Brum, the sun was beginning to set and there was still time to photograph the Newport Transport Bridge. The iconic structure is the most southerly bridge on the River Usk and the one nearest to the Severn Estuary.
Up next then for Jay Sadler’s team is the visit of 4th place Ipswich Town Women to West Leigh Park on Sunday at 2pm as four wins from the remaining six league games would now secure the title. PUPW PWPU.
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