Report | Aberystwyth Town Women 1 Swansea City Women 3
Swansea City Women booked their place in the last 16 of the Bute Energy Welsh Cup with victory over Aberystwyth Town at Park Avenue.
The Swans came racing out of the blocks, with Aimee Deacon netting her 10th goal of the season in the 17th minute. A first goal of the campaign from Maddy Murray then doubled the lead just one minute before the break, sending the Swans into half-time two goals ahead.
A third goal was added six minutes into the second half, as a signature long-range effort from Chloe Chivers beat goalkeeper Sophie Steele to all but ensure the victory.
Aberystwyth did pull a goal back through Millie Gardner in the final 10 minutes, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation.
The game had started cagily, with the first real effort on goal coming 10 minutes in when Alaw Hughes fired over the bar from distance for the hosts.
The deadlock was broken seven minutes later, after a long ball into the area was only cleared as far as Deacon, who made no mistake in slotting past Steele.
The Swans continued to look the more dangerous side going forward, with the wind in their favour during the first half. Chivers looked to take advantage, striking an audacious 35-yard free-kick that forced Steele to parry behind for a corner.
During the latter stages of the half, chances continued to fall for Swansea. Chivers played Taite Trivett through, giving her the option to square the ball to Deacon or go for goal herself. She chose the latter, but her effort was straight at Steele, who held it comfortably.
But the Swans did double their lead a minute before the break, as Murray rose to meet a Chivers corner and guided a powerful header into the net.
Swansea started the second half as positively as they ended the first and soon found a third goal through Chivers, whose signature long-range strike flew into the top-left corner, leaving Steele with no chance.
As the half went on, the Swans didn’t let up and continued to chase more goals, with Murray nearly getting her second of the afternoon after Emily Thomas delivered a cross into the area.
Chivers continued to threaten during the final 20 minutes. The midfielder once again tried to catch Steele out from 30 yards, but the goalkeeper was equal to it, making the save and holding the strike.
The Seasiders did manage to find a goal with 10 minutes to play, after a free-kick from the right-hand side was delivered by Libby Isaac to the far post. Substitute Gardner brought it down well before releasing a low strike into the far corner, beating Amelia Forkings and denying the Swans a clean sheet but not a place in the next round.
Swansea City Women: Amelia Forkings, Maddy Murray, Steph Turner (Emily Richards 46), Sammy Wynne (Eilish Mitchell 46), Aimee Deacon, Chloe Chivers, Stacey John (Emily Thomas 50), Ellie Lake, Taite Trivett, Caitlin Williams (Maisie Miller 50), Jessica Williams.
Aberystwyth Town Women: Sophie Steele, Rebecca Mathias, Lily Moralee-Hughes (Lowri James-Evans 75), Libby Isaac, Imogen Scourfield, Jessica Baker (Seren Evans 66), Ffiona Evans, Elan Jones (Sian Evans 57), Alaw Davies (Millie Gardner 57), Sioned Kersey, Paige Harvey (Dani Mawle 57).