Cardiff City have found themselves in an unusual position this season.
Having claimed the Genero Adran Premier title with relative comfort in each of the last three campaigns, the Bluebirds have been locked in an enthralling battle for top spot with Wrexham this term.
Iain Darbyshire’s side currently trail the Red Dragons by two points and travel to the STōK Cae Ras on Sunday (KO 17:10) knowing that they must avoid defeat to take the title race to the final day.
City have had to show a lot of resilience along the way this season to stay in the race and one person who knows all about that is 21-year-old forward Mackenzie Olden. After signing from Barry Town United in 2023, her season was cut short in her debut Cardiff City campaign, after suffering an ACL injury against Aberystwyth Town in December that year.
It was long road back for Olden, but just over a year later she was back playing, and this season she’s back to her best. Having played across the frontline this season, Olden has registered 31 goal contributions in all competitions.
“When I came into Cardiff I wanted that to be my breakthrough season, and show everyone what I can do, but obviously I got hit back by that injury,” Olden says. “It was a difficult period. When you get injured like that and you’ve got to turn up to training and everyone is training around you, and you’re not able to do as much, it can be quite a lonely place.
“But if you surround yourself with the right people and the right team it can get easier to recover from those sort of things. You’ve just got to believe in yourself, believe in the process and the whole recovery period, and you will be back stronger.
“Coming into this season now fully fit and having all the girls around me and all the coaches, who have believed me, they’ve really helped me hit my form.”
Since she joined Cardiff City, the league has developed rapidly, emphasised by the tight title race with Wrexham that has evolved this season. In cup competition, Wrexham were the Genero Adran Trophy winners in the final against Cardiff, before the Bluebirds got revenge with victory in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup Semi-Final.
“The league has been completely different this season but that’s all us players want at Cardiff,” Olden explained. “We want it to be competitive, we want it to be difficult, we don’t want it to be a walk in the park. Playing these harder games make you better players in the long run.
“When we’re coming down to the last couple of games of the season to win the league, it can mean a lot more. Having that pressure on us, we thrive under the pressure. That’s where we all come together and really work hard as a team. It shows as a whole squad, how much we can dig deep and really fight for each other and come out of those games with a win.”
Over 2,000 tickets have already been sold for Sunday’s clash at the StōK Cae Ras, in what will be the first occasion that the title can be decided if Wrexham win.
Wrexham vs Cardiff City
“It is a big occasion,” Olden said. “Everyone’s going to want to play at the Racecourse. It’s an opportunity some may not have. “It’s about not letting the occasion get to you so much, there’s obviously going to be loads of fans there but that’s what you want at a football game. It’s just making sure we stick to our game plan, stick to knowing what we know we can do, beat our individuals on the day and see how the game goes.
“The games this season have shown how close us and Wrexham are and how much of a challenging game it is. They’ve beaten us, we’ve drew to them, we’ve come back and beaten them. They always make it a tough game.
“We go out to win every single game, and if we do that then we can come out champions. I don’t think anything changes for us as a squad.
“I think regardless of the outcome it’s been a massive season for us. It’s the most competitive the league has ever been and that’s what everyone wants to see. It shows that the Welsh league can grow, and it can be a competitive league. For anyone that wants to play in the Genero Adran Premier, it shows that it is hard to play in. You will build as a player.”
