Cardiff Met captain Olivia Barnes says that the Archers have ‘a point to prove’ as they prepare for Sunday’s Genero Adran Leagues Promotion Play-Off against Connah’s Quay Nomads (KO 14:30).
Met were relegated from the Genero Adran Premier for the first time in their history last season, with their fate sealed by a 2-1 defeat to Aberystwyth Town at Park Avenue. Now, in an interesting twist of fate, the club have the chance to win promotion at the same venue.
“Park Avenue is a tough place to go regardless of the opposition,” Barnes says. “The girls were probably looking at the venue thinking that we’ve got a point to prove. It’s such a big fixture for us and obviously the location is massive in that.
“It’s a challenge like any other game, but it is a big full circle moment.”
The Archers lost just once in their Genero Adran South title-winning campaign, and now only one more game stands in their way to secure an immediate return to the top-flight.
They go into Sunday’s game with momentum, after a comeback win against Pure Swansea on the final day of the league season – an afternoon which also saw them lift the Genero Adran South trophy.
“The girls are feeling confident,” Barnes explains. “We’ve worked hard in training over the last few weeks and I think we’re just looking forward to it now, the build-up has been quite a long time coming.
“The trophy lift after the Pure Swansea game, we allowed ourselves time to celebrate that and winning the league, and then you go back into training the following week and focus on the next steps.
“We always wanted to finish strong, and I think Pure Swansea we really just wanted that win for the atmosphere of the group. It was massive to win that game.”
After last year’s relegation, a summer of change and reflection was led by manager Jonathan Nash, who was appointed Met boss midway through last season. Barnes followed Nash from Hereford in January 2025.
“He’s driven us a lot in terms of mentality,” the midfielder says. “Everyone has to fight for everything, no matter the game no matter the opposition, we have to go into it with the right mentality, and work hard for the win, nothing is gifted to us.
“After being relegated last year and a few changes in the squad, I thought the girls reacted well. The attitudes throughout the season have been fantastic. Even if things haven’t gone our way, bouncing back after losses really helped the mentality of the group. The motivation was always there to push for the league and promotion.”
“The girls who were there for the full season last year, I’m chuffed for them to have this opportunity to go back up.”
Barnes has won promotion from the second tier before, winning the Genero Adran South title with Abergavenny in 2021/22, but not through the Play-Off.
The Archers come up against a Connah’s Quay Nomads side who suffered heartbreak in last season’s Play-Off as they threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 against Pontypridd United.
“They (Connah’s Quay Nomads) have experience in this type of game, they know the occasion,” Barnes says. “I don’t doubt for one minute that they’re going to be ready and prepared for this.
“It’s going to be a tough fixture. To get to this position again, you’ve got to have something about you to win the league back-to-back like that. We’re ready for a fight.
“It would be unbelievable (to be promoted), it’s such an honour to captain this side. There’s some great players in this side and some young players coming through, so to be that leader on the field, it’s an honour. After everything these girls have been through, to be part of the side that goes back up would be huge.”
