Cardiff City inflicted a first Genero Adran Premier defeat of the season on The New Saints as Gillian Keenan’s early goal gave the Bluebirds a 1-0 victory at the CIS Stadium on Sunday.
Keenan’s winning moment arrived with just six minutes played in the capital as the Irish forward raced through on goal and slotted past Mackenzie Haydn-Jones for her sixth goal in four games.
Cardiff goalkeeper Daniela Kosinska remained on top form throughout the contest as she saved two efforts from Fiona Barry either side of a point-blank stop to deny Abbie Iddenden. Keenan also hit the crossbar for the hosts early in the second half, but her early strike was enough to give Noah Bushby’s side a hard-fought win as they closed the gap at the top of the table to three points.
Wrexham reclaimed top spot on goal-difference as the Red Dragons stormed to a 7-0 victory over Cardiff Met at The Rock.
Wrexham needed just 14 minutes to break the deadlock as Cardiff Met lost possession deep in their own half, allowing Faye Knox to play through Katie Barker, who poked home past Violet Bell at the near post. Phoebe Davies doubled Wrexham’s advantage in style two minutes later as the defender ran onto a loose ball from a cleared corner and picked out the roof of the net with a sweetly struck first-time effort for her first goal since December 2024.
Ava Suckley added a third goal for Wrexham with a slight stroke of fortune on 65 minutes as her fierce effort bounced down off the crossbar and ricocheted back off Bell, who could not do much to prevent the ball sneaking into the net. Suckley then made it a quickfire brace as Knox’s free-kick dropped down inside the area, allowing Suckley to squeeze her effort past Bell.
The pick of Wrexham’s goals came from Maria Francis-Jones, who received Mariam Mahmood’s pass on the left, cut inside and curled beautifully into the bottom corner. The hosts were awarded a penalty with three minutes of normal time remaining as Faith Mulenga was deemed to have handled the ball inside the area from Mahmood’s cross. Knox stepped up to take the penalty and she calmly found the bottom corner, sending Bell the wrong way in the process.
Substitute Natalie Clark wrapped up a convincing display from the reigning Genero Adran Premier champions in stoppage time as she met a loose ball on the edge of the area and fired in off the post for her first top-flight goal in over a year. Jenny Sugarman’s side have now scored a staggering 40 goals in their opening seven games – no team in the league’s history has ever scored more than that amount at this stage.
Briton Ferry Llansawel secured an impressive victory as they triumphed 3-0 against 10-player Swansea City, who were left frustrated on their return to the Swansea.com Stadium.
Ferry forward Katy Hosford nearly haunted her former club early on as she struck the crossbar. However, the Reds were given a glorious chance to find the opener as Swansea defender Caitlin Williams brought down Freya Peyton inside the area which resulted in a penalty and a straight red card for Williams. Lucy Powell stepped up from the spot and fired past Amelia Forkings to give Ferry the lead.
Powell doubled her and Ferry’s tally on the stroke of half time as her free-kick from the right sailed over everybody, including Forkings. Mark Murison’s side continued to capitalise on the numerical advantage as Brooke Llewelyn added a third goal just eight minutes after the restart by slamming the ball home from Powell’s corner. The visitors’ lead was not threatened and they now move just two points behind the Swans and a place in the top half.
Libby Isaac scored a late equaliser as Aberystwyth Town got their first point on the board following a 2-2 draw with Barry Town United at Park Avenue.
Both teams made a fast start as 15-year-old Chloe Edwards put Aberystwyth ahead inside just two minutes, but her first ever senior goal was cancelled out by Barry forward Beca Thomas 10 minutes later.
Olivia Barnett scored her first Barry goal to complete a first half turnaround for the away side three minutes before half time, but Aberystwyth eventually found another way past Molly Arnesen with six minutes remaining as Isaac turned home Rebecca Mathias’ cross. The Seasiders remain one point behind Barry at the bottom of the Genero Adran Premier table.
Genero Adran Premier results:
Aberystwyth Town 2-2 Barry Town United
Cardiff City 1-0 The New Saints
Wrexham 7-0 Cardiff Met
Swansea City 0-3 Briton Ferry Llansawel
