There won’t have been many who would have predicted Briton Ferry Llansawel to be in the race for the Genero Adran Premier title come January.
Since their promotion to the top-flight, Ferry have wasted no time in making themselves known to a wider audience, and currently sit third in the table.
Captain Lowri Ridings is thankful to everyone involved with the club for getting them to this point.
“Credit to the girls and all the staff. Everyone works tirelessly to improve week in and week out, and not just on the pitch but off the pitch also. We have always known that we have been capable of competing at this level and I think it’s a credit to everyone involved that we are doing so well at this moment in time.”
While many teams were able to rest over the festive period, the same can’t be said for Briton Ferry, who played through it. However, wins over Swansea City and Cardiff City certainly made it a Christmas to remember at Old Road.
“Obviously, it’s not an ideal situation playing over the Christmas break as the fixtures were rearranged due to the weather. But again, credit to the girls as everyone really stepped up and took accountability for their performances and fitness level over the Christmas break.”
But the tough tests just keep on coming for Rhys James’ side, who head north to take on The New Saints in the semi-final of the Genero Adran Trophy on Sunday.
The two faced off earlier in the season, with Ferry picking up a point after defender Oliva Kett-White had to go in goal for a considerable amount of time. Despite knowing the difficulty of the fixture, captain Ridings believes their current form can get them through.
“I expect a really competitive game. They aren’t where they are in the league for no reason and credit to them for that. The last game was really competitive for 90 minutes. Liv stepping up and going in goal for us was fantastic and she did a really good job.
“We are not expecting for the game to be easy, and we know that we will have to work hard to get through to the next round, but we also have to play with confidence from some of the results we have got in the league.”
Sunday could well be yet another historic chapter in Ferry’s ever-expanding book. They’ve tasted a cup final before, but now that they are one step away from getting to their second, and the prospect of what could come is tantalising.
“It would be a great achievement not just for the ladies’ section but for the club as a whole. Our main ambition was to do well in the league this year and that has been our main focus. But to be able to get to a semi-final of a cup in the process is something pretty special and shows just how much hard work is going on behind the scenes to succeed.”
