Genero Adran Premier champions Cardiff City got off the mark for the new season with an emphatic 5-1 home win over last season’s runners-up Briton Ferry Llansawel on Sunday.
The Bluebirds put their surprise opening weekend defeat at The New Saints firmly behind them as they scored four goals in the opening 33 minutes in the capital.
Mackenzie Olden slammed the ball home from Lily Billingham’s perfectly weighted cross to open the scoring on 11 minutes, before Hollie Smith, who was making her first league start since January, netted from Fiona Barry’s corner to double the lead soon after.
Mikayla Cook and Billingham then both produced clinical finishes from the edge of the box to put City in a commanding position at the break.
Substitute Kerry Walklett, who had been on the pitch for just 10 minutes, volleyed in Cook’s cross to make it 5-0 on 70 minutes, before the Bluebirds were denied a clean sheet by 16-year-old Anya Grunewald’s late consolation for Ferry.
The hosts would end the contest with 10 players as Fiona Barry was shown a straight red card, but it mattered little as Iain Darbyshire’s side eased to three points.
Aberystwyth Town made it two wins from two games this season as they triumphed 1-0 over The New Saints at Park Avenue.
The decisive moment came with just 19 minutes on the clock when Shauna Chambers’ corner sailed directly over Saints goalkeeper Becca Elliott into the back of the net.
Genero Adran Premier
Maria Francis-Jones, Kelsey Richardson and Chantelle Teare all saw their efforts fly inches wide of the target as the visitors pushed for an equaliser, but Aber’s resolute defence held firm to secure back-to-back clean sheets and seal a first win over TNS for nearly four years.
Wrexham also have maximum points from their first two matches of the season after they won 3-2 over Barry Town United in a thriller at the STōK Cae Ras.
Captain Jodie Bartle put the Red Dragons ahead inside just three minutes as she fired home from close range after Barry failed to deal with Hannah Snape’s corner. Snape found the net herself on 25 minutes as she shaped herself onto her left foot and picked out the bottom corner for a goal on her first start for the club.
The hosts may have looked comfortable at half-time but their lead evaporated within 10 minutes of the second period. Phoebe Davies turned Sienna Stone’s cross into her own net, before Keira Harris dispossessed goalkeeper Lizzie Craven to slot into an empty net.
Erin Murray was stand-in goalkeeper for Barry after Molly Arnesen’s red card on the opening weekend and she managed to keep the visitors in the contest until the 88th minute when her resistance was broken.
Snape was again involved as her in-swinging corner struck Barry defender Angharad Beman and nestled into the bottom corner, securing Wrexham’s first top-flight win at the Racecourse.
The fixture between Swansea City and Pontypridd United at Llandarcy was abandoned midway through the second half due to a waterlogged pitch.
Swans defender Jess Williams was shown a straight red card 10 minutes before half-time, although the hosts did go closest to the opening goal as Emily Richards’ strike rattled the woodwork.
Ponty goalkeeper Alysha Hawkins then pulled some key saves for her side after the restart as she starred for the second week in a row, before the contest was called off on 62 minutes.
Genero Adran Premier results
Aberystwyth Town 1-0 The New Saints
Cardiff City 5-1 Briton Ferry Llansawel
Swansea City A-A Pontypridd United
Wrexham 3-2 Barry Town United
