Ellie Lake is keen to help deliver a ‘long overdue’ trophy for Swansea City as they prepare for the Bute Energy Welsh Cup Final against Cardiff City at Rodney Parade on Sunday (KO 17:00).
The Swans have not lifted any silverware since claiming the Genero Adran Premier title four years ago, while they have not won the Bute Energy Welsh Cup since 2018 and not even reached the final in the past eight years.
“Everyone is buzzing, everyone wants to play in a cup final,” Lake says, looking ahead to Sunday’s game. “They’re the games you look forward to and want to play in. Eight years is a long time, I think I played in the last one, it’s long overdue for a club like us. We want to be challenging for all trophies.”
Yzzy Taylor’s side head in to the Final on the back of a much-improved league season, finishing third in the Genero Adran Premier after missing out on the top four last year.
Bute Energy Welsh Cup Final
They are also the top scorers in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup this term, netting 25 goals in four games on the way to reaching the Final.
“I think it’s been a good season for us,” Lake says. “What we went through last season as a club, this year was always about rebuilding and bringing through the youngsters, just trying to lay solid foundations. I think we’ve done that so far this season.”
Having lost four consecutive matches in March, a final day win against Genero Adran Premier champions Wrexham gave the Swans a welcome boost going into Sunday’s game.
Lake opened the scoring and Aimee Deacon also netted in a 2-1 win for Swansea as they became the only team to triumph away at the Red Dragons this season.
“It was massive for us,” Lake says of the win at The Rock. “We had four losses in a row, which is not great for any team. We knew the cup final was coming up, we really wanted to get a good result for us, the club, for the staff, to give us confidence going into the cup final. It was a big win for us.”
The next hurdle for the Swans to jump is victory over a Cardiff City side who they have not beaten in any competition since October 2024. The historic rivalry between the two sides adds extra spice to an already mouthwatering occasion at Rodney Parade.
“We love a derby, I’m sure they do as well!” Lake smiles. “It’s always a big game, the South Wales Derby, and for it to be in a cup final is massive. They’re very direct, they’ve got some good attacking players, good defensive foundations. The last two games against them we were quite unlucky to not come away with something, so hopefully now the final will be our game to win.”
While trophies and wins over Cardiff may have proved elusive for the Swans of late, there is no doubting their determination to defy those track records on Sunday.
“It’s really important that we throw everything at this final and bring a trophy back to this club,” Lake says. “I think it’s what the girls deserve and the staff deserve, so it would be massive for us as a club.”
