Alaw Davies-Smith hopes to end two years of frustration in her football career

Alaw Davies-Smith has faced a frustrating last two years in her promising football career.

Appointed coach of Corwen Ladies in summer 2019, a whole exciting new adventure lay in store for the young defender.

However, the entire 2019-20 season comprised just seven league games for the team due to an early curtailment of football because of the worldwide pandemic.

Corwen finished next-to-bottom of North Wales League Division One, but like all other sides their campaign never really got going, with the last balls kicked in March.

And regardless, the season was doomed from the start with atrocious weather causing endless postponements before Covid-19 took centre stage. It is doubtful teams would have finished their fixtures even without the unwelcome intervention of coronavirus.

This season has been even worse – no action whatsoever with all football from tier 2 downwards in the men’s and women’s game cancelled due to the continuing coronavirus threat.

The past two campaigns have been difficult to deal with for all women footballers in North Wales, but for an ambitious young coach like Alaw it has been extra disappointing.

Born on April 5, 1997, Alaw celebrates her 24th birthday today.

With better news about the future of sport in Wales emerging in the past week, it will hopefully lead to improved fortunes for women’s football in the months ahead.

An attacking right-back known for her consistency, stamina and calm temperament. Alaw began her football career aged nine playing alongside the lads for Denbigh Dragons, whom she represented for three years.

Alaw then joined Prestatyn Girls and progressed through the age groups until securing her place in the ladies team.

After a season of playing for Prestatyn Ladies, winning the North Wales League in 2013/14 and scoring a wonder goal in a title-clinching 4-2 victory against Denbigh Town, she became part of the newly-named Rhyl and Prestatyn Ladies set-up promoted to the Welsh Premier in 2014/15.

The team became known as simply Rhyl Ladies in 2016/17 and Alaw remained a key player for the club throughout four seasons in the top flight.

In 2017/18 she was named the Grassroots North Wales Women’s Player of the Season.

Then came the switch to Corwen which is yet to really get off the ground.

Hailing from Denbigh, Alaw has also represented the Welsh Colleges side.

In 2014-15, she was in the Wales squad which thrashed English Colleges 8-0 and Australia Colleges 1-0.

Penblwydd hapus Alaw – here’s to a good next football season.