Stunning show from Wrexham! Top four spot secured by 90th minute winner

GENERO ADRAN PREMIER

Swansea City 2 (Miller 35, Hosford 53)
Wrexham 3 (Suckley 33, Iddenden 39, Allen 90)

Boom times for North Wales women’s football!

Hot on the heels of Mayzee Davies, Elise Hughes and Mared Griffiths making their impact for the Cymru national team, Wrexham produced a magnificent performance in South Wales tonight to secure a top-four place in phase 2 of the Adran Premier season.

A tough and hastily-arranged midweek trip to Swansea, who would have clinched an upper-half spot themselves with a draw, tipped the odds against Steve Dale’s reds, even though they had whipped the Swans 5-0 in the Welsh Cup 10 days earlier.

But a 90th minute decider from late substitute Keren Allen sealed perhaps the greatest moment yet in Wrexham AFC Women’s amazing recent history.

The North Wales heroes looked to be well off the pace after losing 4 of their first 5 league matches this season.

But by the midway seven-game stage, things had improved somewhat with back-to-back 3-0 home wins over Cardiff Met and Briton Ferry.

Successive defeats at The New Saints and Cardiff City followed, making their record: won 3 and lost 6.

However, four wins and a draw in their last five fixtures ensured Wrexham edged into the all-important top four for a second season on the bounce.

This evening’s clash saw Ava Suckley hand the visitors a 33rd minute lead from a Lili Mai Jones assist. It was Suckley’s 11th goal of the campaign in all competitions.

The forward was on hand to finish clinically from a rebound after Jones’ initial shot was parried by keeper Charlotte Haynes.

Maisie Miller levelled on 35, but Abbie Iddenden restored the away advantage with her seventh of the season, Mari Gibbard this time setting up the goal.

Gibbard threaded the ball through from midfield, Iddenden ran into the box, worked the ball onto her left-foot and Haynes was unable to stop the shot finding the net.

When Katy Hosford levelled eight minutes into the second half, there was still much to do for Wrexham, but these girls never say die and, just like the men’s team have done so often this term, they snatched the honours with a late goal.

Carra Jones sent over a corner from the right, the ball came to Erin Lovett, whose strike was kept out, but Allen was in the right place to lash in the winner.

Cue great celebrations from the weary travellers in a thrilling end to the first part of the 2024-25 season.

Once again Wrexham are doing North Wales women’s football ultra proud.

WREXHAM

Liz Craven
Erin Lovett
Abbie Iddenden
Brooks Cairns
Amber Lightfoot (Rebecca Pritchard 86)
Carra Jones
Natalie Clarke (c)
Katie Sharp
Ava Suckley
Lili Mai Jones (Rosie Hughes 75)
Mari Gibbard (Keren Allen 87)