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Match Previews

PREVIEW | Aberystwyth Town vs Wrexham AFC

Prepare yourself for what could be the decisive day of the season

26 March 2024

The top four places in the Adran Premier could be decided tonight: Cardiff will clinch the title with a draw against Swansea, while Wrexham can secure third place by avoiding defeat at Aberystwyth.

THE WREXHAM ANGLE

The Red Dragons know that avoiding defeat will confirm a terrific achievement: Third place in our first season in the top tier of Welsh football.

Avoiding defeat will not be the intention as Steve Dale's side travel west, though. Last Sunday's cruel defeat at the hands of Swansea City will serve as a motivation as Wrexham seek our first win in the second phase of the season.

The consistent message in the post-match interviews was a desire to translate Sunday's performance into a result on Wednesday, after a game which really ought to have treated an excellent crowd at the STōK Cae Ras to a home win.

The Swansea match wasn't all frustration, though, as Liv Fuller continued her return from a long-term injury by completing 90 minutes for the first time in two years.

If two games in four days is judged to be too much of a risk for her, Wrexham have defensive strength in depth with Erin Lovett, Katie Sharp and Ruby Jones ready to step up. Also, Dale could decide to revert to a back four, which he used in both wins over Aberystwyth in the opening phase of the season.

LAST TIME WE MET

THE VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE

Town clinched their place in the top 4 on the last day of the season by holding their only rivals, TNS, to a dramatic 3-3 draw.

That result followed an impressive away draw against Swansea, which showed they can rise to the occasion.

Their fighting qualities were also brought into focus through a gritty goalless draw against Cardiff at the start of the season - the only points the champions dropped in the opening stage of the season until the last round of matches.

🎙️ Amy J (@CambrianNews): "The girls never gave up and gave everything to give the home crowd something to cheer about."

⬇️ Amy J's Notebook - Read more below. #ATWFC | 💚https://t.co/reV9mC1Li5
— Aberystwyth Town Women FC (@AberTownWomen) March 26, 2024

Aberystwyth have shown fighting spirit against City in the second phase of games too. Their match against Swansea was postponed, so they've only played two games since the mid-season break, both against Cardiff. In both matches they ensured City didn't run away with the game, losing 3-0 away and 2-0 at home.

Wrexham's 2-1 win at Park Avenue in October felt like a significant result at the time, and it turned out to be a key moment in our season.

Seeking to find our place in the top division, a controlled away win, earned despite going behind to an absolute screamer early on, felt like an indication that a place in the top four was well within our grasp.

We reeled off a couple of comprehensive wins straight afterward to ensure we built on the result, and have been in the top three ever since.

Match Reports

REPORT | Aberystwyth Town 0-2 Wrexham AFC Women

Red Dragons secure third place in Genero Adran Premier

27 March 2024

Brooke Cairns scored her first Wrexham goal as the Red Dragons secured third place in the Genero Adran Premier with victory away to Aberystwyth Town.

Cairns broke the deadlock and Carra Jones hit a brilliant second as Wrexham claimed their first win in phase two.

The result means fourth-placed Aberystwyth – who travel to The Rock for the reverse fixture on Easter Sunday (March 31) – cannot catch the Red Dragons.

Three days on from the narrow loss to Swansea at the STōK Cae Ras, Wrexham made one change to the starting line-up – Annie Small making her full debut as Amber Lightfoot dropped to the bench.

For Aberystwyth, with goalkeeper Margot Farnes unavailable, captain Amy Jenkins was between the sticks instead.

Starting on the front foot, Aberystwyth kept the ball away from their stand-in keeper in the opening exchanges but without really testing Morgan at the other end either.

Instead, Carra Jones was first to fashion a shooting chance, running onto Phoebe Davies’ lofted pass and cutting inside, but her right-footed shot was blocked.

It was from Jones’ cross in the ninth minute that Cairns slid in and got the decisive near-post touch to break the deadlock, however.

Hughes could have doubled the lead on 13 minutes, closing down Jenkins’ clearance in goal, but the ball ricocheted wide off the striker.

Aber could have levelled on 23 minutes, however; Niamh Duggan’s cross had Morgan caught in two minds but she made a fine, instinctive parried save to deny Imogen Scourfield.

Lili Jones’ crossed free-kick caused chaos for the Aberystwyth defence on 35 minutes. Keren Allen, Cairns and Olivia Fuller all had shots blocked as the home defence failed to deal with a ball into the box.

Allen was then fouled on the edge of the area but, from Fuller’s short free-kick, Lili Jones shot well over.

Wrexham doubled their lead on 37 minutes, however, and in superb style. As the ball dropped for Carra Jones outside the area on the left, she hit an instinctive shot across goal, over Jenkins and into the far corner.

Lleucu Mathias could have pulled one back for Aber on the stroke of half-time, racing through one-on-one with Morgan, but she shot narrowly wide.

Small had chances to extend Wrexham’s lead after the break – going close three times in the first five minutes. One shot was blocked, while her touches from Gibbard’s low pass and then Hughes’ pass denied her the chance of a shot.

Carra Jones controlled a cross-field pass on 67 minutes, took the ball inside on her thigh and unleashed a right-footed shot but she dragged it wide.

Phoebe Davies made an expansive run forward from the back on 80 minutes, played it wide to Carra Jones and received the return ball, but her right-footed shot looped up comfortably for Jenkins.

Substitute Amber Lightfoot then drove at the Aberystwyth defence in the 85^th minute and unleashed a long-range shot, but Jenkins again saved comfortably. Lightfoot picked up an injury in the process, but was OK to continue.

Hughes had the ball in the net in the 90^th minute, lofting the ball over Jenkins from Suckley’s through ball, but the offside flag was raised.

In stoppage time, Suckley then had two shots of her own from long-range, both of which Jenkins smothered.

Wrexham could not find a third goal, but it could not prevent them sealing a welcome win and another milestone in this season.

Line-ups

Aberystwyth Town (4-2-3-1): Jenkins, Elan Jones, Isaac, Scourfield, Evans, Moralee-Hughes, Gwynne (Elin Jones 46, James-Evans 79), Baker (Wylde 64), Duggan, Mathias, Thomas

Subs: Mason, Rowlands

Wrexham (3-4-2-1): Morgan, Allen, Fuller (Lovett 46), Davies, Pritchard (Lightfoot 72), L.Jones, Gibbard (Suckley 81), C.Jones, Small (Dickens 57), Cairns, Hughes

Subs: Bolland (G/K)

Referee: Teifion Cook

Attendance:

Bookings

Aberystwyth Town: Baker (41, foul)

Match Reports