Amelia Forkings | We had a point to prove

Goalkeeper Amelia Forkings felt Swansea City Women had proved a point to themselves and the competition after opening their Genero Adran Premier campaign with a 3-1 victory over rivals Cardiff City Women.

Yzzy Taylor’s side produced an impressive performance in their first competitive fixture at the ThermaGlaze Ground, with Chloe Chivers opening the scoring from a free-kick before pressure from Quianna Wheeler forced Shannon Evans into an own goal just minutes later.

Emily Richards added a third with a superb first-time effort five minutes into the second half, before Cardiff pulled one back late on.

The victory came just months after the Swans suffered penalty shootout heartbreak against their rivals in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup final, having also held a 3-0 lead during the second half of that fixture.

And Forkings admitted the disappointment of that defeat provided added motivation heading into the opening game of the new campaign.

“The win is the best feeling in the world," she said.

“We had something to prove before the game, coming off the back of the cup final where we had been 3-0 up before letting them back into the game. We made sure that this time we kept pushing until the end and got our reward.

“We worked really hard in pre-season and we wanted to show that. I thought everyone, both on and off the ball, was sensational."

Forkings also played her part in ensuring the Swans came away with all three points, producing a number of important saves as the visitors looked for a route back into the contest.

“I went into the game really excited. It’s been a long time coming and we’ve built strongly leading up to this moment. I’m glad I could make a few big saves and contribute as much as I could to the team," she said.

“We came into this season with a few new players after losing some experienced faces from the squad, but I think we’ve gelled really well together. Everyone had a positive impact on the game, whether they started or came on as a substitute.

“There are no words to describe how proud I am of the girls. We conceded quite late on from a corner, but no one’s heads dropped and we kept pushing until the final whistle. We deserved the win. 

“It’s important now that we build on this. We have to keep pushing whether we’re at home or away, and that starts with Aberystwyth next week.

“We’ll see how far we can go this season and hopefully there will be some silverware at the end of it.”