Ellie Lake | We are in a better place

Ellie Lake believes Swansea City Women head into this weekend’s south Wales derby at the Swansea.com Stadium in a better place than when the sides last met.

The Swans have been in impressive form since they last faced Cardiff, winning five of their last six matches and netting 24 goals across those victories.

Swansea have also won their last two meetings with Cardiff on home soil, with Stacey John netting the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory when the sides last met at the Swansea.com Stadium back in October 2024.

Lake believes there is more than enough quality in the squad to secure the win but insists the team must stay mentally strong and composed in key moments, something which she acknowledges they were unable to do in a 3-0 defeat at Cardiff City Stadium earlier this campaign.

“We’re really looking forward to it. It’s a big game at the stadium, it’s being shown on TV, and it’s a great experience for us to be a part of,” said the experienced defender.

“It’s a south Wales derby, and I think in the past when we’ve won, it’s been because we’ve gone out there as a team, stuck to our game plan, and not been afraid or nervous on the ball. Sometimes, if we panic in these games, we can get caught up in the occasion and things stop going our way, so it’s important that we focus on playing our football.

“We have a lot of young players who have really helped the team and stepped up to the plate this season. I think us older players just need to encourage them and make sure they’re not afraid to express themselves on the pitch.

“Cardiff have started the season well, but I think we are in a better place than we were when we last played them.

“We had a lot of injuries and a lot of people coming in and out on mixed minutes but this time there are no excuses. We have pretty much everybody fit and ready to go, so I think we are much more prepared this time around.

“We love getting to play in the stadium, it’s always a great occasion for us as a team and we always get a good crowd supporting us, which helps because when you hear people cheering for you it can really help boost the team.”