Report | Cardiff Metropolitan Women 0 Swansea City Women 2
Swansea City Women returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Cardiff Metropolitan at Cyncoed Campus.
Second-half goals from Aimee Deacon and Chloe Chivers secured the Swans their first win in three matches following defeats to Wrexham and Briton Ferry Llansawel.
It was a dominant performance from the visitors, who created several opportunities in the first half but were repeatedly denied by some excellent saves from Cardiff Met goalkeeper Violet Bell.
The Swans continued to apply pressure after the break and eventually got their reward when Chivers played A. Deacon through to score her fifth goal of the campaign.
Chivers then added a second eight minutes later to secure the points and help the Swans record their first clean sheet since their 4-0 victory away at Barry Town United three weeks ago.
The visitors started brightly, with the opening opportunity falling to Chivers after Lauren Davies won possession high up the pitch. The Swans midfielder was played through into the area but saw her effort saved by Bell.
Chivers went close again just past the 20-minute mark when she struck her trademark effort from distance, only to see the ball rattle the crossbar and go over.
As the Swans searched for an opener, Taite Trivett proved dangerous down the left, beating her defender before fizzing a ball across the six-yard area, but no Swansea player could get a touch to turn it home.
Chivers and Trivett continued to cause problems for the hosts and combined to create a golden opportunity five minutes before half-time. Chivers tried her luck from distance, with Bell parrying the effort into the path of Trivett, whose follow-up struck the side netting.
Maisie Miller also forced a save from Bell shortly before the interval, with the goalkeeper diving to hold her effort from just outside the area.
Swansea continued to dominate after the restart, with Ellie Lake driving into the area from the right before squaring the ball to Davies, who struck from 10 yards out. However, Bell was again equal to the effort, producing another excellent diving save to turn the ball behind for a corner.
Yzzy Taylor's side still had to remain alert at the other end and were nearly made to pay for a loose pass from Amelia Forkings. The ball fell to Hannah Powell 20 yards out, but the Cardiff Met midfielder could not keep her effort on target as it drifted wide of the post.
The Swans eventually broke the deadlock through Aimee Deacon in a well-deserved opener. A long ball from Lake found the forward, who headed it down to Chivers before the midfielder quickly returned the pass into the area. Deacon kept her composure to slot the ball past Bell and put Swansea ahead.
Chivers doubled the visitors' advantage eight minutes later. A challenge from Miller resulted in Swansea winning possession near the halfway line, allowing Aimee Deacon to drive forward before finding her sister, Lily Deacon. Lily then laid the ball off to Chivers, who produced an excellent first-time finish from just outside the area to register her sixth league goal of the season.
A third goal nearly followed when a Lily Deacon corner found Monet Legall in the area, but the defender could not generate enough power with her header to trouble Bell, who gathered comfortably.
Swansea looked to see out the remaining minutes but still had work to do to preserve their clean sheet. Evie Henshaw forced Forkings into an important save in added time, with the goalkeeper parrying the effort away before Caitlin Seaborne produced a crucial goal-saving clearance to prevent the onrushing Olivia Basham from converting the rebound.
The Swans held firm to secure a deserved three points and return to winning ways in the Genero Adran Premier.
Cardiff Metropolitan Women: Violet Bell, Faith Mulenga, Celyn Garton (C), Olivia Jones, Charley May Prouse(Demi Barry 91'), Neve Powell(Scarlett Davies 74'), Molly Chapman, Yasmin Mainwaring, Hattie Roulston, Hannah Rayner(Evie Henshaw 74'), Olivia Basham(Katie Mcgrath 91').
Swansea City Women: Amelia Forkings, Lauren Davies(Lily Deacon 66'), Maddy Murray(Aoife Sheridan 66'), Ellie Lake, Maisie Miller(Monet Legall 78'), Sammy Wynne, Aimee Deacon, Chloe Chivers, Taite Trivett(Quianna Wheeler 52'), Eilish Mitchell, Jess Williams (C)(Caitlin Seaborne 78').
Substitutes not used: Opal Rayner, Lowri Jones.