Report | Swansea City Women 1 Wrexham Women 8

Swansea City Women suffered an 8-1 defeat to reigning Genero Adran Premier champions Wrexham Women at the ThermaGlaze Ground.

Hat-tricks from Katie Barker and Faye Knox, alongside goals from Lili Mai Jones and Mikayla Wildgoose, condemned the Swans to their first home defeat of the season on a difficult afternoon for Yzzy Taylor’s side.

It was an even opening but Knox gave the visitors the lead, allowing Wrexham to then take control of proceedings. Barker added a brace to give the reigning champions a 3-0 advantage at half-time.

Things would go from bad to worse for the Swans after the break, with the visitors scoring four goals in 20 minutes. Barker and Knox both completed their hat-tricks, while Jones also found the net for the Red Dragons.

Swansea pulled a goal back late in the second half through Chloe Chivers, who netted her fifth goal in three games. However, Wildgoose rounded off the scoring with a header from a free-kick to seal an emphatic victory for the visitors.

A superb early opportunity fell to the Swans as Chivers initiated a quick counter-attack down the left before delivering an inviting ball into Aimee Deacon. However, the forward dragged her effort wide from close range, a chance she would have been disappointed not to convert.

The opening 20 minutes were relatively even before Wrexham took the lead. The ball fell to Knox around 20 yards from goal, and she cut inside before producing a superb curling effort that beat Amelia Forkings in the Swansea goal.

Knox almost doubled her tally just minutes later when Barker played the ball into the forward, who struck first time. However, her effort was kept out by Forkings, who made a good save with her leg.

Wrexham continued to control proceedings following the opener and came close to adding a second when another delivery from the right, this time from Barker, found Ava Suckley. The forward struck first time, but Forkings reacted quickly to get down and deny her.

The visitors found their second 10 minutes before the interval after Swans defender Caitlin Williams was penalised for handball inside the area. Barker stepped up from 12 yards and, although Forkings guessed the right way, the goalkeeper could not stretch far enough to keep out the penalty.

Wrexham almost added a third shortly afterwards when Jones played a ball over the Swans defence towards the far post. Millie Davies met it with a first-time volley, but her effort rattled against the post and away to provide some relief for the hosts.

Wrexham would add a third goal before the break after being awarded another penalty, with Ellie Lake penalised for pushing Suckley inside the area. 

Barker stepped up once again, but this time her spot-kick was saved by Forkings. However, the Wrexham forward reacted quickest to convert the rebound and complete her brace.

The Swans nearly found a way back into the game early in the second half. A superb ball into the box from Chivers found Ellie Lake, but Phoebe Davies got in front of the Swans number five to produce an excellent defensive clearance and deny what looked like a certain goal.

However, Wrexham extended their advantage moments later when Suckley nodded the ball into Barker’s path, allowing the forward to convert from close range and complete her hat-trick.

The visitors added a fifth minutes later when Knox’s curling effort took a deflection off Jess Williams and found its way into the net.

A sixth goal soon followed as the Swans struggled to clear their lines inside the area. Knox capitalised on the loose ball to find space and fire home, completing her own hat-trick.

Wrexham continued to add to their tally and found a seventh on the hour mark. Maria Francis-Jones set up Lili Mae Jones outside the area, and the forward lifted an excellent effort over Forkings and into the net.

Swansea managed to find a consolation with 20 minutes remaining when Aoife Sheridan played the ball into Chivers. The forward tried her luck from around 20 yards out, finding the corner with an excellent finish to register her fifth goal in three games.

However, Wrexham rounded off the scoring when Mikayla Cook’s set-piece delivery found the head of Wildgoose, whose looping effort sailed over Forkings to complete an emphatic win for the reigning champions.

Swansea City Women: Ameliia Forkings, Lauren Davies, Ellie Lake, Sammy Wynne(Lily Deacon 82'), Aimee Deacon(Maddy Murray 59'), Chloe Chivers, Taite Trivett, Caitlin Seaborne(Aoife Sheridan 69'), Eilish Mitchell, Caitlin Willliams(Quianna Wheeler 69'), Jess Williams (C).

Substitutes not used: Opal Rayner, Maisie Miller, Monet Legall.

Wrexham Women: Liz Craven, Phoebe Davies, Lydia Sallaway(Mikayla Wildgoose 63'), Jodie Bartle (C), Katie Barker, Millie Davies(Mikayla Cook 63'), Ava Suckley(Evie Sadler 63'), Amy Reidford, Lili Mai Jones, Maria Francis-Jones(Sarah Harvey 73'), Faye Knox(Mariam Mahmood 79').

Substitutes not used: Sophie Nash, Natalie Clark.