Report | Swansea City Women 3 Cardiff City Women 1

Swansea City Women kick-started their Genero Adran Premier campaign with a 3-1 victory over south Wales rivals Cardiff City at the ThermaGlaze Ground.

Chloe Chivers’ superb free-kick and a Shannon Evans own goal gave the Swans a two-goal advantage at the break, before Emily Richards added a third shortly after the restart.

Gillian Keenan pulled a goal back for the Bluebirds late in the second half, but the Swans saw out the contest to begin the new campaign with three points.

The victory also saw Swansea win their first fixture against Cardiff for nearly two years

Cardiff started strongly, with new signing Keenan having an early sight of goal. The forward fired a low effort from inside the box, but Amelia Forkings got down quickly to make the save.

Keenan went close again soon after when she met Mackenzie Olden’s delivery into the box, but the forward could not direct her effort on target as it drifted narrowly wide of the post.

However, it would be the Swans who took the lead just after the 15-minute mark. Chivers lined up a free-kick from 25 yards before smashing an effort in off the crossbar to open her account for the season.

The Swans doubled their advantage just minutes later. A powerful drive from Quianna Wheeler was halted by the Bluebirds defence, but the loose ball deflected off Shannon Evans and beyond Grace Olsen in the Cardiff goal.

As the Bluebirds looked for a route back into the contest, Evans almost made amends for the earlier own goal with a superb effort from distance, but Forkings was equal to it with an excellent save to deny the midfielder.

Chivers continued to threaten at the other end, driving in from the left before unleashing a powerful effort into the side-netting.

The Swans number 10 remained a threat after the interval, this time driving down the right before drilling an effort towards the far corner which drifted narrowly wide.

Swansea’s positive start to the second half was rewarded with a third goal. The ball fell to Emily Richards 20 yards from goal, and the midfielder’s first-time effort bounced in front of Olsen before finding the back of the net.

The game slowed down in the second half as the Swans looked to manage their advantage and see out the final 30 minutes.

Cardiff would find a late consolation when Ffion Price’s corner was met by Keenan, who headed home, but the Swans comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to secure all three points.

Swansea City Women: Amelia Forkings, Lauren Davies, Quianna Wheeler(Taite Trivett 61'), Ellie Lake, Emily Richards(Aoife Sheridan 71'), Sammy Wynne(Lily Deacon 80'), Aimee Deacon, Chloe Chivers, Caitlin Seaborne, Caitlin Williams, Jessica Williams (C). 

Substitutes not used: Opal Rayner, Maisie Miller, Monet Legall, Lowri Jones

Cardiff City Women: Grace Olsen, Ffion Price, Hannah Power(Anna Houghton72'), Gillian Keenan, Lily Billingham(Seren Thomos-Condon 85'), Mackenzie Olden, Kerry Walklett, Shannon Evans, Maddison Perrott(Scarlett Baker-Perry 85'), Ella Hilliard, Haile Richards.

Substitutes not used: Daniela Kosinska, Mia Malone Thierry-jo Gauvain, Anuka O'Hare.