Ella Hilliard makes bold Cardiff City claim after beating unbeaten TNS to extend winning run

Cardiff City continued their impressive run of form with a 1-0 victory over The New Saints, handing the league leaders their first defeat of the season at Cardiff International Sports Campus.

The Bluebirds made it five consecutive wins with another disciplined performance in Leckwith, having bounced back from losing their opening two matches of the campaign.

Gillian Keenan scored the decisive goal, finishing calmly after Mackenzie Olden broke forward and delivered an excellent ball through for the striker to net her seventh goal in as many matches this season.

And following the final whistle, Ella Hilliard was delighted with the result, highlighting the confidence growing within the squad and the defensive improvements that have helped Cardiff City maintain their winning momentum.

Ella Hilliard explains how Cardiff City Women have turned their season around

Cardiff’s latest victory represents a significant turnaround after their difficult start to the campaign, with the Bluebirds now enjoying five consecutive wins.

Hilliard believes the team’s growing confidence has been crucial, insisting the players never lost faith in the progress they were making despite their opening setbacks.

Asked whether she was pleased with the performance, she said: “100%. You know, had a really good performance coming into the game. We’ve got a lot of confidence.

“We know what we wanted to do today and we’ve done that, you know, clean sheet and three points as well, we can’t ask for any more. Really, really happy all-around.”

The defender also reflected on the importance of putting their early defeats behind them and continuing to develop as a team.

She said: “The first two games, you know, we were unfortunate, obviously, to start, you know, two losses on the bounce, but, you know, this is five games we’ve won in a row now.

“We’re just building that confidence. And that’s why, like, coming in today, you know, we didn’t feel disheartened or anything.”

Hilliard added that the squad had been growing together in recent weeks, with the improvements becoming increasingly clear on the pitch.

“We know that we’ve been building the last couple of weeks, you know, as a new team, and we’ve really been gelling,” she said.

“So, again, with the two clean sheets as well, it’s just really good to see us doing really well, tackling and also defending.”

Cardiff City Women’s defence frustrates The New Saints

While Keenan’s early goal proved decisive, Cardiff’s defensive performance was equally important as they kept a dangerous TNS attack at bay.

The visitors had not tasted defeat this season before travelling to Leckwith, but Cardiff City showed their resilience by limiting their opportunities and protecting their advantage.

Hilliard highlighted the threat posed by TNS in the wide areas, explaining that Cardiff had prepared for the challenge of containing their attacking players.

She said: “As I said, you know, we know throughout that, you know, TNS are hard and we know that they, you know, try and hit the wide channels.”

The defender acknowledged the quality of the opposition’s wide options, adding: “They’ve got Barry and Chapman, who are both really talented players.”

However, Cardiff’s defensive unit did an excellent job of restricting their influence, with Madison Perrott, Ffion Price and Shannon Evans earning particular praise from Hilliard.

The two consecutive clean sheets have provided further evidence of the progress being made at the back, with the Bluebirds combining defensive organisation with the attacking quality that has helped them win five games in succession.

Ella Hilliard sends confident message after Cardiff beat league leaders

For Hilliard, overcoming an unbeaten TNS side provides further proof of what Cardiff can achieve if they maintain their current standards.

The defender was particularly impressed with the way her teammates dealt with the opposition’s attacking threat, believing their defensive display should give the squad confidence heading into their next fixture.

Praising the efforts of her fellow defenders, she said: “I think Maddie was brilliant, Ffion Price and Shannon Evans as well.”

Hilliard also stressed the importance of taking that performance into the weeks ahead, with Cardiff now looking to extend their winning run.

“I think take that confidence, and to go into next week, and just build from that,” she said.

The result marks another major step forward for a team that has responded impressively to its opening defeats, with the Bluebirds now showing the confidence and cohesion needed to challenge the strongest sides.

And Hilliard believes the victory over the league leaders sends a clear message about Cardiff’s potential.

“As you said, you know, we can do it against the league leaders, we can do it against anyone,” she said.