After Wrexham won it last season, the Adran North kicks off once more on Sunday, with a full fixture list to boot.
This will be the third instalment of the Adran North since the league restructure, and with two new teams entering the fray, it promises to be the biggest and most intriguing so far.
Below, we predict who may be battling for the title, who are the sides to look out for, and which teams could spring a surprise.
Title Challengers
It is difficult to see past Connah’s Quay in terms of title favourites. The Nomads chased Wrexham all the way last season, and it was only in the final few fixtures that the Red Dragons pipped them to the post. With Wrexham now in the Adran Premier, Connah’s Quay will see this season as a perfect opportunity to win the Adran North for the first time.
It’s been an incredibly strong window for them in terms of incomings. No team in the league has done as much business as Jord Parry’s side. A total of ten players have come through the door of the Deeside Stadium. The majority have come from England’s fourth tier, however, Sophie Hodson, formerly of Wrexham, has come in. On paper, the strength in depth at the Nomads now is stronger than it ever has been, and that will only put them in good stead to push for the title and promotion.
There have, however, been two key departures from the club. Captain Kirstie Kural has departed to join TNS. Kural scored 23 and assisted nine in all competitions last season. The nearest player to her in terms of goals was Elana Harvey, who scored nine goals in all competitions. It goes without saying that the Nomads will need to find scorers from all over the pitch this season. Promising young winger Sienna Strapp has also departed the club, heading to Stoke City.
Even though they have lost two key players, the depth in this squad will put them in a much stronger position than almost every other team in the league, and that’s what puts them as favourites.
In terms of a challenger, I’d expect pressure to come from Llandudno. While they have lost the talents of Louisha Doran this summer, they still have players who are very much used to the challenges the league brings.
They’ve bought in some good experience with Katie Spruce and Megan Robinson, while striker Stevie Donougher scored 27 goals for Bangor last season. The big difference is that Dudno don’t quite have the depth that the Nomads have this year. In addition to this, their results against the Nomads haven’t exactly been stellar. While they did pick up a 1-1 draw early last season, a 4-0 defeat midway through the term highlights a need for the seaside club to do better this season.
Of course, the transfer window isn’t closed yet, and Llandudno can still do business, but it’ll be a tough task to displace the Nomads.
Ones to Watch
Two teams put up strong seasons last year, Rhyl and Felinheli. If they can pick up where they left off last season, they will certainly be ones to look out for.
The Lilywhites have signed some players that will certainly bolster their attack. Sade Benjamin scored 25 goals last season in the third tier, and if she can pick up where she left off, she will certainly add firepower to the forward line. It was at the back where Rhyl struggled, conceding 50 goals in twelve games. By adding Alicia Duke to their roster, they will be hoping to sure things up in the back line.
Felinheli had one of the strongest finishes to last season’s Adran North, winning four of their final five games, including a big win over Llandudno; a result that shows that anyone can beat anyone in this league. The likes of Jordanne Greenough have kept with the team, and with a couple of new additions, things are looking up for the squad.
The underdogs
Llanfair United didn’t have the best of times in the league last season as they finished sixth. Yet, they do boast some of the league’s most talented players, especially in Mary Bailey and Harriet Davies, who were named in last season’s Adran North Team of the Season. The big problem for them last season was scoring goals, as they could only muster eleven goals all season. Fix that, and they will find themselves flying up the table.
Airbus are the other team who made up last season’s competition. The Wingmakers only picked up three points all season, and they also conceded the most goals. It will no doubt be another tricky season for them, but they know the level this season, and they might kick on and have a better outing this time round.
CPDM Bangor are one of two teams making their first appearance in the Adran North. The Nantporth based side have lost some important players, including the afore mentioned Donougher, along with Mia Roberts and Jenna Allsup. Nonetheless, Bangor have got a young, fearless squad, and they will be looking forward to testing themselves in a higher division.
NFA complete this year’s lineup. The big thing for NFA is that they’ve lost their clinical strikers. Benjamin has gone to Rhyl, while Zoe Stopford has left to go to Flint Town United. Between them, they scored 43 goals, and of course, they will be difficult to replace.
Whatever happens, the Adran North is very open this year, and it will be very interesting to see how it all unfolds.
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