Nothing beats the first day of a new league season, and for the Adran Leagues, that day was yesterday.
Clubs across the land kicked off their campaigns in the Adran Premier, Adran North, and Adran South, with optimism everywhere at an all-time high.
So, for the first time this season, let’s take a look back at the week that was!
Adran Premier
To kick-off our first roundup of the season, we head to Park Avenue. After missing out on a place in the topflight for a couple of seasons, Briton Ferry finally played their first Adran Premier game. However, their first fixture on paper looked tough; a trip to league mainstays Aberystwyth Town. But Ferry took to the league like a duck to water, as they defeated the Seasiders 4-0.
Chris Church took his place in the Aber dugout for the first time, and he would have been happy with what he saw early on. Early pressure saw Ferry keeper Courtney Young called into action early, and she twice denied the hosts to keep the visitors in the tie.
After a nervy opener, Rhys James’ side calmed themselves and saw out the half without conceding, but in the second period, they really found their feet. As the clocked ticked over the hour mark, Alison Witts clattered Jess Denscombe’s corner onto the bar, but there in the right place to covert the rebound was Maia Owen, who poked home her first goal for Ferry.
Now with a goal under their belt, confidence was flowing through the Adran South champions, and ten minutes later they doubled their lead. Witts scored 19 league goals last season, and she grabbed her first of this campaign by curling a fine free kick past Chelsea Herbert.
As Aberystwyth pushed to find a route back into the game, they began to leave gaps in behind, and Ferry exploited them in the closing stages. Firstly, after being set through by Laura-May Walkley, Denscombe cut inside and rolled the ball in, before Fleur Jenkins got her account up and running with a delightful chip over Herbert.
An astonishing way for Ferry to announce their arrival, and they welcome Wrexham to Old Road in their first home game.
To Cyncoed now. It’s been a summer of change at Cardiff Met, as they parted ways with Daniel Delahay weeks before the start of the season. Chris Baker was appointed as interim manager, and he had an incredibly young squad for his first game in charge. Therefore, an opener against six-time champions Swansea City wasn’t an ideal start, especially as the Swans had a strong summer. In the end, Swansea’s quality shone through, as they defeated the Archers 2-1.
Many have the Swans down as favourites for the title, but they were sucker punched in the early stages, as Met took the lead. Chelsea Cochrane, who has been made Met captain for the season, wriggled into space before unleashing a curling strike from outside the box into the top corner. Not a bad way to get your season underway.
Jamie Sherwood’s side wouldn’t dwell on this setback, and they found an equaliser just six minutes later. Robyn Pinder saw her shot fumbled by Met keeper Charlotte Smith, and the ball fell straight at the feet of new signing Danielle Broadhurst, who tapped in her first goal for her new club.
Now back in the game, Swansea could smell blood, and they pushed forward to find a second, and it came on the stroke of half time. The ever-present Stacey John-Davis floated into space and chipped the keeper from distance. A perfect way to end the half as far as Swansea were concerned.
While the first half was open, the second was anything but. Chances came at a premium, with the best one falling to John-Davis, but she couldn’t convert Pinder’s cross. That miss mattered not in the end, as Swansea claimed all three points, but they were made to work for it.
Adran Premier predictions: Cardiff City and Swansea City to battle for title?
In North Wales, another chapter was written in an entertaining rivalry. Wrexham had lost all six games to champions Cardiff City last season, but in their last tie in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup final, the Red Dragons almost got one over the Bluebirds, but they couldn’t get over the hump. That long losing record continued Sunday evening, as City ran out 2-0 winners.
The first half was incredibly quiet. This new look City team came the closest to breaking the deadlock, as Lisa Owen’s cross turned shot was almost fumbled into her own net by Wrexham keeper Lizzie Craven, but the debutant saved the ball in the nick of time.
The beginning of the second half looked much like the first. A moment of magic was needed to wake someone up. Step up Ffion Price. The set-piece specialist curled her free kick magnificently into the top corner to give the Bluebirds the lead. Yet another one for Price’s ever-growing collection of fine goals.
The closest Wrexham came was through Brooke Cairns, but her long-range effort was tipped round the post by Ceryn Chamberlain. But they would shoot themselves in the foot, as City found their second minutes from time. Last season’s top scorer, Eliza Collie, capitalised on two Wrexham players making a defensive error and tucked the ball into the bottom corner. The champions are up and running.
Finally, to Jenner Park. Both Barry Town and TNS have been incredibly busy in the transfer window, and plenty of debutants took to the field, but it was those in green and white who were left celebrating, as TNS hammered Barry 5-0.
After a very even start to the contest, the Saints took the lead midway through the first half, as Molly Havard looped the ball in off the underside of the bar. Despite going behind, Barry stayed in the game and created chances. Keira Harris’ effort whispered over the bar, while they were a constant threat from set-pieces, but after the hour mark, they had no answer to what the Saints were doing.
The Linnets failed to clear from a cross into the box, and that allowed Grace Dunkerley to sweep home at the far post, before Chantelle Teare pounced upon a loose back pass and tapped the ball in.
Barry were becoming the makers of their own downfall, and that point would be rubber stamped in the closing stages. They would give away a cheap penalty, which was slammed home by captain Lia Lewis, before Lexi Jones capitalised on another defensive error to make it five for the afternoon.
A day for Barry to forget, but for TNS, a statement win to start the season.
Three stars who shined as TNS punish Barry Town in Adran Premier
Adran North
After falling in the Adran playoff final, Llandudno got off to the perfect start to the season, as they hammered Rhyl 6-0.
Kelsey Davies started proceedings by sprinting up the flank and getting a dangerous cross into the box, which was ultimately turned into her own net by Rosie O’Brien. Dudno would then go goal crazy to end the half. Davies and Maddie Williams scored within a minute of each other to make it three, before Davies secured a brace and Ella Jones bagged one, as the Adran North champions headed into the second half with a five-goal lead.
The goals weren’t flowing as much in the second, but Williams’ goal midway through the second 45 meant it was the perfect start to Billy Fuller’s reign.
Adran North predictions: Can Llandudno win their third title?
Another team who managed to score six on opening day were Llanfair United, who ran riot over NFA to claim a huge 6-1 win.
Llanfair only scored 19 goals last season, but they are almost a third of the way to that tally with an eyebrow raising win. New signing Lucie Gwilt scored the first of the afternoon, and rather surprisingly, the only goal of the first half, before Llanfair went wild.
There was a double for Becky Jones, and a goal each for Mary Bailey, Emma Williams, and Harriet Davies meant it was an opening day to remember for the Powys based side. NFA scored an equaliser a minute before time, but it was too little too late.
Elsewhere, Bangor drew 0-0 with Adran North debutants Flint Town United.
A clean sheet will be pleasing for two sides who have big ambitions for this upcoming season, and they’ll look to build on this result next week.
Adran South
Last season’s runners-up Cascade got their campaign up and running with a narrow 1-0 win over Swansea University.
The only goal came on the half hour mark, a Olivia Townsend capitalised on a dropped cross from the Swansea University keeper.
It could have been more for Cascade, but Chrystella Moreton was denied by a fine save from the keeper. However, it’s a winning start for the side aiming to reach the Adran Premier.
Another team who are harbouring topflight ambitions are Cwmbran Celtic, and they also picked up three points on opening day, beating Llanelli Town 2-1 away from home.
One of last season’s standout players was Jade Crofts, and her scoring streak continued less than a minute in, as she put the ball past Celyn Barnett. However, semi-pro outfit Llanelli hit back midway through the half with a strike from Stacey Webber.
But Crofts would have the last laugh, as her goal two minutes into the second half was enough for Celtic to pick up the win.
Adran South predictions: Can Pontypridd United bounce straight back up?
Finally, recently relegated Pontypridd United met newly promoted Penybont on the opening day at the SDM Glass Stadium, and it was Ponty who nabbed a 3-1 victory.
Things started incredibly well for Bont, as Casey Daniels found the back of the net seven minutes in, and they held onto their advantage until the break. But, less than two minutes into the second half, Ponty were awarded a penalty, and Lauren Payne stepped up and restored parity.
That equaliser gave the visitors the momentum they needed for the rest of the half. Nicole Fenton twice assisted Ruby James in the second half, as they go top of the table after the first game.
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