Wrexham hit eight as Swansea lose seven-goal TNS contest

Katie Barker and Natasha Thomas each scored a hat-trick as Wrexham Women won 8–1 at Briton Ferry on Sunday 27 September, while Swansea Women lost their unbeaten start in a seven-goal match at The New Saints. Wrexham made it four league wins from four. Swansea briefly turned a two-goal deficit into a 3–2 lead at Park Hall, but TNS recovered to win 4–3 with Fiona Barry’s late second goal.

Two hat-tricks for Wrexham

Thomas opened the scoring after ten minutes, reacting after Courtney Young saved Faye Knox’s shot. Barker doubled the lead before Katy Hosford replied for Briton Ferry with a strike from distance. A Barker penalty restored the two-goal advantage, and Lili Jones’s delivery from the right went in to make it 4–1 before the break. Maria Francis-Jones added the fifth from a corner, then Thomas scored again after 50 minutes. Barker completed her hat-trick from close range. Thomas followed with her third with ten minutes remaining, her shot going in off the post. Liz Craven, making her 50th Wrexham appearance, had earlier denied Hosford while the visitors held a one-goal lead.

Swansea overturn the deficit, then lose late

Barry and Abbie Iddenden put TNS two goals ahead. Chloe Chivers brought Swansea back into the game before half-time, then helped change the lead after the interval. Her pass released Aimee Deacon for the equaliser seven minutes into the second half. Two minutes later, Chivers scored her second with a free kick after Taite Trivett was fouled. Iddenden soon made it 3–3 from Hannah Snape’s delivery. Barry then converted Caitlin Chapman’s cross in the final minute to settle the match. Barry and Iddenden scored twice each; Chivers finished with two goals for Swansea.

Two different outcomes from strong starts

Wrexham kept their winning start intact with four goals in each half. Swansea’s first league defeat came despite a second-half comeback and three goals away from home.