Ellie Lake points to set-piece defending after Swansea’s 8–1 defeat
Ellie Lake has identified set-piece defending as a problem Swansea City Women must address after their 8–1 home defeat to Wrexham. The defender also said Swansea failed to convert opportunities in both halves while the reigning champions took theirs. “We conceded a lot of set-pieces, which they then took advantage of,” Lake told the club. It was Swansea’s first home defeat of the season and their first at their new ThermaGlaze Ground home.
At a glance
- Result
- Swansea Women 1–8 Wrexham Women
- Half-time
- Swansea 0–3 Wrexham
- Wrexham hat-tricks
- Katie Barker and Faye Knox
- Next opponent
- Briton Ferry Llansawel, 18 October
Two hat-tricks widened the gap
Katie Barker and Faye Knox each scored a hat-trick for Wrexham. Lili Mai Jones and Mikayla Wildgoose also scored, with Chloe Chivers supplying Swansea’s goal. Swansea’s official report describes a 3–0 half-time deficit and four further Wrexham goals in a 20-minute period after the break. The report supports Lake’s concern about dead-ball situations: Barker scored a penalty and then converted a rebound after a saved penalty, while Wildgoose headed in from a free-kick.
A derby provides the next response
Swansea now turn to Briton Ferry Llansawel on Sunday 18 October, their first fixture at the Swansea.com Stadium this season. Lake recalled a heavy home loss to Wrexham last season followed by a win over them on the final day, as a reason not to treat one result as decisive. That is the defender’s assessment, rather than a prediction of the derby outcome. Her stated priorities are to regroup, improve the defending and turn chances into goals.
Background and supporting figures
Where this sits
Wrexham led 3–0 at half-time and added four goals in a 20-minute spell after the break; this was more than a narrow result decided by one incident.
Lake compares this defeat with last season’s heavy home loss and later win over Wrexham; that is attributed player reaction, not a forecast.