Sallaway says regular Wrexham games are helping her develop

Lydia Sallaway says regular games and a system that suits her style are helping her develop during her loan at Wrexham Women. The defender, who joined from Aston Villa in July, has featured in every Wrexham game this season, including both Women’s Champions League fixtures at the Cae Ras, according to the club. She says playing consistently is the most important part of the move.

Different problems to solve

Sallaway told Wrexham she feels comfortable and confident in North Wales. She credited Jenny Sugarman’s approach with allowing her to play in a way that suits her strengths. “The Adran Premier is really competitive,” she said. Her assessment went beyond the level of opposition: facing different styles, including teams defending in a low block, is giving her new problems to solve. This is her second loan spell, after spending the second half of last season at Glasgow City. Sallaway has also played in the Women’s Super League for Villa. Her description of the Welsh league is of a useful development environment, rather than a claim that one competition is stronger than another.

Building an understanding at the back

The club’s interview comes after six Adran Premier matches. Sallaway says the defenders are developing an understanding that holds whether Wrexham uses a back three or a back four. She sees that progress as a collective effort, with players able to work together in either shape. Her focus is on maintaining that understanding whoever is selected across the backline.

Cardiff Met next

Wrexham won 8-1 at Swansea City last weekend. Sallaway said confidence had risen after that response, but warned against becoming too confident before the next match. Cardiff Met visits The Rock on Sunday. Sallaway expects another competitive test and says Wrexham wants to maintain its momentum across a season that still has a long way to run. The fixture details and the teams’ recent results are in Cover Wales’ separate match preview.