Wrexham’s women’s team have a golden opportunity to bring in the club’s first major trophy when they face Cardiff City in the Bute Energy Cup final on April 27. It’s a familiar stage, as they faced the same opponent, at the same venue, in the same final last year, but suffered a 2-0 defeat at Newport County’s Rodney Parade. This time, though, something feels different.
Riding high from a strong finish in the Adran Premier Phase 2, including landmark victories over leaders and current champions Cardiff, the Red Dragons enter the Bute Energy Cup final with momentum and belief on their side.
But it hasn’t been smooth sailing. Four losses in their first five matches of the season tested the squad’s resolve in what the Head of Women’s Football operations, Gemma Owen, called “the worst period” this team has faced and, after a preseason tour helped them forge tighter bonds, Wrexham clawed their way into the top half and now stand on the cusp of history.
Here’s how their rollercoaster season has played out so far.
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A slow start
Wrexham came into only their second Adran Premier season fresh from a landmark preseason tour in the United States where they faced top college teams and competed in the inaugural women’s event of The Soccer Tournament (TST) — a 7-.vs.-7 competition for pro, semi-pro, amateur, and retired athletes with an equal $1 million prize for the 48 men and eight women’s teams — alongside the likes of Angel City FC, North Carolina Courage, and a team made up of former USWNT stars.
While the men’s team had made previous trips Stateside thanks to Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s involvement, this was a first for the women. Owen admitted that previous preseason events were usually day trips, no more than one or two hours away, that would see them return home the same evening. This time, however, the squad spent two weeks away, immersed in each other’s company and built lasting relationships.
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Results weren’t in Wrexham’s favor, as they did not win a single game, but that wasn’t the point of the trip.
“I can’t even express how amazing that trip actually was, and not just from a player’s perspective, but from the staff’s perspective as well,” Owen told ESPN. “We may not have won any games out there, but that’s not why we went, and that wasn’t the primary focus of the tour. We learned so much and it was one of the best experiences that I think will live with us for a long, long time.”
As the season wore on, that newfound togetherness would prove vital. Indeed, the Adran Premier campaign kicked off with a tough 2-0 defeat to Cardiff and losses to Briton Ferry (3-0) and Swansea (3-2) followed, before they finally broke through with a 3-1 win over Aberystwyth. But three more defeats followed and, with just two wins before the winter break in December, Wrexham were scrambling to secure a Championship Phase spot (the top four teams keep their points from the first half of the season and enter the Championship playoff, while the bottom four enter the Plate competition.)
“That was probably the first real tough period that I would say that we experienced as a group,” Owen said. “It was new to us in that respect, that we had a time where we were struggling to get the results that we needed and wanted.
“The extra 1% wasn’t quite there for those games for whatever reason; you start to doubt yourself, you start to mentally struggle with things like that.”
There were still positive aspects in Wrexham’s performances and, after the winter break ended at the end of January, the staff worked hard behind the scenes to ensure the team regrouped. With only four games left of the regular season, Wrexham responded in style as a draw was followed by three wins, including a dominant 7-1 performance against Aberystwyth, to seal their place in the top half. Steve Dale’s side hadn’t been in the top four throughout the entirety of Phase One of the league, but claimed 13 points out of a possible 15 to edge their way in with a thrilling 3-2 win over Swansea thanks to Allen’s 90th minute winner.
The turnaround
The second half of the season marked a much-improved performance from Wrexham. While the first half had its share of learning moments, the team spent considerable time figuring out how get back on the same page. Captain Keren Allen told ESPN that open and honest conversations were crucial in helping both players and staff align on what was needed to move forward.
“It’s always hard to know where you want to go, and sometimes you don’t know what kind of stepping stones need to be put in place for you to get there,” she said. “It was just me and Steve [Dale, the manager] talking. It was just having those honest conversations and then coming to an agreement on what we both need from a player perspective and a backroom staff perspective.”
The foundations of the summer also played a major role, according to Owen, who added: “It was the character of the group and those bonds that we formed in that preseason tour I felt really contributed to how we managed to pull ourselves out of what was a difficult start.”
This helped fuel a fine run of form during the six games of Phase 2, which saw them lay some ghosts to rest. Wrexham started with a 3-1 win over The New Saints before travelling to champions Cardiff on March 9. They had never beaten Cardiff before and when Lily Billingham scored early, it seemed history would repeat itself. But Wrexham responded with grit and determination and, just eight minutes later, Ava Suckley — the league’s second-highest scorer — levelled the score. Then, in the 56th minute, Abbie Iddenden netted the winner.
After a draw and a loss to Briton Ferry ended Wrexham’s hopes of challenging for the title, they bounced back in style during their second showdown with Cardiff as they won 4-2 on April 6, thanks to a hat trick from Iddenden. Cardiff went on to defend their league title and a final-day defeat to The New Saints saw Wrexham slip to fourth in the table, but positives can be taken.
“It was one of the most incredible runs that I’ve experienced,” Owen said. “To have the mindset and the resilience to not only pick yourself up from a four-game losing streak [at the start of the season], but to then go on a winning streak and beat teams we’ve never beaten before. Having the resilience to be able to do that was incredible.”
Meanwhile, a run to the final of the Bute Energy Cup saw the likes of Swansea and Pontypridd dispatched to earn Wrexham a second-consecutive final appearance. Last year, Cardiff were the better side, but the historic league wins over their rivals will give the Red Dragons plenty of confidence that they can cause an upset this time around.
Wrexham may not have finished where they hoped in the league, but the cup final gives Dale’s side the perfect stage to show that this season was more than just growing pains. Confidence is high, but the sting of last year’s defeat still lingers; Cardiff struck early in that match and despite Wrexham creating chances, a late second goal crushed their hopes of a comeback.
“I think after that game, I was really upset, and I said to myself: ‘I’m never going to feel like that again,'” Allen said. “I knew that we would be back in that final, I had a lot of confidence that we would be, and I knew that I didn’t want that to feel that again. That is a motivator for us.”
Once again, Wrexham step into the final as underdogs. Despite their recent form, history favors Cardiff, a perennial powerhouse alongside Swansea. But being overlooked only fuels Wrexham’s fire.
“For the players to be able to go into that game knowing that they are capable of beating them [Cardiff] not only once but twice in the season, will give them confidence,” Owen said. “The 4-2 win was such a good performance that they deserve to go into the final with confidence and have that belief that they can win it. After what was a difficult start, it would be a really lovely way to finish off this season.”
The future is bright
It isn’t just Wrexham’s women’s senior team making waves this season, as the U19s won the Genero Adran U19s North title. Several standout players even earned their senior debuts, a testament to the club’s growing player pathway and long-term vision. So, with success at both youth and senior levels, Wrexham’s development is accelerating, and the future looks brighter than ever.
The future is bright at @WrexhamAFCWomen 🌟#GeneroAdranNorthU19 pic.twitter.com/FVrqdNXDGs
— Genero Adran Leagues 🏴 (@AdranLeagues) April 11, 2025
Off the pitch, the momentum is strong. Rising attendances, growing social media engagement, and the chance to connect with fans in the U.S. — something both Allen and Owen value deeply — all point to a club on the rise, ready to take even bigger strides next season.
“We want to see that growth continue every season,” Owen said. “When we get to the end of any season, you want to look back and see the club has gone in a positive direction. And that’s been the case again this year.”
There is clearly something special unfolding as women’s football develops in Wales. The national team booked their place in their first European Championship tournament this summer and, as a role model whose opportunities to play the game were nearly nonexistent, Allen is at the heart of everything.
“It’s quite overwhelming if I’m being honest,” she said, when asked what it was like to see young fans wearing her name and No. 22 on their shirts. “Even when I speak to my mum about it, she can’t quite believe it. Growing up, it was very hard to get girls into football and keep them in football. When you’re looking at teenagers, where there’s a lot of drop off naturally in women’s sports as a whole, to be able to see that that gap closing now is amazing.
“It makes me feel like all of the sacrifices that I’ve made in my life, and all the sacrifices that the backroom staff make as well, is all for the next generation are coming through.”
All Wrexham need now is some silverware to prove how far they have come. The sense of unity within the club is palpable as they head into the Bute Energy final on April 27. There’s a shared belief within the squad that this is their moment. Now they just have to seize it.
