You know what? That’s the most I’ve enjoyed a football match in some time. Coming from a Wrexham fan, that’s some statement!

Wrexham have been desperate for a win against the big two sides of Welsh women’s football. It was well worth the wait!

Mixed into a couple of years of remarkable progress, as we’ve gone from regional football to easily earning a top four spot in our first top tier season and reaching the Welsh Cup final, there has been one elephant in the room. We’ve not been able to get the better of the big two.

Cardiff swept the board last season, and while losing 6 times them was galling, at least there was a consistent improvement in our performances against them, which continued as they did the double over us in this season’s first phase.

We increasingly suffered from key moments at either end going against us, and while it was frustrating, it made sense that it should happen. Cardiff, after all, are the best, and it stands to reason that they would be better than everyone else when it comes to capitalising on the opportunities at one end and ensuring their opponents can’t do the same. Take our 4-1 away loss to them this season: we enjoyed more of than the game than they did, looking in control in the first half hour until a controversial penalty decision gave The Bluebirds a helping hand. As the game turned against us in the periods either side of half time, City cashed in, but we finished the match superbly, only repelled by a series of fine saves by Ceryn Chamberlain, the best keeper in the division.

It felt a little like a hard-luck story, and I know plenty of people must listen to me making excuses after a 4-1 defeat and assume I’m far too inclined to look on the bright side. However, it has to be admitted that quality matters, and Cardiff have it in spades. The truth is that they were on top for half an hour in that match, and took full advantage, while we were the better side for an hour but could only score once in that time. That happens because City are good.

Our matches against Swansea have felt different though. Don’t misunderstand me: Swansea are a classy side too, with some fine players. They have also turned up in the big moments and thwarted us. However, we have come so much closer to success against them, and there was a real sense that the result had to come eventually.

Our clash four weeks ago was such a clear indication of this. As the final whistle blew on a fourth (FOURTH) 3-2 loss in a row to them, it was difficult to work out how we’d managed to lose. We’ve avoided defeat against them, unlike Cardiff. Of course, our 3-3 draw on the first day of last season featured a Swans equaliser deep into injury time, just as their winner at the SToK Cae Ras in phase 2 was a mishit cross in added time.

The win was coming, and when it came, the floodgates opened.

We were relentless. Magnificent. We saw the characteristics of Swansea’s play, the strengths they build upon, and turned them into weaknesses. Their ability to pass the ball out from the back was stymied by our organised pressing. Their high defensive line was counteracted as Ava Suckley and Abbie Iddenden constantly ran the channels, getting in behind the back four. Throw in Amber Lightfoot and Erin Lovett starting the game on the front foot, executing our focus on the left flank to perfection by both exploiting space round the side of the defence and becalming the threat of Stacy John-Davis.

Lightfoot, Jones, Clark, Pritchard and Gibbard post-match

Our midfield trio of Brooke Cairns, Lili Jones and Liv Fuller are the match of any other combination in the division, at the very least. Adaptable, mobile and technical, their rotations trouble sides and the superbly-executed pressing game meant the distances between players were good. When one of the trio looked to support the strikers, there wasn’t far to run before they became a viable target in a dangerous part of the pitch.

The only thing which could have derailed this glorious victory, to quote FDR, was fear itself. At 2-0 up at half time, might we reflect on how the big two always seem to find a way to break our hearts? Could we wobble when the victory was there for the taking?

Of course not. We’ve played Cardiff and Swansea 15 times in the last season and a half, and got one draw and 14 losses out of them. It would be totally understandable if we buckled, gave up. This lot always come back for more though. The approach after the break was never in doubt: we went for the throat and savaged Swansea. Somehow, it took 7 minutes to get the third goal, which killed the game off definitively. I don’t know how it took so long: we had the ball in their net ten seconds after the restart, and followed that offside goal with an absolute carpet-bombing of their penalty area. Talk about shock and awe!

This was a victory for a team that refuse to give. It was also a victory for a coaching staff whose preparations are meticulous, detailed and intelligent. They have consistently given the team the best guidance and strategy, and the team have striven to deliver for them. There have been tough times, but they’ve kept doing the right things, stuck to their guns, and earned a terrific reward.

I desperately hope we can follow up this glorious victory with another next Sunday. It would catapult us into the championship phase of the season with the sort of momentum that would be intriguing to say the least.

If we don’t – and the rough treatment handed out to Fuller and Jones means we might have to significantly reshuffle that redoubtable midfield three for a massive encounter – I’ll be saddened, but not disheartened. Yesterday’s victory hopefully set something very special up in the short term, but more importantly, it was a massive long term step forward. No need to fear the traditional giants of Welsh football any more: we’re one of them now.

From here, we kick on.