Welsh Women's Premier League: Top flight returns with live TV derby

After a long and difficult six months, the Welsh Women's Premier League will finally get underway on Sunday.

Like with many competitions, there was an anxious wait before the league was finally given the green light to return.

Swansea City Ladies needed just two more wins to secure the title when the league was halted in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

When the Football Association of Wales ended the domestic leagues in May, Swansea were confirmed as winners and taking Wales' Champions League spot.

Battle at the top

The holders will begin the defence of their title against Cardiff City, which will be broadcast on S4C - the first ever Welsh Women's Premier League game to be broadcast live on TV.

"It's very important to recognise how well the girls and staff did last year and carry that forward into the new season," said Colin Staples, who has joined Swansea's coaching team.

"We don't want standards to drop and I appreciate the efforts the whole club has put into winning the league last year.

"We want to keep challenging ourselves."

Staples has previously worked with Yeovil Town Ladies when they were in the Women's Super League [WSL] and head coach of the Wales Under-17 and Under-19 women's teams.

"Let's be honest there are a lot of minds to change about women's sport and women's football," Staples added.

"I believe it's a great product and there's great technical ability there and entertainment so this is a chance."

Sunday's opponents Cardiff City have re-signed goalkeeper and Wales international Claire Skinner ahead of the 2020-21 campaign,

The 23-year-old, a member of Jayne Ludlow's squad for the Euro 2022 qualifying match in Norway, returns following a spell with rivals Cardiff City Ladies.

Claire Skinner has previously played in the Women's Super League

"I'm still quite young but I've played with a lot of different people and with different teams, tactically I can bring all the things that I've learned in the past," said Skinner.

"I think the team respect and trust what I'm saying on the pitch, which is nice.

"There's a couple of young goalkeepers that are involved as well and they can see how I train and the intensity I hope I bring to training; giving them little tips I've learned along the way, it helps them develop as players as well.

"I'm getting competition from them, pushing me from what they're learning, which is really good."

Six-times champions Cardiff Met will be aiming to regain the league title this season and new captain Steph Turner says the team cannot wait to get going.

"I think we've got an exciting group, I'm fully confident we can get the league this year," said Turner.

"I don't think there was realistically another way to conclude last season. It was done the right way so I don't think there's any arguments or disappointment how it ended.

"It's the new season now so we're over last year and ready to go.

"It's going to be close in the league and cup competitions, I don't think there's going to be much between teams this year.

"There used to be a big gap between maybe the top three and the rest of the league but I don't think it's going to be like that this year. "

Room to improve

Port Talbot, Cyncoed and Briton Ferry Llansawel finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively last season and will be looking to improve on their positions from.

Abergavenny, who finished seventh have had somewhat of a transformation over the last few months.

Craig Morgan-Hill joined the club as manager June with big ambitions for the club and aiming for a top five finish.

"There's been massive changes. The girls did well last season to stay in the league," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"We've brought in four or five new signings along with some old players coming back, behind the scenes the committee have worked hard.

"We're in a good position on and off the field, massive improvements made and I think we're going to have a good season this year."

Aberystwyth Town finished bottom in eighth place last season but were not relegated from the top flight after Llandudno's decision to pull out mid-season.

In their place, the Welsh Women's Premier League welcomes Cascade YC Women who were promoted from the Welsh Women's League last season.

The Caerphilly-based club finished top of the second tier division on point-per-game, above Barry Town United.