Wrexham Womens Player of the Month Showcase. Credit: Wrexham AFC
Wrexham AFC Women have opened voting for their September Player of the Month award after winning all four of their Genero Adran Premier matches, with Natasha Thomas, Katie Barker, Maria Francis-Jones and Lili Jones making the shortlist.
The four nominees were announced by Wrexham following a month which brought victories over Aberystwyth Town, Cardiff City, Barry Town United and Briton Ferry Llansawel. Voting closes at 12pm on Friday.
There were plenty of eye-catching numbers along the way, not least seven goals against Barry and eight at Briton Ferry. Yet each of the four contenders has a slightly different case for taking the award.
Natasha Thomas and Katie Barker set the pace
Thomas could hardly have made a stronger start to her Wrexham career. The summer arrival scored in all four September league matches, finding the net against Aberystwyth and Cardiff before striking twice in the 7-0 win over Barry Town United.
She saved her biggest contribution for the end of the month. A hat-trick in the 8-1 victory at Briton Ferry took Thomas to seven league goals from four appearances.
Barker matched that seven-goal tally and also scored in every September league fixture. Her own hat-trick at Briton Ferry rounded off a prolific month for a forward already well accustomed to finding the net in Wrexham colours.
Her form was accompanied by confidence. Barker told Wrexham AFC that she was “massively enjoying” her football, with the competition between two in-form goalscorers giving the attack a particularly sharp edge.
Francis-Jones and Jones offer different cases
Maria Francis-Jones finished September strongly. She scored against Barry before finding the net again at Briton Ferry, giving her goals in consecutive league appearances to close the month.
That run offered another reminder that the attacking threat stretches beyond Wrexham’s two prolific forwards. Francis-Jones brought her own energy to a side which repeatedly found different routes to goal.
Lili Jones also struck in the wins over Barry and Briton Ferry. Her influence went beyond those goals, with the FAW recording five goal contributions across Wrexham’s opening four league matches.
Thomas and Barker inevitably command attention because of their scoring numbers, but the inclusion of Francis-Jones and Jones reflects how much attacking quality Wrexham displayed across the month.
Wrexham fans have four strong options
Two players scoring seven times apiece in four matches makes for an obvious headline, particularly when Thomas and Barker both finished September with hat-tricks on the same afternoon. The shortlist, though, tells a broader story about a side which started its league campaign with four straight victories.
Now the choice belongs to the supporters. Thomas, Barker, Francis-Jones and Jones all made their mark on a perfect September, with voting open until midday on Friday.
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