EXCLUSIVE: “Never give in!” Sian Evans of Aberystwyth Town on team spirit and her first-team return | OneFootball

CEFN-MAWR, WREXHAM, WALES – 14th DECEMBER 2025 – Sian Evans of Aberystwyth Town Women during Wrexham AFC Women vs Aberystwyth Town Women in Round 2 of the Genero Adran Trophy at The Rock, Cefn-Mawr (Pic by Sam Eaden/FAW)

Sian Evans is one of Aberystwyth Town’s longest-serving players – and this season, after some years of enjoying her football in the development squad, has reclaimed her spot in the first team’s starting eleven.

And she admits she wasn’t expecting to get so many minutes.

“I went with the squad to Shrewsbury for the last friendly before the season started,” she tells SheKicks.net, “and thought, ‘I’ll give first-team football one more shot!'”

The time with the development squad, playing matches locally, helped her to get her fitness back following a few injury setbacks, including broken bones.

“I’m enjoying the challenge and being back in the mix with that extra competitive edge than the development league has.”

And she adds wryly: “I’m playing right back, as I did when I first joined the squad as a 16-year-old a few years back!”

Now 29, it’s no wonder she says: “I’m focused on continuously improving and will focus on my fitness and sharpness in the new year – these legs have gotten into the habit of getting cramp!”

Aberystwyth Town start 2026 in sixth place in the league. They ended last year with two very close defeats to Wrexham – one on penalties in the Genero Adran Trophy – and Evans says that their displays against the league leaders will give them a boost as they return to action.

“We are ready to bounce straight back in, and are still motivated by both performances against Wrexham despite the results. We have spoken about and worked on aspects that needed tweaking to keep push forward and enhance our performances even more. The girls have kept the legs ticking over, over the Christmas period, and are ready for the next challenge.”

Sian Evans: Sunday is a must-win game

Their first opponents of the new year are fifth-placed Briton Ferry Llansawel – a team they beat 3-2 back in October thanks to a Carys Bufton hat-trick bringing them back from a two-goal deficit.

“I still remember that Sunday afternoon – the togetherness and belief of the squad to come back from 2-0 down, what a feeling at the final whistle!” says Evans. “It shows we can do it but in my opinion that’s meaningless now, we need to be focused on Sunday, turn up and be consistent. We need to show our togetherness and strength as a small squad, and never give in until that final whistle goes.”

CEFN-MAWR, WREXHAM, WALES – 14th DECEMBER 2025 – Sian Evans of Aberystwyth Town Women pressures Rosie Hughes of Wrexham AFC Women during Wrexham AFC Women vs Aberystwyth Town Women in Round 2 of the Genero Adran Trophy at The Rock, Cefn-Mawr (Pic by Sam Eaden/FAW)

Aberystwyth are three points behind Briton Ferry, who have a game in hand – but with three points to go before the league splits and the top four play off for the title and the bottom four play off to avoid relegation, both teams could still pip the New Saints to fourth place.

Evans says the Seasiders always try and take each game as it comes, but admits ahead of Sunday: “I have looked at the table and if we are to have any hope of finishing top four, it’s a must-win.

“Mathematically, it is still possible but it’s going to be a tough task with three tough games left – Briton Ferry this weekend, then we have Cardiff City at home and TNS away to wrap up the first phase. Briton Ferry finished top four last season and will be looking to mirror that this season.”

Indeed, Briton Ferry have won their last four matches, and are still in both the Adran Trophy and the Bute Energy Welsh Cup. Evans is hoping that perhaps the festive break came at the right time to break their momentum.

“We want to make it hard for teams to come to Park Avenue, and know they are in for a game – we are no roll over,” she says.

“As well as this, we want to entertain our fans and give them a game of football to enjoy.”