READING an online season preview of Wrexham’s Women’s team certainly made me raise my eyebrows.

It suggested that the Reds hadn’t recruited particularly well in the summer and were in for a campaign of regression.

I accept we didn’t get off to the best of starts, although I’ve already argued that our performances were much better than our results.

Our three summer arrivals have been central to the winning run we’ve embarked upon.

The three signings we brought in last summer have settled in nicely. I don’t think it would be unfair to suggest that none of them got off to flying starts: to be fair, none of them had much of a pre-season compared to the rest of their team mates, and Abbie Iddenden in particular needed bringing up to speed off the bench when the season began.

Now they’ve got into their stride, their impact on the team has been terrific.

Liz Craven (pictured right) was brought in to provide competition for Del Morgan between the sticks, with the latter’s coaching commitments with Liverpool meaning we needed a reliable alternative when Morgan wasn’t available.

Chloe Ankers made the breakthrough into the first team last season at the age of 16 and looks like a real prospect, but it would be foolish to throw her into the fray this soon.

Craven didn’t have the easiest of starts, and had a tough ride against Swansea, not least because she conceded a goal which should have been given as a foul on her.

The way Craven bounced back from that difficult evening has been impressive. She hasn’t conceded a goal in four weeks and the last goal she let in was a ricochet off the back of an opponent’s head from close range! She has pulled off fine saves against Barry, Cardiff Met and Briton Ferry and should be congratulated on how she has settled into the side.

Nat Clark has been utterly outstanding for the last handful of games. Pressed into service as a centre back due to injuries at the start of the season, she did okay but initially I thought that it was when she steps into midfield that she looks really at home.

I’m revising that opinion after back-to-back defensive displays of a very high quality. Indeed, a superb sequence of defending in her own area against Cardiff Met, which led to a terrific goal on the transition, was one of the highlights of the season so far.

She was our last defender, exposed against the pace of Met’s most dangerous player, India Shanaghan. She jockeyed her carefully, keeping her eye on the ball, and when Shenaghan tried to burst past her she executed what I can only describe as a Bobby Moore tackle.

Unlike Pele in 1970, though, Shenaghan kept going and latched onto the loose ball, one on one with Craven. Not for long though: Clark made an excellent recovery run, forced Shenaghan onto her weaker foot, and dispossessed her coolly before playing a piercing pass which teed up a goal.

It was priceless, and it was crucial too. We’d dominated the game, but if Shenaghan had scored it would have been 2-1 and game on. Instead, seconds after Clark’s intervention, it was 3-0 and definitively game over.

Iddenden, quite simply, just needed a couple of extra weeks on the training ground to be ready.

Her substitute appearances in the first two games of the season showed that she is blessed with some terrific attributes: her height means she wins plenty of headers, and the weight of her passing is excellent,

The thing which has really become apparent once she began to start games is how good she is with her back to goal.

She is remarkably effective when she drops off the front line, holds off a defender, and brings a teammate into play. She can turn either way and has a range of lovely skills to achieve that.

The one lingering concern for Iddenden was a lack of goals. She wasn’t the only one to miss chances, but it must have weighed on her mind as she waited for her first Wrexham strike. Those doubts are surely washed away now, as she’s scored in three games in a row!

There are other factors in Wrexham’s revival, but the three newcomers’ contributions shouldn’t be overlooked.

Think about our most recent signings: there were times last season, even when we were playing well, when our passing could be a bit off.

Since then we’ve brought in Liv Fuller, Brooke Cairns, Clark and Iddenden. They’re all technical players whose passing is a strength. The result is we’re passing with a snappy confidence which will trouble the best teams in the division.

I love watching Steve Dale’s team, and was disappointed when our FA Cup tie was moved, meaning I had to miss a bravura performance against Briton Ferry last Sunday.

Not to worry though: the way they’re playing, I’m sure I’ll have plenty more fine performances to relish this season.