Swansea City Women suffered a first home defeat of the season as Molly Kehoe’s strike gave Cardiff City Women victory at Llandarcy Academy of Sport.

After a strong first half from the Swans, which saw them create a number of openings, the visitors grew into the game and capitalised through Kehoe’s strike during the closing stages.

The defeat is the Swans first in five games across all competitions and ended what had been a perfect start at home this season.

The game started in tense and tight fashion, with both sides restricted to long-range efforts in the early stages. Swansea’s Sophie Brisland-Hancocks and Tija Richardson were among those to try their luck from distance but could not find the target.

The first big chance of the half fell to the hosts, Ellie Lake found Katy Hosford at the back post, but the forward headed just wide of the upright.

The Swans began to build pressure from that moment on, with Stacey John-Davis chipping an effort over the bar after a good run down the right.

Hosford then had an opportunity to break the deadlock just before the break, some great passing play between Sammy Wynne and Robyn Pinder opened up space for the forward, but good defending from Cardiff prevented her from really testing the goalkeeper.

The hosts had another good chance just after the interval, Nieve Jenkins capitalised on a poor clearance, but her left-footed effort was well held by the keeper.

Still Swansea pressed and Lucy Finch came close soon after, hitting a powerful strike from distance that went just over the bar.

But, as the half continued, Cardiff found a foothold and began to pose questions of the home defence, with chances for Eliza Collie and Kehoe testing Claire Skinner in the Swansea goal.

The Bluebirds would capitalise on this pressure, a long ball over the top sending Kehoe through on goal for her to poke a finish into the bottom-left corner.

The Swans pushed for an equaliser, Finch found space as she broke forward, but her effort couldn’t test the Cardiff keeper.

Swansea City Women: Claire Skinner, Alicia Powe, Lucy Finch, Ellie Lake (Emily Thomas 88), Nieve Jenkins (Chloe Chivers 66), Robyn Pinder (Monet Legall 77), Katy Hosford (captain), Stacey John-Davis, Sammy Wynne (Kelsey Thomas 77), Sophie Brisland-Hancocks, Jess Williams.

Unused subs: Halle Brace.

Cardiff City Women: Ceryn Chamberlain, Lisa Owen (Ffion Price 75), Hannah Power, Siobhan Walsh (captain), Megan Bowen, Seren Watkins, Danielle Green (Mikayla Cook 62), Kelly Adams, Molly Kehoe (Mackenzie Olden 87), Tija Richardson, Eliza Collie (Rhianne Oakley 62).

Unused subs: Marnie Gingell.