FOOTBALL.
Saturday morning preview
Division One
New Quay face a team today that have won ten on the bounce, are half way to winning the Ceredigion League championships for the first time in over half a century and who on current form don’t look like losing a game. If that is not enough to tweak your hamstring on a Saturday morning, nothing is! Writes Andrew Clarke.
But the seasiders have shown great spirit, especially over the weeks when they struggled to field a team and they have managed to regroup but they face a tough assignment this afternoon with the arrival of Chris ‘Coco’ Davies and his highly motivated side.
But the Swallows are going to lose sometime? Aren’t they? Well surely they can’t go through a whole season without losing a game?
Well many local football followers think they can but sport has a very strange habit of biting you in the bum and maybe, just maybe, the wheels could come off the wagon sometime soon.
Will it be today? Well that is very unlikely even without the services of hot shot Adrian Hazelby who could be out for at least four weeks after picking up a knee injury but winning runs build pressures of their own, as good as they feel at the time and you just never know!
Manager Davies says he is not taking New Quay likely but some of his players must already be planning their journey home after picking up another three points and a step closer to lifting the silverware.
:” I don’t take any side lightly and will treat this game as if we were playing a team at the top.
“We will miss Adrian and Andrew Evans is also unavailable but even with these boys missing we are going there with the attitude of ‘no slip up’ in the hunt for a title that has eluded this club for a very long time.”
Reigning champions Cardigan Town have an early chance of gaining revenge when they take on Cilgerran in the local derby match and the Magpies will be keen to avenge a 3-1 defeat on the opening day of the season at the King George. The Rovers have been hit by injuries in recent weeks with skipper Gary Evans out for the season and his brother Barry Evans who plays in goal has also lost a few games. Manager Neil Morgan will be looking for former Magpie Louis Harding to add to his impressive tally of goals this season and help his club achieve the double over their neighbours.
Town skipper Iestyn Evans has also seen his team decimated with injuries in recent weeks but his young side have enough talent and skill to win this time around.
Lampeter are back to full strength for the first time in over a month and have a full complement of players to choose from for their game away at Bargod Rangers. Luke Lovell and his men have won every game since their opening day slip up against leaders Llandysul and they are very unlikely to stutter today.
St Dogmaels have found some form in recent weeks and their test away at Crannog this afternoon should prove to be an indication of how far they have actually come since their early season struggles when manager Chris Thomas had a job on his hands getting a full team out. Today though he has twenty players to choose from.
Crannog are one of the most stubborn teams around and they very rarely lose at home and this promises to be one of the games of the day in division one.
There should be plenty of goals at Parc Troedrhiw this afternoon when Ffostrasol take on an SDUC team who have conceded more goals over the past few weeks than probably any team ever in the Costcutters and expect another bagful today with the likes of Dion Phillips and Dion Davies sure to cash in on some early Christmas presents.
Division two leaders Maesglas play tomorrow at SDUC.
In the Reserves Cup, joint leaders Llandysul entertain Llanboidy Reserves and Llyr Jones and his men will be keen to put some space between them and fellow leaders Newcastle Emlyn Reserves who face a tricky encounter against Lampeter Reserves. In the other game scheduled, Crannog face their Felinfach counterparts.
Two games in the J.Emrys Morgan Cup with Aberaeron Reserves facing Machynlleth at Cae Sgwar and Aberporth making the long journey to Llanidloes.
