BIG TWO CLASH ON BOXING DAY

Played twelve won twelve with 66 goals scored and only five conceded! Now these are impressive  figures by any standard and would surely worry a few teams going into a Boxing Day derby against runaway league leaders Llandysul. Writes Andrew Clarke.

However, those impressive statistics will not unsettle Lampeter Town one little bit and they will be up for this clash big time especially as they were beaten by the Swallows on the opening day of the season at Parc Tir Y Dref.

Experienced Town skipper Luke Lovell says he is ‘ready to go to war’ if he needs to and has confirmed that he can pick from a full squad with top scorer Gethin Hunter now available again and is raring to go and full of confidence with fourteen goals to his name already this season.

Llandysul, who are eleven points clear at the top, are also on their marks and counting the clock down to arguably the most important clash ever between these rivals with one of them likely to go on and lift the Norman Llewellyn Memorial Trophy as champions. Newcastle Emlyn are the only other team that could upset the applecart as they have only lost a couple of games but it is difficult to see past Lampeter and Llandysul even with a few months to go of the campaign.

Swallows manager Chris ‘Coco’ Davies is also able to select from a full squad as he has midfielder Ben Thomas back after suspension and it is testament to the ability of this young man that Davies made sure that his recent fixture with Cardigan Town went ahead despite a waterlogged pitch so that his ban for a red card would end just in time for this key fixture. Davies says he is quietly confident and said:” I have heard that Lampeter will be up for it- well I can assure them that we will be bang up for it too!”

The north road team are very strong in midfield and not afraid to put it about if they need to and Thomas is just the sort of midfield man to give as good as he gets and this battle will be crucial especially in the slippery conditions. His match up with Gethin Davies in the engine room should be worth the admission alone.

Llandysul also have some excellent play makers in Terry Maynard and Ian Barrett or ‘the Carmarthen boys’ as they are known in Costcutter circles and Davies and his midfield colleagues in the shape of Arwel Thomas will have their hands full.

Another key battle will be up front with Hunter and Lovell going head to head with powerful central defender Dean Jones and Scott Mayes and this promises to be a bruising affair especially in the air where the North Road men are very dangerous. The duo have hit the net 23 times to date in the Costcutters and expect them to make things very uncomfortable in the penalty box.

Up the other end of the pitch the Llandysul front three of Simon Davies, Adrian Hazelby and Scott Thomas have poached 39 league goals between them since August and have proved far too hot for any side to handle and they will exploit any lack of pace in the Lampeter back four.

There is very little to choose between these two very well organised teams with plenty of goals in them and this festive battle promises to be anything but jolly as there is a lot at stake.

Last season Lampeter, who had led for most of the campaign, were pipped for the title in the very last game of the season when Cardigan Town came from behind to win a superb contest and this still hurts them. Lovell and co are keen to make amends.

When Llandysul last won the Ceredigion League title Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had just been born, a loaf of bread was 4p in todays currency and a pint of milk was just 2p. Quite unbelievable really and it is about time the silverware came back to this small picturesque town, and one which has a big sporting heartbeat.

There will be many at this riverside club who remember season 1948-49 and a time when Britain was coming to the end of food rationing after the war years. Manager Davies and his men will be desperate to make the year 2017 one to remember too, but can they do it?

Well if they can manage to overcome the challenge of Lampeter on Monday they could be almost home and dry as unless they fall apart under the pressure they have enough strength in depth to cope with injuries over the next few months.

There are other matches taking place on Boxing Day and just as important to the teams involved with the Cardigan versus St Dogmaels derby in particular, likely to draw a decent crowd. The Magpies, who are the reigning champions, are a team in transition and they will do well to finish in the top six but they have some promising young players in the form of Tomos Toft, Josh Mellor,Ewan Jones and captain Iestyn Evans and can play some smart football.

The Saints under the direction of stand-in manager Steve Williams will make the short journey across the river Teifi full of confidence with talented players in the shape of Rhys Jones, Adam Williams, Chris Morgan and Jason Williams amongst their ranks and this promises to be a tight contest.

It has been a very long time since supporters of Cilgerran Rovers last saw first division action at Parc Y Dre over the festive weekend and their clash with Crannog promises to be an entertaining contest with both teams in decent form. Dylan Evans and his men though will be more focussed on two big cup dates that are coming their way in January.

Crannog entertain Newcastle in the J.Emrys Morgan Cup on January 14^th and Llanilar at home in the quarter final of the Cwpan Dai Dynamo a week later and they have two excellent chances of making it through to the latter stages of both.

Newcastle Emlyn welcome Bargod Rangers to Parc Emlyn and the Parc Puw men would dearly love to put one over their local rivals after losing their manager and some key players to the reds pre season. However, the chances of that happening look very slim with Rangers without a win all season.

In the other games scheduled, Felinfach host Dewi Stars and New Quay entertain Aberaeron Reserves, whilst in division two leaders Maesglas travel to Cae Candre where they will take on Llanboidy.