Bridgend Street are on a Welsh League Mission.
The Cardiff club, based in Splott and nicknamed ‘The Mission’, are through to the Nathaniel Car Sales League Cup final and aiming earn a third successive upset.
Street play unbeaten Division Two champions Llanelli in the final at Briton Ferry’s Old Road ground (7pm).
Manager Craig Dale and his team have already beaten Division One clubs Taffs Well, the trophy holders, and Haverfordwest County en route to the final – and now they are out to inflict a first Welsh League or cup defeat on Llanelli.
Former Swansea City goals ace Lee Trundle will lead Llanelli’s attack in the final and he has already netted 50 goals this season including nine hat-tricks.
Bridgend Street, though, have already underlined their character, team spirit and will-to-win in this competition, having beaten Haverfordwest 4-2 in a penalty shootout despite having two players sent off.
“No matter how I describe that match nothing will do it justice,” says Dale. “You had to be there to witness it.
“It was unlike anything I’ve seen in all my years watching or playing football. The task was made harder because we finished the game with nine men.
“Unbelievable scenes and we travel to Briton Ferry on Friday hoping to upset the odds again.”
Haverfordwest also had a player dismissed and Street fought back from 3-1 down to force extra time.
During a dramatic extra 30 minutes with teams took the lead, Street first and then County, before they finished at 5-5 and decided the issues on penalties.
The Bluebirds of Haverfordwest missed two of their spot-kicks, while Bridgend Street stayed composed, scored all five penalties, and took their place in the final.
Goalkeeper Damien Lack was Street’s man of the match and they are intent on going for gold in the final.
“Last season we finished third, our highest ever finish, and this time we have reached the Nathaniel League Cup final,” says Dale. “We’re a club going in the right direction, but we wanted promotion and a good cup run.
“We have underachieved massively in Division Three with the squad we have available, but half of our squad are aged under 21 and that bodes well for the future.
“Our defensive record is one of the best in the division, but we haven’t been clinical enough in front of goal and it’s cost us.”
Bridgend Street were formed in 1899 as a church team. They are nicknamed The Mission after the building and institution demolished more than 40 years ago.
The club made progress from Cardiff and District League football to the South Wales Senior League and won the title five times.
They have won the South Wales Senior Cup, SW Intermediate Cup twice and the CWBruty Cup twice, while Street earned promotion to Welsh League football in 2011.
Paul Fowler, a former Carmarthen Town and Port Talbot Town player, is club captain, while their leading scorers are Fowler, Jeff White and Nicky Davison, who have each scored 18.
Street will, though, be without defender Mikey Lewis, who suffered a double leg break against Trefelin earlier this month.
Bridgend Street played their final League fixture this week, losing 2-1 against Division Three champions Llantwit Major at home, but manager Dale rested his first team players and fielded a starting line-up with an average age of 19.
The match against Trefelin was abandoned because of the injury to Lewis and a long way for an ambulance and the fixture will now be played on Saturday.
Right now, though, manager Dale’s men are on a Mission to hold that Nathaniel Car Sales Trophy aloft on Friday evening.
Bridgend Street squad:
Goalkeepers: Damien Lack, Nicky King.
Defenders: Chris Hinam , Richard Noyes, Mike Lewis, Craig Dale , Rhys Foley-O’Dare , Ross Dingle, Nick Berry, Luke Winter, Joe Hinds.
Midfield: Owen Bancroft, Richard Yarr, Dan Noyes, Paul Carro, Paul Fowler (captain), Harry Burge, Anthony Burnett
Strikers: Jeff White, Nicky Davison, Isaac Kahar, Mujahid Aklan.