Christian Edwards described yesterday’s Nathaniel MG Cup victory as a ‘fairy tale win’ after delivering Cardiff Met their first major piece of silverware.
Since being promoted into the Welsh Premier League under Edwards, the Archers have lost out in three finals including last season’s Nathaniel MG Cup final.
Adam Roscrow struck late in both halves to see off a resilient Cambrian & Clydach and snap the Met’s final hoodoo.
“I’m just absolutely delighted, we weren’t at our fluid best today as the boys were apprehensive and nervous but it was about the result today, and I don’t normally say that,” said Edwards post-game.
“We were under the cosh in the second-half, Cambrian & Clydach were an absolute credit to their club and community.”
Cardiff Met gained the advantage five minutes before half-time when Roscrow precisely finished into the bottom corner after his defence-splitting run put him through on goal.
Cambrian were unable to capitalise when three chances fell their way in quick succession in the second-half, before Roscrow struck again deep into added time, firing into an open net, as Cambrian committed all 11 players forward in desperate search of an equaliser.
“We got the goal right at the death and it was a bit of a fairy tale way to win it. It’s nothing more than this football club and group of players deserve,” he said.
“We knew if we got the first goal it would make it very difficult for them, they made it very compact in this set-up. We were a little bit wasteful – in the first-half there were a couple of chances that we should have done better with, but it’s cup final and it’s cup final football and it’s about the win and that’s what we got.
“I’m very pleased for Adam – goal scorers want to score and he scored two. Chris Baker, for me, was outstanding this evening – one or two individuals probably didn’t play their best, but that happens in a cup final.
“We’re just delighted as we got across the line. I was really nervous this week because there was an expectation on us to win and managing that expectation at times is tough.”
Under Christian Edwards’ tenure, Cardiff Met have risen from the lower levels of the domestic game to become an established Welsh Premier League outfit with a credible academy also now in place. And the Cardiff Met boss says the club can continue to grow on the back of their Nathaniel MG Cup success.
“Back in 2013 we won Welsh League Division Three up at Abertillery Bluebirds on a Wednesday evening and we’ve won today at Jenner Park. We still strive to do more, the players don’t know where their limits are.
“If we stay fit and play to our maximum we can be as good as anybody in this league.
“There’s huge potential we have 1200 students at Cardiff Met and we can tap into those resources at times and nights like tonight help that. We didn’t have an academy four years ago – we’ve got one now, it’s fledgling and it can only grow the club for the future. It’s a starting point, it’s not an end point and we’re going to really push hard to strive to do better.”