Sean Eardley wants to send the 1,300 travelling Caernarfon Town fans home happy on Saturday night with a JD Welsh Cup victory over rivals Bangor City (7.30).
A bumper crowd of 2,000 is expected to attend Bangor’s Nantporth stadium for the standout tie of the fourth-round draw.
“The support we’ve had all year has been different class and we really want to win for the supporters this weekend, there’s no doubt about that,” said the Caernarfon boss.
“It’s a massive effort considering the game is live on S4C, with it being late at night as well and conditions not being the best – to have 1,300 fans there is testament to them.”
A place in the Welsh Cup quarter-final would represent another highlight in the Cofis’ season, with the club securing a top-six spot earlier this month, in what is their first season back in the top-flight.
Eardley believes the break the players have had since the end of Phase 1 will help his Caernarfon team maintain a good tempo, which he believes will be crucial to overcoming the Citizens.
“We’ve had a little bit of a mini-break with there being no game last weekend so the boys have a bit of time to recover from little niggles. It was good to get together on Tuesday and the boys were absolutely flying and we’ll conduct our usual pre-match meetings and preparations haven’t really altered,” he said.
“I see it as another game just with a sprinkle of spice really, so preparations will remain the same.
“My full focus is making sure we stick to our principles, we don’t do anything out of the ordinary.
“We play with a lot of intensity and we look to dictate the game as much as possible because I feel as though we’ve got a really good chance of getting a win. It promises to be a really good game – two sets of players going at and hopefully we come out on the right side of the result.”
With eight Welsh Cup victories to their name, Bangor City’s rich history in the competition has been offset in recent years with a widening dispute between its fans and owners.
The failure to secure a domestic licence send the club into to state of turmoil at the end of last season and that state of uncertainty and negativity has continued into the season despite results fortunes improving on the pitch after an uneasy start to life in the Cymru Alliance.
Gary Taylor-Fletcher may have steadied the team’s form, winning six of his eight games in charge since taking over as manager in November, but even in the build up to this key game, unsubstantiated claims have speculated of dressing room rifts over unpaid wages.
Eardley says rivals City are worthy of a place back in the Welsh Premier League and that under Taylor-Fletcher they are capable of competing against any top division outfit.
“My allegiance to Caernarfon Town is I manage the football team and I’m extremely honoured and privileged to be in a position like that. I’ve got no allegiance to Bangor however, I personally feel Bangor should be in the Welsh Premier League,” he said.
“They’re going through a little bit of trouble but due to their history and what their fanbase bring, they rightfully deserve to be in the Welsh Premier League, I think the WPL needs Bangor City.
“On paper, simply because of league positions, we’re automatically down as favourites, however I’ve been to see Bangor over the last few weeks and they’re a very good side and I feel they have a squad which is capable of competing in the Welsh Premier League, without a shadow of doubt.
“As well as Bangor, we’re on a really good win too and we’ll only be concentrating on ourselves – it’ll probably be seen an upset if they were to get the win but looking at their team, that team is perfectly capable of getting a result against anyone in the WPL.”
POWELL DEMANDS BETTER START
Last year’s Welsh Cup runners up Aberystwyth Town have endured a torrid run of form and three-time Welsh Cup winning manager Nev Powell says his side must settle into games quicker ahead of the Seasiders’ Cup clash with Nathaniel MG Cup winners Cardiff Met.
Aberystwyth have lost on each of their last six outings ahead of the Archers visit to Park Avenue in one of the fourth round’s three all-WPL ties.
“We just need to learn that we can’t start games as slowly as we have been lately. We’re giving teams a head start in games by conceding early, and at this level you can’t afford to do that,” said Powell.
Current Welsh Cup holders Connah’s Quay feature in another of the all-WPL ties and travel to Carmarthen Town looking to avenge their recent league defeat at Richmond Park, while Barry Town United will put their title charge to one side ahead of the visit of Cefn Druids.
After beating Llanelli in the previous round, third tier outfit Llangefni Town will be looking to add another scalp against WPL relegation candidates Llandudno.
Haverfordwest County will also have hopes of an upset when they host Bala Town. Cambrian & Clydach will be looking to bounce back against Cymru Alliance side Rhyl. Airbus UK Broughton face The New Saints in a repeat of the 2016 final.
JD Welsh Cup fourth round (all Saturday, 2.30 unless stated)
Aberystwyth Town v Cardiff Met, Airbus v The New Saints, Bangor City v Caernarfon (7.30, live on S4C), Barry Town v Cefn Druids, Cambrian & Clydach v Rhyl, Carmarthen v Connah’s Quay, Haverfordwest County v Bala Town, Llangefni Town v Llandudno.