Alan Morgan is looking to guide Llandudno to possible European qualification once again this season via the play-offs.
The side enjoyed a spectacular debut campaign in the Dafabet Welsh Premier League last season, after their third-place finish in the table was enough to send them into the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds and earn them a memorable two-legged tie with Swedish giants IFK Goteborg.
Although they have retained largely the same squad as last season, Llandudno have struggled to repeat last season’s form, missing out on a top-six spot and find themselves in a foot-race with Newtown and Cefn Druids to grab the remaining possible play-off spot by finishing in seventh place.
With four rounds remaining Newtown have a two-point advantage – but only after a late equaliser earned a point for the Robins when the two sides played out a closely contested 2-2 draw last weekend.
“Yeah it was a sucker blow,” admitted Alan Morgan to the club’s official website, after three points were snatched from their grasp when Jason Oswell levelled with virtually the last kick of the game. “It’s one of them where we went there and did really well, but we need to start to see games out and pick up three points.”
If their last two games are anything to go buy, their recent trend conceding late goals could derail the club’s hopes of reaching the play-offs.
A week before playing Newtown, Llandudno had also led against Rhyl until another 90th minute equaliser forced Alan Morgan’s side to share the points.
“In the last two games we could have been four points better off. It was a very good game [against Newtown] between two good sides at the end of the day, and I’d say we edged it but unfortunately ended up with just the one point again.”
Morgan is hoping to snap that trend with a return to winning ways for the visit of Airbus on Saturday.
Airbus are bottom of the table but represent something of a banana skin after taking four points from their last two outings as they attempt one last push to fend off what relegation.
“First and foremost they’re a good side”, said Morgan. “Unfortunately things have not gone for them this season, but every game we’ve had with them this season has been a tight affair, but hopefully this weekend we can come away with the 3 points, which we need to start doing this second phase.
“In the away game we had enough chances to win, Danny [Hughes] hitting the post at the end and [Airbus goalkeeper] Shaun Pearson was excellent on the day, but the performance was good enough to win the game. Unfortunately we can say that for many of our second phase games.”
Llandudno know they cannot afford any more slips ups if they are to have any hope of what would be remarkable return to continental football.
WPL Play-Off Conference (four rounds remaining)
7. Newtown 35 points.
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8. Llandudno 33.
9. Cefn Druids 31.
10. Aberystwyth 27.
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11. Rhyl 26.
12. Airbus 20.
Featured image courtesy of Dave Jones/Newtown AFC/Welsh Premier League.