Newtown manager Chris Hughes has been dealt a defensive blow ahead of tomorrow’s JD Welsh Cup clash with Rhyl, after the club failed to overturn Craig William’s recent red card.
An appeal hearing held this week backed referee Kevin Parry’s original decision taken to dismiss the Newtown captain in the second-half of last weekend’s defeat to Barry Town, leaving the right-back unavailable to face Rhyl.
Williams becomes the second Robins full-back to miss out through suspension, as left-back Callum Roberts also sits out for an accumulation of bookings.
Regardless, the Newtown boss says his team are ready for their third-round visit of the Cymru Alliance outfit.
“We’ve watched quite a few of their games now and I think every player that plays for them has Welsh Premier League experience in some shape or form, so I think that tells you how tough a task this is going to be.”
The Lilywhites visit Latham Park in search of a Welsh Cup upset having produced seven straight wins prior to the weekend’s third round tie.
Ex-Newtown defender and former club captain Matthew Cook is expected to line up against his former side, and Hughes says there is a number of connections between the two clubs.
“They’ve got a few of our ex-players: Matthew Cook, Gareth Partridge and James Murphy.
“Obviously, it’ll be great to see Cooky – he was our captain when he got us into Europe and into the Welsh Cup final, so it’ll be good to see him again. Also, my good friend Gareth Wilson is in charge of Rhyl, so there’s lots of connections there.
“They’re a Welsh Premier League team in all but position. They’ve got a Welsh Premier League experience, they’ve got their manager who’s played many years in the Welsh Premier League and also managed in the league last year. They’ve got a lot of experience in their side as well.”
Newtown were unable to get the month off to a winning start but Hughes, who steered the Robins to the 2015 Welsh Cup final, believes his side have the credentials to be serious cup contenders again this year.
“It’s a busy December, the start didn’t go as well as we wanted it to go last weekend in Barry, but we’ve got five more games now so it’s a busy old month,” he said.
“We need to get as many points as we can and get through to the next round of the Cup, because the Welsh Cup is one of the competitions which we enter at the start of the season with a realistic chance of winning, so we want to make sure that we’re in the hat. We know it’s going to be a tough game against Rhyl.”
JD WELSH CUP THIRD ROUND
Friday: Bangor City v Holyhead Hotspur, Barry Town United v Penybont, Prestatyn Town v Caernarfon Town.
Saturday: Airbus UK Broughton v Porthmadog, Briton Ferry Llansawel v Llandudno, Cwmamman United v Aberystwyth Town, Cwmbran Celtic v The New Saints, Denbigh Town v Cambrian & Clydach Vale, Flint Town United v Bala Town, Goytre United v Carmarthen Town, Guilsfield v Connah’s Quay Nomads, Haverfordwest County v Pontypridd Town, Llangefni Town v Llanelli Town , Newtown v Rhyl, Ton Pentre v Cardiff Met, Ynysddu Welfare v Cefn Druids.