Football: Welsh Alliance clubs chase cup quarter-final places

Jan 15 2009 By Tim Channon

PLACES in the last eight of the Barritt Cup are up for grabs this Saturday with Llandudno Junction among the favourites on current form.

They go into their home tie against Nefyn United with confidence boosted by their Christmas derby double over Conwy United and a run that has seen them lose only once in their last seven games.

The club’s recent signings are cup-tied but manager Shane Cartwright is clear of injury worries and says: "The players are really up for it. We are proving a hard side to beat at the moment and have as good a chance as anybody of doing well in this competition."

Nefyn were the only home side able to beat the weather last weekend and celebrated with a 5-1 win over struggling Amlwch Town with Alan Jones scoring twice.

But they have been inconsistent, with their last nine games including four wins, but heavy defeats of 7-0 at Glan Conwy and 7-1 at Rhydymwyn.

"It suggests they don’t travel that well and it’s up to us to make home advantage pay," added the Junction boss.

CONWY UNITED are hoping for their first win since November when they play Barmouth and Dyffryn United at The Morfa in another second round tie.

Conwy lost 3-1 at home to Barmouth in the League on November 1 before going on a five-match winning run.

Manager Eifion Hughes said the players felt they let themselves down in that Barmouth defeat and that should help galvanise the side to produce a much stronger performance on Saturday.

Abergele Rovers will hope to carry the Clwyd League flag into the last eight with an away tie at Llandyrnog Reserves – although they did suffer a surprise 1-0 home defeat to the Clwyd Vale side in the league in November.

Prestatyn Reserves are the other Clwyd League survivors and are away to Llanrug United.

Top three rivals Llanrwst United and Bethesda Athletic are in opposition in their delayed first round tie at Gwydir Park. Llanrwst were going well before the enforced lay-off with the weather and Saturday will be a good test of their improved form against the unbeaten league leaders who won 6-3 at Gwydir Park in the league in August.

The winners will be at home to Bontnewydd or Amlwch Town, who also try to play their delayed first round tie this Saturday.

Glan Conwy are in Welsh Alliance league action at home to Holywell Town, looking for a win which could move them to within five points of the top three with games in hand.