Montgomery boss Clive McNamee says he will accept the manager of the month award on behalf of the whole club.
The experienced boss was awarded for his club’s tremendous form of late with Gaz Bromley named player of the month too with his manager calling him “brilliant”.
But it’s back to another giant killing bid tomorrow with Division One’s Carno standing in the way of a last four spot in the Central Wales Cup for the Division Two high flyers.
“We are not looking any further than Saturday at the moment and there are some good sides left in it,” said McNamee. “Saturday is another cup final for us and we will be treating it as such. We will just give our best and see where it takes us.”
The competition’s outdated laws will hit McNamee as the returning Tom Evans was not signed for 14 days before the match. McNamee noted that “it’s time the Central Wales FA came into line with the Welsh FA”.
Stuart Buckley Robins will be missing for the tie.
Also in the quarter final, Llansantffraid Village go to Rhosgoch Rangers.
League
In Division One, Dave Proctor will be the first to admit that he has not particularly enjoyed this season.
It started with rabbits damaging his club’s Maesydre pitch causing injuries to two key players and has developed into a three-month break for the weather and frustrating form on the pitch which culminated in last Saturday’s end to their defence of the Central Wales Cup.
And it doesn’t look like it will get much better for Proctor. His side entertain Bow Street tomorrow in the Spar Division One with at least six players missing. So roll on the summer says the boss.
“I’ll be glad to get this season over with to be honest,” said Proctor. “It’s not been the most enjoyable with what’s been going on. We’ve got a lot of players injured, suspended or unavailable so I am already looking towards next season.
“I think we have enough points to stay up so it is just a case of consolidating now until the end of the season. Getting knocked out of the Cup last week didn’t help so it’s been one season to forget!”
Among the absentees tomorrow are Will Pritchard, Matt Knight, Chris Proctor and Gareth Turner so Proctor will dip into the reserves for reinforcements.
In the only other Division One game, Llanrhaeadr look to close the gap on Berriew at the top with a trip to Newbridge.
In Division Two, Four Crosses have appointed a new assistant manager to ease the burden on player-assistant boss Gaz Jones.
Manager Nick Popyk explained the new backroom set-up: “Over the last couple of months both myself and Gaz Jones have been working hard to ensure the club is moving in the right direction. One downside to this is Gaz should still be trying hard to concentrate on his own game as a player as well.
“So Steve Beckett, who has been in and around the Crosses set up for a number of years, even having a short spell as player manager last time Four Crosses were in the Spar League, has been part of our squad this season but has not featured much due to injuries.
“So I have asked Steve to come on board as my No 2 and while Gaz will still be heavily involved he will now be able to concentrate on his own game. I think we will work well together and look forward to exciting times ahead in the future of Four Crosses FC. I have thoroughly enjoyed my first half of the season in charge at Foxen Manor and with Becko and Gaz completing our back room team, long may it continue.”
Crosses entertain Bont on Saturday while Meifod go to Talgarth in the only other game.
Spar League Cup
A big local derby is in prospect when Dyffryn Banw take on Llanfair United with both going into the game on the back of great wins.
Struggling Banw boosted their first division survival bid with a 4-3 win last weekend while Llanfair warmed up with a big cup win over division two promotion hopefuls Kerry.
It was a result that put a smile back on manager Daryl Griffiths’s face: “We should be close to full strength for tomorrow. They are our biggest rivals who have got the better of us over the last four or five years. It will be a tough game to call. Being the away team we will probably be the underdogs but it will be nice to get some revenge for when they beat us 3-0 earlier in the season. The lads will be up for it!”
In other Cup matches, Abermule entertain Llandrindod Wells and Berriew go to improving Llanfyllin Town.