Stacey hits a cracker – P78 BORO FIRED UP FOR HUGE CUP CLASH AT CITY
CONWY Borough manager Aden Shannon hopes to have close to a full-strength squad available for this Saturday’s huge Welsh Cup clash at Bangor City (2.30pm).
The last 16 tussle at The Book People Stadium promises to be one of the ties of the fourth round with eight-time cup winners City hosting strong Huws Gray Alliance opposition.
The chances of an upset have been improved by Bangor’s poor season in the Welsh Premier League which sees them unusually struggling in next-bottom position.
City will be without cup-tied striker Lee Healey, but otherwise manager Neville Powell should have all his big guns available.
Player-boss Shannon said there is a huge buzz around Y Morfa about the visit to Nantporth.
“Everyone at the club is looking forward to it and the players can’t wait,” he said.
“It’s going to be a massive test for us. I went there (Nantporth) with the under-19s recently and it’s a great place to play football.”
Shannon was asked if he fancies his men to pull off a giant-killing.
“It would be nice, but we know it will be a difficult job,” he said.
“We believe in ourselves and will give it 100%.”
Shannon reports key men Aaron Rey, Phil Doran, Teddy Whelan, Teddy Whelan and Jack Pickering should all be back available to take on the Citizens after missing last weekend’s 2-1 home reverse against Guilsfield.
Midfielder Danny Desormeaux and defender Phil Clarke are doubt- ful due to injuries, but keeper Louie Mackin is again in the frame after returning to action in the Guilsfield fixture following his recovery from an accident at Christmas.
Borough were unfortunate to lose to the second-placed MidWalians.
The game started with good fluidity by the Tangerines with a lot of the pressure being applied on the Guilsfield defence.
However, the visitors soon got their foot in the door and started to come back at Conwy which meant the game turned into an end-toend affair.
Boro, using the advantage of the wind during the first half, employed long-ball tactics in a bid to find to find striker Shannon at times, but it was not to be.
Steve Cunningham went closest after half-an-hour, his long-range shot being tipped onto the bar.
Approaching half time Borough were looking the most likely to take the lead and sure enough Leon Williams found himself one-onone with the keeper, who he lobbed to make it 1-0 at the turnaround.
The visitors were fired-up at the start of the second period and were soon level when Andy Ford’s shot from the edge of the area went in off the post.
With 20 minutes to go, a draw seemed like it would be a fair result, but as the Boro defence invited pressure by sitting deep, Chris Cathrall drove at the home rearguard and his long-range cracker flew into the top corner for 2-1.
Conwy battled hard to get back on level terms and came close on a couple occasions, but failing to take their chances.
Late on, a Borough corner looked certain to produce an equaliser, but no-one could get a firm contact on the ball.