LOCAL FOOTBALL
Cup crusaders STM aiming to leave Aber singing the blues
STM Sports are hoping to live up to their billing when they host Aberystwyth Town tomorrow in the MG Nathaniel Cars Cup semi-final at their Llanrumney University playing fields home (2.30pm).
The St Mellons club are currently the cup team of the domestic season with their semi-final clash with Aberystwyth followed up with a tough trip to Rhyl in two weeks in the JD Welsh Cup.
But first all focus will be on The Seasiders, with STM going on to social media to drum up as much support as they can from the local community.
“Come and support the boys this Saturday. We would love you to join us at the University Fields for the biggest game in STM Sports AFC history.
“You will not be disappointed,” they tweeted out. Dale Gardiner and Nana Baah have a squad built around homegrown talent with the vast majority of their players coming from the St Mellons and Llanrumney areas.
It’s been like that from the very beginning and STM have adjusted to life in their new surroundings of the JD Cymru South Division currently lying in fourth place.
They have scored 33 goals in 12 matches and will also be able to draw confidence from a penalty shoot-out victory at Premier League Newtown in the quarter-finals.
Aberystwyth are ninth in the Cymru Premier and are current models of inconsistency.
And STM will be going flat out to make sure their dip in results, that has seen 5-0 and 2-0 defeats at Bala Town and TNS respectively in the league, carries over to the cup.
In the Cymru Premier, Barry Town will look to put an end to a threematch losing sequence this evening when they entertain Penybont in front of the S4C cameras (8pm).
Last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Cefn Druids meant Gavin Chesterfield’s Linnetts have conceded nine goals and scored just one in their last three fixtures.
But a win tonight would still put Barry back into second place in the league which is a good place to be in after 14 games.
Barry won the opening game of this season 2-1 at Penybont with goals from Kane McLaggon and Jonathan Hood, and the Jenner Park faithful would certainly welcome any repeat of that winning scoreline to halt their blip in form. Rhys Griffiths’ Penybont have found life tough in the Premier after waltzing their way through the Welsh League last season.
But they will be spurred on by the fact that their last two away games have produced four points (Cardiff Met 1-1) (Airbus 1-2).
And there is nothing like a local derby on a Friday evening with two passionate sets of supporters to get behind both teams.
Chesterfield will want a win while Griffiths might settle for a point to help lift them towards the safety zone.
In the Cymru South Taffs Well host
Undy Athletic this evening at Rhiw Dda with the Wellmen looking for their first league win in two months.
Cambrian and Clydach will hope to build on their 1-1 last week against top of the league Swansea University when they host Goytre United in the Rhondda tomorrow.
Bottom-of-the-table Caerau Ely welcome 14th Cwmbran Celtic to their Cwrt y Ala ground tomorrow in a relegation six-pointer.
Darren Robinson’s Llantwit Major travel west to play fifth-placed Ammanford Town. In the FA Trophy Canton Liberals play host to Pontardawe Town from the Welsh League at Leckwith tomorrow, while another capital side, Cardiff Draconians, travel to Penrhiwceiber.