Penybont up for Challenge after missing out in cup final

RHYS Griffiths’ patched-up Penybont side may have run out of time in the JD Welsh Cup final against The New Saints last weekend, but they will get another shot at some end-of-season glory at Flint Town United today.

There was a lucrative place in the European competition last weekend, but this time it will be a chance to go into the hat for the first round draw of next season’s Scottish Challenge Cup by winning the JD Cymru Premier League play-offs.

Griffiths’ side were pipped 3-2 by double-winning TNS, hauling two goals back in a dramatic final 10 minutes at Cardiff City Stadium. Now they have to pick themselves up, dust themselves down and go again.

Flint finished the JD Cymru Premier season in fifth place, one place above Penybont, and beat their play-off rivals 3-0 recently. In their four meetings this season, the Silkmen won three and drew the other.

The other semi-final sees Caernarfon Town host Play-Off Conference winners Cardiff Met. The Cofis reached the semi-finals last year and beat Barry Town United 3-1 at that stage.

They then hosted Newtown in the final, with a European place on the line, and led 3-2 going into the final 10 minutes. They then leaked three goals to lose 5-3.

The students went to the final day of the season before clinching top spot in the Play-Off Conference. They were beaten 2-0 and 1-0 by Caernarfon in their Phase One league meetings earlier in the season.

Cardiff Met were beaten 1-0 by Cefn Druids in the 2018 Play Off final, but beat Caernarfon in the 2017 and 2019 semi-finals. They qualified for Europe in 2019 thanks to a penalty shoot-out triumph in the final against Bala Town.

They will be fighting as hard as possible to try to give departing manager Christian Edwards the perfect send-off after 13 years in charge.