Friday, 1 March 2013

Welsh Cup quarter-final predictions

TNS head to Haverfordwest tonight (March 1) to kick off the weekend’s Welsh Cup quarter-final action, with the remaining three games taking place tomorrow (March 2).

With three former Welsh Premier League (WPL) sides re-living their glory days throughout this Cup run, they will be hoping to give the Welsh League and Huws Gray Alliance a presence in the final four.

Five of the current top six in the Welsh Premier League stand in their way of lifting the age-old trophy, and with the furore surrounding the “first major trophy” comments made about Swansea City’s Capital One Cup victory last weekend, it’s a chance for Wales’ major Cup competition to fight its own corner.

Haverfordwest County v TNS
Friday night’s encounter sees the defending champions and WPL leaders TNS head to west Wales for a potentially tricky encounter with Welsh League Division One high flyers Haverfordwest County.

The Bluebirds are looking to make their first semi-final since the memorable 2004/05 season, and will be hoping to pull off a real shock at Bridge Meadow Stadium.

They have lost only three of their last 15 games in all competitions stretching back to September, scoring 41 and conceding 21 in that period.

TNS have also been in pretty solid form as of late. They are unbeaten in four since losing the Word Cup final to Carmarthen Town on penalties in January, but were also unbeaten in six before that since a league defeat, again to Carmarthen, in November.

They have kept 14 clean sheets this season in all competitions, and will be looking for a 15th tonight. They may not get it, but it should be fairly comfortable for the Premier League side and they shouldn’t have too many scares.

Prediction: Haverfordwest 1-4 TNS

Flint Town United v Barry Town
Saturday sees six-time winners Barry Town make the long trip north to face Flint Town United of the Huws Gray Alliance, meaning there will be at least one non-WPL side in the last four.

Flint despatched Cardiff side Caerau Ely in the last round in a match surrounded by controversy after two postponements, a switch to south Wales, appeal, and switch back up north.

In their six matches since in all competitions, they have won three, drawn one and lost two, so will be hoping to avoid making those stats symmetrical tomorrow.

Barry are expecting a large following for this tie, and will be hoping to continue a run of form that has seen them lose only once in five matches.

Their last three matches have each seen at least five goals, so this could contain more, but then how many times is that predicted and the opposite follows?

Prediction: Flint Town United 1-2 Barry Town

Bangor City v Airbus UK
This all-WPL tie (third v second) sees one of the tournament’s most illustrious sides face one with almost no tournament history.

Bangor have won the cup eight times, and finished runner-up on nine occasions – more than any club excluding the “big three” (Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham). They won three on the bounce from 2008-10, and will be hoping for a trophy shot after their league challenge fell away.

Their win over Carmarthan Town in their last match was their first league victory in 10, and they will be hoping for another resurgent display.

Airbus UK would love to add a trophy to their continual improvements in the WPL, and will be in touching distance of a maiden Cup win should they triumph at The Book People Stadium.

Their form has been a little disjointed of late, with no real run of form being established. This gives them the unpredictable nature that Cup football thrives on, and could see them progress.

Prediction: Bangor City 1-2 Airbus UK

Carmarthen Town v Prestatyn Town
The final quarter final is another all-WPL affair, with Carmarthen looking to make it two Cup wins in one season after their Word Cup triumph over TNS on penalties back in January.

The Old Gold lost Jonathan Hood to Caerau this week, and find themselves seven points worse off than their opponents in the WPL Championship table with eight wins, six draws and nine defeats.

They needed extra time to knock Bala Town out in the last round, and added to that penalty win over TNS, this looks like it may also go the distance.

Prestatyn have been, like Bangor, sliding down the WPL table with only two wins in 10 in all competitions (one of those against West End in the previous round).

They have registered 19 goals in that time, but also conceded 30, and there is little to suggest this game won’t also end in pain for the visitors.

Prediction: Carmarthen 3-2 (after extra time)

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