Christian Edwards believes his Cardiff Met team can topple JD Welsh Premier League leaders The New Saints on Saturday – and replace them as frontrunners.
A victory for the students at Park Hall would see them reverse the current order at the top of the table and, perhaps, convince some of the doubters that the champions can be denied another title.
It night be premature to talk of any changing of the guard – even if there is a change in the pecking order – but results and recent form suggest another close contest following the 0-0 draw the last time the sides locked horns.
The Met should travel north with plenty of belief on the back of six successive victories and Edwards says: “The squad is certainly good enough and fit enough.
“But we are playing against TNS, they’re the perennial champions and they are a fantastic side.
“We just need to make sure we have enough recuperation ahead of Saturday and look after ourselves and put the messages in place to make sure we get the three points.”
The first signs that the dominance of TNS might be challenged this season came on the opening weekend of the campaign when they were beaten by Bangor City.
But since then, as if to undermine predictions of their imminent demise, they have not lost a single game. The Met have lost twice, but have drawn one game fewer, so trail the leaders by just a single point ahead of the showdown.
Met midfielder Chris Baker said: “I think we all acknowledge it’s going to be a tough game, when you go to TNS, they’re so good at what they do.
“But we’ve been working really hard in training ahead of the game and hopefully we can get a game-plan in place where we can go there and get a result.”
Few expected the Met’s transition to the WPL to run so smoothly, but predictions of second season struggle have so far failed to materialise.
TNS manager Scott Ruscoe insisted: “They’ve had a great start to the season and they’re just one point behind.
“I’ll be telling the lads to give everything; give your all and then hopefully we will see daylight in the table between us and our challengers come Saturday afternoon.”
“It’s a big game as we’ve got some good momentum at the moment and we want to carry it on.”
Both sides will be in confident mood after Tuesday night victories took them into the semi-finals of the Nathaniel MG League Cup, with holders TNS overcoming Caernarfon Town 2-0 while the university won by the same score at Barry Town United.
