Former Bridgend Town and Goytre United forward Richard Ryan is plotting a Nathaniel Car Sales Welsh League Cup final shock.
Manager Ryan’s Trefelin BGC take on cup holders Llanelli Town AFC in the final at Garden Village FC on Friday evening (7.30pm).
The Reds of Llanelli are Welsh League champions and will be playing Welsh Premier League football next season, while Trefelin missed out on the Third Division top two.
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The Trefelin players, unbeaten in their first 24 league games this season, struck a major blow earlier this month when a second half Jordan Edwards header from Travis Monk-Landeg’s left-wing cross earned them a 1-0 win at Swansea University.
That ended a 15-match unbeaten Swansea run and completed a league double for Trefelin against the students.
At that stage Trefelin were six points ahead of Bridgend Street, but that was eaten away by last night.
Uni were awarded with the League championship trophy before the game against Trefelin.
They finished third behind Swansea University and Bridgend Street, who are both promoted. Trefoil stay in Division Three.
Swansea’s student team suffered a first half blow when their goalkeeper was injured and they didn’t have a replacement on the bench.
An outfield player took the gloves in a hard fought match which saw Street take the lead after 50 minutes when Paul Fowler scored from a free-kick at the Willows.
The home team netted again to complete a 2-0 win against the Third Division champions, which lifted Street level on points with Trefelin and into second place on goal difference.
That was a blow for Ryan’s men with champions University, in their first Welsh League season, and Street taking the promotion places.
Trefelin BGC tweeted: “Our fate has been sealed. With @BridgendSt defeating league winners @SwanseaUniFc tonight we will play another season in WL Div 3. So close and down to the final game.
“Congratulations to Bridged St. Boys will be gutted, but a quick turnaround with the Cup Final looming #uppatref.”
Street’s reaction was: “We did it…..the final game of the season saw us defeat champions Swansea University 2-0 courtesy of Paul Fowler & Jeffrey White in front of a bumper crowd of 412.
“An unbelievable feat from an incredible set of players who have done the club proud.
A huge thanks to the fantastic crowd who helped make it a fierce atmosphere.
“Manager Craig Dale and his coaching team have been the catalyst for the surge which saw us become the highest scorers in Welsh League football with 105 magnificent goals.”
Heartbroken Trefelin will now focus on Friday’s cup final.
Ryan, who won five Welsh League titles during his playing days, is now Trefelin manager and he would love to add the League Cup to his CV.
He was a prolific scorer who led the League goals lists in eight successive seasons, including 54 in one campaign, and had experience in the Welsh Premier with Port Talbot and Aberystwyth Town.
Ryan was clear his target at the start of 2017-18 was promotion and Port Talbot-based Trefelin are bitterly disappointed to have finished third, one point behind Swansea Uni.
Trefelin defeated a team from a higher division in every round on their way to the final, winning against Division Two leaders STM Sports away 1-0 in their quarter-final and Pontypridd Town in the last four.
Welsh League Three 2017-2018
| POS | NAME | P | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | PTS | |
| 1 | Swansea University | 30 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 100 | 27 | 73 | 75 | |
| 2 | Bridgend Street | 30 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 105 | 41 | 64 | 74 | |
| 3 | Trefelin Boys & Girls Club | 30 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 81 | 33 | 48 | 74 | |
| 4 | Treharris Athletic Western | 29 | 17 | 2 | 10 | 74 | 62 | 12 | 53 | |
| 5 | Penrhiwceiber Rangers | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 59 | 60 | -1 | 42 | |
| 6 | Pontyclun | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 53 | 61 | -8 | 41 | |
| 7 | Ynysygerwn | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 53 | 53 | 0 | 40 | |
| 8 | Trethomas Bluebirds | 30 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 50 | 48 | 2 | 38 | |
| 9 | Panteg | 29 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 57 | 68 | -11 | 37 | |
| 10 | Caerau | 30 | 11 | 2 | 17 | 48 | 72 | -24 | 35 | |
| 11 | Tredegar Town | 29 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 44 | 58 | -14 | 34 | |
| 12 | Newport City | 30 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 52 | 69 | -17 | 32 | |
| 13 | Treowen Stars | 30 | 9 | 3 | 18 | 42 | 68 | -26 | 30 | |
| 14 | Chepstow Town | 29 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 57 | 80 | -23 | 27 | |
| 15 | Ely Rangers | 30 | 6 | 3 | 21 | 44 | 92 | -48 | 21 | |
| 16 | Neuadd Wen | 30 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 44 | 71 | -27 | 20 |
Nathaniel Cars Welsh League
Division Two midweek results: Pontypridd Town 3, Ammanford 1; AFC Llwydcoed 0, Garden Village 3; Dinas Powys 0, Aberbargoed Buds 4; Llantwit Major 5, STM Sports 2; Garden Village 1, Aberdare Town 2.
Division Three: Panteg 4, Tredegar Town 1; Treharris Athletic Western 5, Neuadd Wen 1; Pontyclun 0, Bridgend Street 5; Panted 4, Tredegar Town 1; Treowen Stars 2, Neuadd Wen 1.
Remaining League fixtures:
Division Two:
Friday 25: Dinas Powys v Garden Village (6.45pm)
Saturday 26: Ammanford v Aberbargoed Buds (2.30pm)
West End v AFC Porth (2.30pm)
Division Three:
Saturday 26
Chepstow Town v Tredegar Town (2.30pm)
Panteg v Treharris Athletic Western (2.30pm)
