The FAW Trophy is scheduled to resume on 12th February at the quarter-final stage, with four northern clubs hosting four from the south in a draw that tips favouritism for this season’s trophy even further towards the already powerful contingent from the Lock Stock Welsh Alliance League. This league, which provided last year’s winners Glan Conwy, is in my opinion easily the strongest competition nationally at level 3 in the pyramid, following the effect of last summer’s pyramid reorganisation – an already strong league absorbing much of the bottom half of the Cymru Alliance membership to accommodate reduced league sizes in the top two tiers. So the key question for this preview is whether any of the southern quarter-finalists can overcome ground advantage and the effects of the long trip to prevent an all-Welsh Alliance semi-final line-up.

The southern clubs themselves come from just two local league competitions: a pair of Pic-Up Spares Swansea Senior League neighbours separated by just a couple of miles on Swansea Bay, plus a couple of valley teams from the Atega South Wales Amateur League. Considering the geographical spread and number of leagues represented back in August in the opening rounds, this makes the last eight line-up even more remarkable.

Recent history suggests that the post potent challenge to northern dominance could come from the Swansea Senior League, though it appears the two Swansea sides have probably drawn the toughest opposition in the quarter-finals, both matches potentially billable as tie of the round. Ragged School have a fantastic history in this competition and their visit to Glan Conwy in February pits the holders, 2010 winners against 2009 winners. Glan Conway, runners up in the alliance last season, are looking more like a mid-table side this term so the Trophy could well be their primary target. It’s a tough assignment for Ragged but the four-times winners should never be under-estimated in this competition.

Ragged’s less well-known neighbours Swansea Dockers co-incidentally make the almost identical long journey to north Wales to meet Conwy United at the Morfa. The Dockers are likely to be Ragged’s main rivals for the Swansea league title, and their cup credentials are underlined by a first Swansea Senior Cup triumph last season. To the casual observer, this may be ex-League of Wales outfit versus a club with little experience outside their local area, but having watched their win at Risca in the last round, I know the Dockers need not show undue respect to anyone in this competition. They have, however, drawn one of the form sides in north Wales soccer at present, the Musselmen challenging hard at the top of the Alliance and scoring prolifically. The visitors will need to find a way of stopping Toby Jones and the other free-scoring Conwy forwards.

The other two south Wales sides have rather different journeys ahead of them, to face sides in the top half of the Walsh Alliance table: Carnetown, from the Taff valley north of Pontypridd, make the comparatively straightforward trip to Flintshire to visit another former League of Wales outfit, Holywell town. Neither side has a particular cup pedigree, but the visitors will need to settle early in the game and play their own game, utilising the pace and ability of their forwards.

Ton and Gelli BC from the Rhondda valley make the longest journey of all, over to Anglesey to face Llanfairpwll, who as recently as last season were in the Cymru Alliance. The Ton Pentre-based side are making their second quarter final appearance, having bowed out at this stage last season to Llanberis, despite home advantage. They were physically second-best on that occasion, and also seemed a bit stage-struck, and will need to be more focused for their visit to the rather Spartan surroundings of Cae Marian. Llanfairpwll entered 2011 in good form, scoring freely, and look clear favourites to progress.

Four fascinating ties in prospect then: it could be north Wales across the board in the semis, but maybe one or two of the visitors can successfully pull off a result to retain geographical balance in the later stages. Fingers crossed from this south Wales observer that they can adapt to the novelty of the long journey and overnight stay and then overcome the ‘big occasion’ nerves – oh, and avoid going out on the town on the Friday night !

By Dave Collins
Welsh Football Magazine