Not many would have predicted Aberystwyth Town to have a place in the top four in their own hands come the end of phase one in this season’s Genero Adran Premier.
But after picking up four points from their last two matches, Aber have climbed to fourth in the table and will secure a coveted top half spot if they avoid defeat to The New Saints at Park Avenue on Sunday.
For defender Rebecca Mathias, the golden opportunity in her and the team’s grasp is unexpected, but she has praised the youngsters who have shined all season.
“I don’t think many people would have put us down for top four, I think we were probably favourites to be relegated. At the start of the season, we were probably a bit of an unknown quantity. We had a lot of youngsters coming up, and it’s well documented that we’ve struggled to recruit based on our location and our budget.
“But the youngsters have stepped up, they’ve done an amazing job. We started off well then went through a phase of inconsistency, but we’re in a fantastic position now.
“We always used to be known for parking the bus, and we are still defensively solid. What the youth has done is added excitement, and the fact we’ve just given them the opportunity to express themselves has been great. There’s no pressure on them to perform, and they’ve all grown a lot in confidence since game one.”
So many of the young squad have starred this season. Lily Moralee-Hughes, Niamh Duggan, and Modlen Gwynne are some of the many who have shined, but Lleucu Mathias is certainly one name to watch out for in the future.
Despite having no family connection, the senior Mathias is astonished by what the forward has done so far.
“I don’t know where to start with Lleucu to be honest. I don’t think I’ve heard her speak a word yet, she’s so quiet! But the way she expresses herself on the pitch and watching her with the ball at her feet is just mesmerising.
“The defenders that she’s tied up in knots are experienced defenders in this league. You think she’s lost the ball, but she somehow wriggles away and still has possession. I wish it went with the name, but there’s no relation unfortunately!”
The final hurdle Aber’s plucky youngsters have to overcome to put the icing on top of a remarkable maiden season are TNS. But Mathias is not taking the weekend’s opponents for granted.
“I’m expecting a close game on Sunday. Other than possibly one or two games throughout previous seasons, there’s always been a goal in it when we play.
“Playing them away twice already, losing 4-3 and losing on penalties in the cup, those were two very disappointing results for us.
“They’re obviously a very good attacking side who score a lot of goals, and we’d expect them to pose that attacking threat once again. We’ll go into the game with a lot of confidence and also knowing we can go toe-to-toe with them.”
As the defender said, they’ve already played the Saints twice this season, losing both times. But both of those fixtures took place at Park Hall. Now at Park Avenue and with an electric home support behind them, Mathias believes they’ve got a good chance.
“I think their record at Park Avenue is similar to our record up at Park Hall, but the last game we played against them here, we came back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3.
“Having that home support is such an advantage for us, however. You saw that last Thursday when we played against Met, and having everyone there behind us spurs us on.”
The game will also be live on Sgorio, the first time that Aber will be playing live on TV.
“It’s definitely exciting for us to be playing on TV. Getting that first live game is important for us as a team. But it’s not going to make any sort of difference to how we perform, but it’s exciting for out supporters who may not be able to make the game.”
Despite turbulence behind the scenes following the dismissal of manager Gavin Allen last week – a hugely unpopular decision with the squad – Aber have put themselves in pole position to finish in the top four with a a 4-0 win against Cardiff Met coupled with an impressive 1-1 draw away to Swansea City.
TNS won’t be an easy task, and the squad know that, but the message will remain the same as they go out in front of the Sgorio cameras on Sunday evening.
“What we’ve said the last two games is just go out there and enjoy it, especially the younger players,” Mathias says.
“Try and block out all the outside noise, because there has been a lot to deal with over the last two weeks, but there’s nothing we can do. Let’s focus on what we can do on the pitch, win our individual battles, and play with confidence.”
