‘Beat the best’: Jordan Hadaway lays down Llandudno Nathaniel MG Cup marker

Llandudno manager Jordan Hadaway insists his side must “beat the best” if they are to lift the Nathaniel MG Cup this season, as they prepare for a major test against The New Saints.

The JD Cymru North leaders travel to Park Hall, home of the JD Cymru Premier table-toppers and reigning Nathaniel MG Cup holders in Saturday’s semi-final (KO 14:30).

Unbeaten in the league and also progressing in the JD Welsh Cup, Llandudno are thriving on three fronts but their biggest challenge awaits this weekend.

“In the Nathaniel MG Cup, we’ve had some difficult games in that as well to get to where we are,” Hadaway Y Clwb Pêl-droed. “For me, if you want to win the competition you’ve got to beat the best.

“When you come across Connah’s Quay in the Welsh Cup, and TNS in the Nathaniel MG Cup, if you want to win competition, you have to beat them sort of teams that are established within that competition.”

Challenging in the league was the priority for Llandudno at the start of the campaign, with Hadaway outlining his objectives to the squad ahead of the season.

However, the Seasiders are now riding a wave of momentum and hope to carry their impressive league form into Saturday’s cup fixture.

“The challenge that I set to the players was to finish as high as we can in the league and better our points tally from last year, we’re on course to do that,” Hadaway said. “I did ask them and challenge them to try and go on a cup run in the cup competitions.

“If we can achieve (promotion) together, it would be something I would be really proud of. Sharing those moments and memories with them is something I would really like to do.

“We’ve got a long way to go, so we’ve got to stay grounded and make sure we keep chipping away at each game as it comes.”

Llandudno have already caused one cup upset this season, triumphing 2-1 over back-to-back finalists Connah’s Quay Nomads in the JD Welsh Cup last month.

Hadaway’s men built a strong lead after Ross Weaver doubled Ben Maher’s opener. Despite a late scare when Daniel Roberts scored with ten minutes remaining, they held firm to secure a memorable victory.

TNS have won 11 straight meetings with Llandudno, and it has been more than ten years since Llandudno last prevented the Oswestry side from beating them. However, with the confidence Hadaway has instilled in his side, another cup scalp can’t be ruled out.

“When we drew the Nomads people were kind of negative towards that,” Hadaway admitted. “They were thinking that might end, however I was confident with the players I’ve got and the style of play that we could definitely go toe-to-toe with them.

“Did I think we could win the game? I would be a fool to think that the quality they have got and the resource they had, that we would be going in as favourites.

“I definitely thought we could go toe-to-toe with them, we started the game really well. We thoroughly deserved to win that game and progress in the Welsh Cup.”