The Welsh Blood Service League Cup national winners will be crowned on Saturday when Southern winners Briton Ferry Llansawel face Northern winners Mold Alexandra at Latham Park in Newtown (KO 17:15).
Here is everything you need to know.
Road to the final
Both sides were narrow winners in their first round ties as Briton Ferry edged past Baglan Dragons 1-0 courtesy of Jasper Payne’s early strike, whereas Mold’s opening match of the competition was filled with much more drama as the Alex secured a 3-2 victory over Holywell Town in a match which produced three red cards.
Ferry built on their victory over Baglan Dragons and comfortably defeated Pontardawe Town 2-0 in round two, but Mold were forced to hold onto a narrow lead once again as first half strikes from Jake Roberts and Danny Warren were enough to see off Guilsfield 2-1.
In the regional semi-finals, Mold eventually clicked into gear as Warren bagged four goals in an emphatic 5-1 victory over Denbigh Town. Ferry’s regional semi-final was also filled with goals as Andy Dyer’s side were forced to come from behind to defeat Ammanford 4-3 in one of the most entertaining matches of this season’s competition.
Both sides booked their place in the national final at the beginning of April as Mold and Ferry secured 3-1 victories over Llandudno and Llanelli Town respectively.
Recent Form
Briton Ferry concluded their JD Cymru South title-winning campaign with a 5-2 victory over Llanelli Town last weekend.
The Reds are currently on a ten-match unbeaten streak in all competitions, winning the last eight of those games. They have scored a minimum of three goals in their last four outings.
Mold secured an impressive fourth-place finish in only their second season back in the JD Cymru North, but concluded the league campaign with three consecutive defeats.
Head-to-head
The only previous meeting between these two sides came in last season’s JD Welsh Cup third round as Tyler Brock’s brace, along with strikes from McCauley Power and Tom Walters, secured a 4-0 win for Ferry against Mold, who were reduced to 10 men in the ninth minute as Sion McHugh was sent off.
Players to watch
Luke Bowen – Briton Ferry Llansawel
Veteran striker Bowen is in red hot form going into the final. He netted all four goals in a 4-0 victory over Ammanford to seal the JD Cymru South title and promotion, before bagging another hat-trick in the 5-2 win over Llanelli Town last week.
The 35-year-old finished the league season with 29 goals to his name, putting him in the frame for the golden boot, while he has also scored in the last two rounds of this competition.
Danny Warren – Mold Alexandra
Mold have a dynamite forward of their own in Danny Warren, who has starred in yet another impressive domestic campaign for the Alex.
The striker has 27 goal contributions in 25 JD Cymru North matches this season and he has formed a lethal strike partnership with teammate Jake Roberts. Warren is the top scorer in the Welsh Blood Service League Cup this season with six goals.
Pre-match thoughts
Briton Ferry Llansawel chairman, Wyn Evans: “We missed out in the Southern Final last year to a strong Barry team, and the disappointment of that has provided extra motivation to go and win it this year. It’s going to be a tough final against Mold but we will be giving it our best to finish the season off on a high.”
Mold Alexandra coach, Mike Cunningham: “We know it’s going to be tough, but we’ve got players that can cause them problems. We’re confident in our own ability. There’s no pressure on us so we can go into it, relax, play how we want to play, play our game, and give a good account of ourselves.”
Match Officials
Referee: James Walker
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Johnson
Assistant Referee 2: James Young
Fourth Official: Iolo Edryd Williams
The Venue
Saturday’s final will take place at Latham Park, home of JD Cymru Premier side Newtown. It also hosted last season’s final as Barry Town United defeated Colwyn Bay 6-0.
Ticket information
Tickets for the final will be cash only on the gate, costing £5 for adults and £2 for concessions. This also covers entry to the Dragon Signs Amateur Trophy final at Latham Park earlier in the day.
Television coverage
You can watch the match live on the FAW’s free streaming service, RedWall+.
