Caerau Ely have already made JD Welsh Cup history by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time, and on Sunday the live Sgorio cameras will head to Cwrt-yr-Ala as the JD Cymru South side look to shock holders Connah’s Quay Nomads (KO 12.45).
“You’ve got to dream of what could happen and you’ve got to show confidence,” explained manager Dean Wheeler to FAW.cymru this week. “We know it’s going to be really difficult. They’re a quality opposition and lots of things are going to have to go our way. They’re the holders of the cup and they’re going to be looking to retain that. But it’s football, so anything can happen, and that’s why we love it.”
The optimism is backed by a cup run that has already seen Caerau Ely eliminate JD Cymru Premier duo Barry Town United and Bala Town in previous rounds. The Round 2 victory at Jenner Park saw Barry take the lead three times only for the visitors to respond each time and eventually claim the tie on penalties, while Bala Town were humbled 1-0 at Cwrt-yr-Ala through an injury-time winner from 21-year old Charlie Lewis.
“In terms of our season, the win over Barry allowed us to kick on from there,” said Wheeler. “It really gave the boys belief. We knew that they were a good footballing team, but we were able to go toe-to-toe and then show the resilience to comeback from being down three times. In large parts of the game we were able to dominate possession of the ball, and that gave the lads a real belief and something that we have to use going into this game on Sunday.”
Lewis also scored the late equaliser in the 3-3 draw with Barry Town United that took the match to penalties, and Wheeler was full of praise for his young talent.
“He’s only 21 and he’s got a real maturity about him. He only joined us in the summer and he’s hit the ground running. He’s picked up on how we want to play and he epitomises that. We’re really lucky to have him and he’s a really positive character to have around the dressing room. The future’s bright for him and a lot of the other young boys in the team.”
Caerau Ely eased to an 8-1 win over Rogerstone in Round 3 with seven different names registering on the scoresheet. Their reward was a home match against Bala Town for the second time in as many seasons, as the Lakesiders won 4-1 at Cwrt-yr-Ala last season.
“Last year against Bala the elements played their part but it was a good learning curve for the boys,” said Wheeler. “It gave us an understanding of how they played and we were able to prepare diligently this time and go into the game with more confidence that we could compete with them.
“It’s going to be a difficult game on Sunday, but we’ve got to use the experiences we’ve had against Barry and Bala and not be afraid. We’re going to have to work hard, we’re going to have to be together, but we have to be clinical too.
“When you’re playing against a team with the quality of Connah’s Quay those moments are going to be few and far between, so it’s really important that when we do get them we seize them. We’re going to have to ride some difficult moments and be resilient.”
Following the victory over Bala Town in the last round, the side have struggled for league points, claiming just two wins from their last nine games in all competitions. However, Wheeler is confident that their form is set to change.
“Even though results haven’t been there, the performances have,” he explained. “Not being clinical enough in the final third has cost us a little bit, maybe that little bit of decision making, but we try and play a certain style of football which means we are going to take risks, and sometimes you get punished for that.
“But I’m sure the boys will be raring to go on Sunday and we can use this as a springboard to improve our results. Our performances have been good, it’s just been moments in games where that little bit of naivety from having a young team has cost us. We’ve had injuries, as everyone else has, and we haven’t got the same depth of squad as some of the other teams. But we’re still doing the right things, working hard and giving that attention to detail, so I’m confident that we can work through this.”
In their corner on Sunday will be a thriving club with close ties to its local community, and the occasion offers an opportunity to bring the different areas of the club together for one collective cause.
“It’s a historic moment for the club,” Wheeler added. “We’re a community based club that are trying to give opportunities to local lads to play at the highest level they can. That’s something we aspire to. We’re still working towards that and developing young players.
“But for the club this is really something to celebrate and hopefully the community will come out in force to support the boys because they thoroughly deserve it. We’ve got a lot of volunteers coming into the club now and we’re continually growing our relationship within the local community and they’re going to play a huge part for us on Sunday.
“We’re going to have to ride our luck at times, but we’re a young group and with that youthfulness brings no fear. I don’t think we should be daunted by the task as we’ve already shown we can compete against these experienced teams.”
