Mold Alexandra make the short journey to Cae y Castell on Saturday to take on Connah’s Quay Nomads live on Sgorio (KO 17:20) as the JD Welsh Cup Round 4 takes centre stage this weekend.
“It’s a local derby and every derby is tasty, so we’re expecting an entertaining game” explained Mold Alexandra manager Barry Owen to FAW.cymru this week. “It’s a game of football at the end of the day and we’ve just got to be as professional as we can be.
“They’re a league above us and the reigning champions of the Welsh Cup. We need to go there and give a good account of ourselves, and if we can do that for the 90 minutes, I believe we can get a positive result.”
This will be the first competitive meeting between Mold Alexandra and Connah’s Quay Nomads for 30 years. The two teams were last drawn against each other in the JD Welsh Cup back in 1994/95 when the Nomads claimed a 3-2 victory in Round Two, before losing to eventual winners Wrexham in Round 4. Mold Alexandra were relegated from the domestic top-flight that season, and will be looking forward to renewing an old rivalry this weekend.
Owen, 37, was appointed manager of the JD Cymru North club in May, after a brief spell with St Asaph City, following the departure of predecessors Michael Cunningham and Steve Monk. The duo had delivered plenty of success before stepping down at the end of last season, but Owen’s appointment very much marks the start of a new era both on and off the field at the MKH Stadium.
“When I was appointed there was an 18-man squad here, but 12 players decided to leave for one reason or another,” explained Owen. “So it was a case of rebuilding on the back of a successful few years. We had to look at the type of player we wanted to sign as our style of play is completely different to the previous style.
“We’ve had a new chairman, new secretary, new reserve team manager, new first team manager, a new first team bar six players and we have a girls team this year too. We’re the same Mold Alex, I’m not taking the history away, but we’re virtually a new Mold Alex at the same time.”
Currently sitting seventh in the JD Cymru North table, Owen has been pleased with the way his new-look squad have adapted to the transition.
“Since I’ve come in we’ve had a brilliant start,” he added. “It’s been really positive. Some people’s expectations may have risen as a result of that, but the last month or so has brought us back down to earth and we are where we are. The league never lies, so it’s a case of moving forward now, finishing December on a high and then try and strengthen again in January.”
Mold Alexandra began their JD Welsh Cup campaign away at league rivals Penrhyncoch in October and claimed a 3-1 win through goals from Taylor Edwards and a double from Charlie Davies.
“It was a massive result,” said Owen. “The boys were brilliant on the day. We showed great spirit, fight, fitness and quality when it mattered. It was a big result in a difficult place as it was a hostile environment. They’re a good side and that was proved a few weeks later when they came to Mold and beat us in the league.”
The reward was an opportunity for Mold Alexandra to test themselves against JD Cymru Premier opponents as Briton Ferry Llansawel made the long journey north in Round 3. Owen Cordiner and Emmanuel Lawal were both on target for Owen’s side in the 2-1 victory.
“I wasn’t particularly surprised with our result,” he explained. “I’m not trying to play it down but I thought we were worthy winners on the day. I was quite frustrated to be honest that we weren’t clinical enough. With the amount of chances we created in the first half we should have put the game to bed.”
A tougher test is expected this weekend against the current JD Welsh Cup holders, while Mold Alexandra are taking part in the last 16 for the first time in their history.
Connah’s Quay Nomads have also defeated lower league opposition in Guilsfield and Trefelin to reach this stage of the competition and will head into the tie as favourites despite being in the wrong half of the JD Cymru Premier table. Meanwhile, Mold Alexandra have suffered back-to-back league defeats since that victory over Briton Ferry Llansawel.
“We’ve got work to do here,” said Owen when asked about that particular stat. “We were never naive enough to think that it was going to be a bed of roses. We know our weaknesses, but we also know what our strengths are.
“Since we came in the boys have been fantastic and I couldn’t have asked for any more from anyone. There’s not one person I can look at here and say ‘he’s not pulling his weight’. There’s been a lot of change, but I can’t say a bad word about anybody at the club.
“From the supporters as well, they travel all over to support us and the amount of messages I have on a weekly basis from people is quite humbling really. Mold Alex is a big club and I feel privileged to be in this position.
“There’s a lot of people who do a lot of work behind the scenes, and a lot of it does go unnoticed, but without these people there’s no football club. I just hope we go there on Saturday with everybody up for it, which I’m sure they will be, and that we can make the town proud.”
