Cambrian United’s Tim Parker believes an upset is possible in Sunday’s JD Welsh Cup semi-final against The New Saints.
The lowest-ranked team left in the competition take on the JD Cymru Premier champions who are looking to avenge reclaim the trophy after defeat to the Connah’s Quay Nomads in last year’s final.
Standing in their way of a treble though is Cambrian who have prioritised the cup in recent months. They are under no illusion that TNS will be tough but that an upset at Park Avenue is always possible.
“I can’t wait,” Parker told FAW.Cymru. “Ever since we’ve got the draw, we’ve just counted down the days to get to this game. I think the league has sort of drifted out for us now. It’s important we practice for this and we’re looking forward to it now.
“We’re going to give it a go, we obviously know it’s going to be tricky with TNS. We’ve watched a few clips but until you get them on the day, you can only prepare so much. We’ve just got to ride our luck a bit, rustle a few feathers and see how we get on.”
JD Welsh Cup semi-finals
Both Cambrian and The New Saints were in action in midweek in the build-up to the match. TNS beat Caernarfon Town on Tuesday to close in on a fourth straight league title while Cambrian beat Penrhiwceiber Rangers 2-0 to move up to seventh in the Cymru South.
“We played on grass pitches for the last two games in tough conditions so I think it’ll be a bit different on Sunday,” said Parker. “We’re missing a few but apart from that, we’re ready to go. The message is to just try and stick in the game. We understand they are going to have a lot of the ball, but we’re going to get chances.
“It’s down to myself, (Calum) Bateman and a few of the forward guys to take those sort of chances. I think in a game like TNS, you’re not going to get as many chances as we do in the Cymru South, so we’ve got to make sure we take them.
“Morgan (Davies) then in goal has to be on the top of his game, get to 90 minutes and see how we get on. If it goes to penalties or we get through in the 90 then we’ll ride our luck and see how we get on.”
Back in his days at Cardiff Met, Parker got to play in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League, featuring in both legs against Progres Niederkorn in 2019, but reaching the JD Welsh Cup final could potentially surpass that.
“It would,” responded Parker when asked if beating TNS and reaching the Welsh Cup final would be the proudest moment of his career.
“I played in Europe but I wasn’t really part of that squad as such. In terms of getting there, I think being a part of this squad and getting to the Welsh Cup final would be massive for the club. I know how much it means to everyone and the manager, I think it would be on par if not surpassing that really.”
Hopes of repeating 2018 cup heroics
Six years ago, Parker was a non-playing member of the matchday squad as Met defeated Cambrian to lift the 2018/19 Nathaniel MG Cup. En route to the final, the Rhondda side had defeated TNS in what is arguably the greatest result in their history.
Parker is hoping to take inspiration from that upset, with four of Cambrian’s team – Cameron Keetch, Dai Thomas, Kieron Coles and Kyle Jones – still at the club.
“It’s been spoken about the last few weeks. It’s like why can’t we do the same again on Sunday? All the names mentioned, they will be with us on Sunday and probably starting. They will have had experience on how to beat TNS. We’ve got a good team, they’ve done it before, and we’ve all been in similar games. We’ve got a good chance.
“Cambrian has always been a club that have been pushing in and around it. Hopefully the form we have had in the cups we can take in to the league next year because there is a different structure and we’re going to push real hard for promotion.”
‘We need to bring TNS down to our level’
With TNS hunting down a first treble since 2017, the challenge facing Cambrian at Park Avenue on Sunday will be a significant one.
“They’re going to have a lot of the ball, they are very clinical,” Parker said. “We’ve got to be patient when we haven’t got the ball. Any set pieces, any changes we get, we’ve got to take them because they are going to be few and far between.
“It’s about trying to stay in the game but at the same time we’re confident we’re going to go there and cause them problems and make it difficult for them. It’s almost like we’re going to bring them down to our level as such because we know they are above us in terms of quality.
“If we can bring them down to our level for 90 minutes, hopefully we can make it awkward for them and cause them problems. We’re completely the underdogs, but we’re all confident in changing that and getting the job done.
“It’s an opportunity to play at Rodney Parade in the Welsh Cup final, the club has never got there. It’d be a great opportunity for us, so fingers crossed we can ride the wave a bit and see how we get on.”
Parker was crowned the Player of the Round for his involvement in Cambrian’s 3-1 win against Carmarthen Town in the quarter-finals, after scoring a brace while his strike partner Calum Bateman made sure of the victory at the M&P Group 3G.
The striker now has 12 goals for the campaign across all competitions and four assists, meaning he is a goal off his career best since the 2019/20 campaign and is hoping to add to his tally at the weekend.
“I think it’s only clicked the last few months really. The formation has changed a bit. I’ve had the help of another striker coming in (Bateman) and now we’re playing as a two instead of just a one. We work well off each other.
“In the last round against Carmarthen it was a great match for myself personally. Hopefully now I’m coming to form at the right time really. Hopefully I get a chance on Sunday, I’m confident I’ll be able to take it and see where it takes us.”
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