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When Clarbeston Road meet Merlins Bridge in the Senior Cup Final at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium it will be one of the biggest David versus Goliath clashes in the Blue Riband event of Pembrokeshire Football.

West Dragons were in Division Two when they lost narrowly to Goodwick United a couple of seasons ago and it is worth noting that only two teams have ever won the Senior Cup whilst playing in the lower echelons.

Previous division two winners

Coincidentally, one of those was Merlins Bridge, who were in the second division exactly 30 years ago when they picked up the coveted silverware in a long-drawn-out affair which went to two replays, starting at the old Bridge Meadow and then two games at Marble Hall against Goodwick, where Western Telegraph sports editor Gordon Thomas joined Micky Ellis and Dekker Thomas as goal scorers in the second replay.

Prior to that success the only other team to achieve that feat was the team from HMS Harrier, one of the teams from HM Forces in the area who won the coveted trophy as long ago as the 1949/50 campaign.

Clarbie are underdogs . . . Bridge won’t be complacent!

Now Clarbeston Road aim to complete that underdog treble when they take on The Wizards, who also have their eye on success - with Clarbie sitting proudly atop the second division and probably assured of being cheered on by the neutrals at the ground because the non-committed love nothing better than the underdog.

. . . But Merlins Bridge won't mind that because they are a vastly experienced side, with the majority of them having appeared in multiple Senior Cup Finals.

Included in those are Wizards' management team of Nathan Thomas and Gareth 'Taffy' Williams. - and they will be aware that their team mustn't, under any circumstances, be guilty of complacency.

Close connections

It is an unusual coincidence that Nathan is in his first year at the helm and his opposite number at Clarbeston Road is Matthew Ellis, who is also in his debut season - and the pair are first cousins!

Matthew actually played for The Wizards at one time and is still heavily involved on the field as a skillful midfielder - whilst the touchline duties are undertaken by Jason Wood, who doubles up as second team boss.

Tight defences

A look at the respective defences shows there is little to choose between the sides, with Gary Thomas (Bridge) and Matthew Davies (Clarbie) as good shot stoppers who like to take firm control of their boxes.

 The Wizards have experience aplenty in Matthew D'Ivry, Chris Ormond, Sion Price and Simon Thomas, who have an average age of over 20 and put their depth of experience to good effect - whilst Dan Rees marshals the Clarbie defence, ably assisted by youngsters Tom Glover and the George twins, Reinallt and Llywellyn.

Sharp midfields

In midfield, Clarbie include the experienced play-maker Mike Turpin and veteran Raff Barnett, who played in Senior Cup Finals with Narberth, plus 16 year old Josh Wood, who scored the winning goal, his first at senior level for the club.

 The Wizards have the boundless energy of Dai 'Dapper' Davies, the strength of Luke Hayward and powerhouse dynamo Peter Thomas, whilst another talented teenager in Will Haworth showed his immense potential with a semi-final hat-trick.

Potent goal-grabbers

Both teams have potent goal-grabbers, with Merlins Bridge having Joe Leahy scoring 40+ goals alongside Steve McNabney (almost 30 goals) as proof of their strong noses for goals. Meanwhile, Jason Griffiths is on his way to another 40-goal haul for Clarbie alongside Richard Bevan (almost 30 goals) and a very under-rated striker who creates space for others to run into.

There are also strong subs' benches in both camps alongside astute management so perhaps the final result might be closer than the huge majority of local pundits might predict - although I must admit that I think the greater experience and streetwise play of The Wizards might pay off over the determination of the Clarbeston Road squad.

Head rules over heart!

My heart says Clarbeston Road might win because after 56 years they have finally reached Pembrokeshire Football's big day and great characters like June Harries, Huw Bevan, Steve Brown, Del Lewis and Mostyn Rowlands, to name but a few - and it would be lovely to dedicate it to the late Phil Harries, who did so much for the club.

 But in the final analysis my head rules and I have to go for a 3-1 win for Nathan Thomas's team - and bring joy to old timers of the calibre of Davey Edwards; Tony and Peter Jones, Dekker and Dickie Thomas, Roy Patterson, Ceri Morgan and Co!

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