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Cwrt Rawlin FC have secured a big time promotion into the South Wales Alliance League Division Two after a 3-0 win over Pantyscallog Village.
Despite winning the Terv Premier League on April 29, the Caerphilly-based side had to wait until Saturday May 20 to play against Pantyscallog and gain the all important promotion they desired.
Caerphilly Observer spoke to first team captain Nick Edwards about the season. The 30-year-old said: “It has been a long time coming. I joined the club when I was 15 and it means a lot to see us progress out of local football.
“The delay between winning the league and gaining promotion did take the shine off it a bit. Especially because we won it in such dramatic fashion on the final day by goal difference. We felt like we were stuck in limbo.”
Cwrt Rawlin finally found out they’d face Merthyr-based side Pantyscallog at a neutral venue – Cymru Premier outfit Penybont’s home ground in Bridgend.
Asked how they prepared for the game, Edwards said: “We went up to watch them play because we didn’t know anything about them honestly.
“We had played at Penybont however so going into the game itself we felt quite comfortable on the pitch. There were a few nerves but once we got the first goal there was only one winner.
“The celebrations went on into the night and there we even some tears from a few.”
Despite success on the pitch, it has been a tough season for Cwrt Rawlin off it. Tragically losing one of their youngsters, Ethan Hamer, to cancer, and also their club chairman, Anthony Williams.
Edwards added: “It’s been a very difficult season but this is a great way to end it. Raising £200,000 for Ethan was amazing but losing him was tough.
“Then to lose our chairman recently was also hard. He always wanted to see us get into the football league so this is particularly special.”
Looking at the season ahead, Edwards is confident that Cwrt Rawlin can compete. He said: “We’re a young team and we’re very excited at the chance to prove ourselves.
“There’s lots of quality and we’re a bit of an unknown to the sides in the league, so that’s in our favour.”
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