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Trethomas Bluebirds will travel to defending Welsh Cup champions, The New Saints (TNS), in what will be another historic game for the club.
Both sides are undefeated this season, and may still be when they battle it out in the third oldest domestic cup competition in the world this November.
TNS are based in Oswestry, England, and are widely considered to have the best side in the Welsh league pyramid, having won the Cymru Premier in ten of the last 12 seasons.
The club are a fully professional outfit, and will be keen to impose their quality over the Bluebirds, as they look to lift the Welsh Cup for a tenth time.
Two divisions below them sit Trethomas Bluebirds in the Ardal South East, who by their own admission have had a remarkable couple of seasons for a club their size.
The Bluebirds’ list of recent scalps began in 2022, when they lifted the Ardal South Cup with a 1-0 win over Cardiff Draconians in the final.
Fast-forward a season, and the club landed one of its biggest-ever wins with a last minute, 2-1 victory over top division side Haverfordwest in the Welsh Cup.
Trethomas lost in the next round, however that allowed them to turn their attention to the FAW Amateur Trophy, in which they met Denbigh Town in the final of a competition that started with 250 teams.
The Bluebirds went on to win that final 2-1, and lifted the second biggest cup trophy in Wales, second to the Welsh Cup.
Having secured their spot in the third round with a comprehensive 6-1 win over Penrhiwceiber Rangers, manager Mark Dunford spoke to Caerphilly Observer about the moment his team found out they’d drawn TNS.
He said: “Me and the players were sat together in Ystrad to watch the draw. There was an initial feeling of shock, but then delight from the boys. It’s the fixture of the round.
“They’re the best domestic team in Wales without a doubt and the day is going to be great for boys, but also the management, the fans, and of course the club as a whole. It’s an amazing opportunity.”
Asked how his side will look to tackle the fixture, Dunford said: “We’ll obviously need to plan well, but we know we can pose a threat.
“Winning the game is a massive ask and we’ll need a few things to go our way, but we’re not going up there to just enjoy it.
“The whole thing is a testimony to the club and how far we’ve come. It’s sure to be a great occasion.”
The game is set to be played on Saturday November 11 at Park Hall Stadium, Oswestry. The time of kick-off is yet to be announced.
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