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Trethomas Bluebirds went toe-to-toe with Cymru Premier champions The New Saints (TNS), but ultimately lost 7-0 on the road in the JD Welsh Cup.

The pair met at Park Hall Stadium, Oswestry, on Saturday November 11 in a game dubbed by Bluebirds chairman Dave Evans as the “biggest game” in the club’s history.

On the four-hour coach journey up to the stadium, where the fully professional TNS side play, there was nervous excitement amongst the fans and committee members, who were dreaming of what a win could mean for the club.

In truth, the result was almost inevitable, but the ‘magic of the cup’ cliché was made for games like these, and with the score line 0-0 after 30 minutes, Trethomas looked like they hadn’t read the script.

The class of TNS showed eventually though. Lethal in front of goal, the hosts made the two division gap apparent, and cruised to a 7-0 victory to progress to the next round of the biggest domestic cup competition in Wales.

Kick-off

Nobody was really sure how the game was going to go in the opening few moments. A quick goal from TNS and it would have been curtains.

As the minutes ticked by however, the score remained 0-0 and Trethomas were more than holding their own against the reigning Cymru Premier champions and defending Welsh Cup holders.

Bluebirds keeper Harry Irving needed a huge game if the visitors were to get anything, and he was called into action early.

A ball was floated over the head of TNS right-back Ryan Bolter to Luke Brennan who was set on his way. He fizzed an early cross in to the feet of Gwion Dafydd who connected well enough, but Irving was equal to the effort. Great save.

Both fullbacks were getting forward for TNS whenever the hosts were in possession – as they often found themselves.

It was obvious early on that Tomas Jones down the right was the biggest threat for TNS. His pace and footwork proved difficult for Alfie Jones to deal with.

Trethomas were having some joy getting forward, Alfie Jones can always be trusted to whip some nice crosses in when going the other way, a few which led to a string of corners for Mark Dunford’s men.

The chance of the half for Trethomas however came in open play through Ethan Edwards.

A great bit of hold-up play from star striker Gareth Tedstone saw a ball laid-off to Edwards who, after a nice first touch, was staring down debutant goalkeeper Jack Edwards.

The speedy winger slashed at it however. His effort was high over the crossbar. Big chance missed in the context of the match.

Former Aston Villa academy player Brad Young wasted a free header from a corner, the 20-year-old was a surprise selection according to some, who thought he might have been rested.

Referee Alex Livesey was letting a lot go, the Bluebirds were appealing for whatever they could get. 30 minutes in though and it was still 0-0.

Sure enough however, the Saints inevitably got the breakthrough goal.

Tomas Jones, who was a menace down the right, finally got the better of Alfie Jones who was left exposed 1v1. The winger skipped past his man before firing a cross to Dafydd who couldn’t miss this time.

TNS had the bit between their teeth at this point, Luke Brennan had a shot that narrowly went wide, and Tomas Jones was still causing havoc down the right. Barring a goal line clearance from Edwards, it would have been two with 35 played.

In saving his team from conceding another however, Edwards gave away a corner which the hosts took full advantage of.

Ashley Baker leapt above the rest and planted a firm header home into the far corner. Nothing the keeper could do.

Trethomas hung on until the break, where Dunford and the rest of the coaches would have a chance to try and adjust things.

Second-half

There were signs early on that Tomas Jones would be up to his old tricks again in the second-half. Trethomas were doing their best to get bodies around him but he was almost impossible to stop.

The Bluebirds relied on counter attacking opportunities in hopes of getting themselves back into the game. Tedstone managed to break and thread Edwards in, but the keeper was off his line well to clear.

The visitors found it difficult any time they did find themselves in possession, not just because of the intensity of the Saints press, but because most players found no blue shirts ahead of them as all were back defending.

The pressure built up once more and after 53 played it was 3-0. Brennan had a tame effort on the edge of the box that took a nick off the shin of Andrew Evans into the bottom corner.

Before you could blink it was 4-0, a great ball from Jordan Marshall down the left found Dafydd who jumped well and glanced home to pick-up his second of the afternoon.

Despite the score line, the Bluebirds were running hard and putting a shift in when it would have been easy to roll over.

That didn’t stop the hosts grabbing a few more goals however. Brennan had a great game down the left, his cross was brilliant to the back post, finding Baker who headed across the goal.

His header found Dafydd who netted his hattrick on the 71st minute. 5-0.

The sixth for TNS was followed-up shortly after, substitute Jake Canavan running-in at the near post to get on the end of another Brennan cross.

With ten minutes to go, the hosts grabbed their final goal of the game, Canavan turned provider this time, setting-up fellow substitute Rory Holden to tap home from close range. Full-time 7-0.

Reactions

The mood after the game was one of pride amongst the players and travelling fans. The Bluebirds were clapped off the field, with everyone recognising that despite the scoreline, they gave everything.

This was a Saints side that often put up these kind of numbers against teams in their own division, some two leagues above the Bluebirds. Whilst the result was perhaps inevitable, it was an experience that everyone involved in the club will remember.

After the match, Caerphilly Observer spoke to Trethomas Bluebirds manager, Mark Dunford, who said: “I thought it was an amazing experience for us all at the club, the boys, and me personally.

“We planned as best we could and tried to stop them in certain areas and I think we did well. Inevitably though, sides of that quality will find a different way of hurting you. Credit to them, their quality was a different class.”

Asked about the early part of the game, Dunford said: “We decided to go out there and execute the game plan that’s served us so well for 14 games, and I think we offered a real threat in that opening 15 or so minutes.

“There was definitely some panic setting in on their side and if one of our half chances goes in maybe the pattern of the game changes, but at the end of the day it would have always been hard to stop them over 90 minutes.

“I’m proud of the boys for the way they finished, my sides don’t often find themselves in that position so to keep going until the end was great to see.”