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Former Risca United youth team coach Nathan Bracegirdle was announced as the Cuckoos first team manager until the end of the season following the departure of Simon Berry.

Berry, who had been at the club for almost eight years, decided to step down for personal reasons on Wednesday February 28, with his side in second spot behind Trethomas Bluebirds in the Ardal South East.

With big boots to fill, Bracegirdle stepped-up from his position as Risca youth team manager on short notice to lead the Cuckoos to a 2-1 victory over Lliswerry – a win sealed by a last-minute winner from Bailey Selway.

Speaking to Caerphilly Observer about his new role, Bracegirdle said: “It all started when we suggested that the U19s should train one evening a week with the seniors. The feedback was good, so since then I’ve been more involved with the first team.

“I’ve been working with the boys behind the scenes for six to eight months now so there’s a lot of familiarity in the changing room, which I think is important.

“The mood has been fantastic after a disruptive week. Consistency is key and it wouldn’t make any sense to make major changes with eight games left in the season to a team in second place.”

The narrow 2-1 win on the road to Lliswerry was the perfect start to Bracegirdle’s tenure, keeping the Cuckoos in second spot four points behind the Bluebirds, who do however have four games in hand.

He added: “I couldn’t have been happier with the performance. For a youth team player to score the winner was extra special too.”

Although Bracegirdle recently gained his UEFA B license, the former Risca U16s coach admitted he is “relatively new” to the managerial scene. He continued: “The conversations I’ve had with the club so far have been to get us through to the end of the season and go from there.

“Our ambition is still to gain promotion, so my job is to keep the boys focussed on each game, and hope the likes of Newport City drop points whilst we build on the foundations Simon put in place.

“If the summer comes around and the club say they’d like to keep me, of course I’d say yes, but for now it’s all about those last eight games.

“We have an incredibly bright future at Risca with such a young squad, of course it’s important to keep those talents, but we always look to put the player first.”

Bracegirdle’s Cuckoos will face Lliswerry again in their next league match on Friday March 8 at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach.