FAW Trophy round five previews – big ties for Llanberis, 1876, Denbigh Town, Nantlle Vale and Rhos Aelwyd

FAW AMATEUR TROPHY 2022/23 ROUND FIVE (2 pm unless stated)

PREVIEWS OF NORTH WALES TIES

Baglan Dragons v CPD Llanberis

This will be a tough one for tier 4 North Wales Coast West Premier side Llanberis away to last year’s beaten Trophy finalists Baglan.

The Port Talbot based hosts were South Wales Alliance champions last season and this term sit 11th out of 16 teams in the tier 3 Ardal South West League.

Llanberis cannot in any way be discounted as they have already dumped Ardal North East runaway leaders Caersws out of the competition.

The Dragons are quite a force at home, though, as they proved in last season’s quarter-finals when knocking out North Wales Coast West Premier champions Bodedern.

Bangor 1876 v Trethomas Bluebirds (2.30 pm)

Ardal North West leaders Bangor 1876 should be in for a decent test at home to fellow tier 3 side Trethomas, fourth in Ardal South East.

Bangor will embark on their first ever encounter against a team from South Wales. They have reached the last-16 of the Trophy following wins against Llay Welfare, Meliden and Llanystumdwy.

1876 are a team full of goals with striker Corrig McGonigle leading the way on a phenomenal 43 from 19 games across all competitions this season.

Trethomas are unbeaten in their league since October, so Bangor can expect a difficult hurdle at Treborth.

Denbigh Town v Penydarren Seniors BGC

Could be a cracker in store at Central Park, where red-hot Denbigh Town, fourth in the Ardal North West, entertain Penydarren, mid-table in Ardal South West but with a superb cup pedigree.

The Merthyr Tydfil visitors have enjoyed a rapid rise up the pyramid and made headlines in 2017-18 when they reached the Welsh Cup quarter-finals as a tier 5 side, losing 7-0 to Welsh Premier club Bangor City.

And Penydarren made the FAW Trophy final in 2019-20, but the game against Llandudno Albion was never played due to the pandemic.

Denbigh have scored 17 goals in their last two league matches and play exciting, attacking football. Potential tie of the round.

Nantlle Vale v Cardiff Corinthians

Nantlle Vale are thrilled at the prospect of meeting the illustriously-named Cardiff Corinthians at Maes Dulyn.

Seventh in tier 3 Ardal North West, where they are experiencing a mixed season, Nantlle will welcome opponents currently well clear at the summit of the fourth tier South Wales Alliance League Premier Division.

Corinthians have the joint highest-ever number of Trophy wins – 5, a record they hold with Aberystwyth Town.

The Cardiff side’s last success in the competition came in 1985, when it was known as the Welsh Intermediate Cup.

To make the fifth round, Vale have eliminated Aberffraw, Llandudno Albion, Caergybi and Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateurs.

Rhos Aelwyd v Hakin United

Winners of the FAW Trophy in 2007-08 and beaten finalists in 2017-18, Rhos Aelwyd are often a force to be reckoned with in this competition.

The tier 3 Ardal North East outfit have home advantage on Saturday against Hakin United, third in Pembrokeshire League Division One, which is ranked tier 5 in the pyramid.

Hakin have won their divisional championship 20 times, and caused a double sensation in this season’s Welsh Cup when they knocked out tier 2 clubs Afan Lido and Taffs Well before crashing out 5-1 at home to Cymru North high-flyers Holywell Town.

In the last round of the Trophy, Hakin saw off fellow tier 5 hopeful Trearddur Bay from Anglesey 5-0.

Definitely a team to be respected.