Adrift at the bottom of the table, perhaps it isn’t too late for Llandudno FC, writes Matthew Burgess.
Whisper it quietly, but are Llandudno on the verge of staging a climatic late turnaround in their bid to avoid relegation from the JD Welsh Premier League?
It would seem unlikely, but their visit to Cardiff Met on Saturday could prove telling.
The Welsh Premier League’s bottom side are fresh off what their first league victory in four and a half months, after claiming a 3-1 win of Carmarthen Town last weekend – a result which leaves them seven-points adrift from safety with a further eight rounds of matches to go.
That win, coupled with their draw against Aberystwyth Town – a game in which they produced a performance worthy of all three points – now has the Llandudno squad fancying their chances with the promise to fight all the way to secure their place in the league.
Assistant manager Mark Cowan confirmed that sentiment following Saturday’s win: “It was a great relief to get that win under our belt. I actually think we’re hitting form just at the right time.”
The timing of Llandudno’s recent up-turn might just be perfect with the two clubs immediately above them seemingly caught in no-man’s land.
Llanelli Town’s attempt to launch themselves out of the drop zone with the signing of Leon Britton quickly unravelled after injury brought his season to an abrupt end after just two games in a red shirt.
Cefn Druids, above them, will be thankful of the six-point cushion that separates them from the relegation zone although with the amount of games remaining, their advantage is far from invincible.
Cefn Druids look a far cry from the organised, efficient outfit which qualified for Europe last season, and frankly look a side without a plan. The club clearly overachieved by winning the Play-Offs, but even the most ardent of Druids fans will be alarmed by just how quickly and how much things appear to have unravelled this term.
This weekend, Llandudno’s trip to the capital to face Cardiff Met should, on paper, be a home banker of course.
Met are the strongest side in the pack of ‘Play-Off Conference’ clubs by some margin and should be expected to secure seventh-spot without too much trouble. Even with their biggest performance of the season, it remains difficult to see Llandudno competing with Cardiff Met, but if they to, it would send out a clear signal to the sides above them and give a real indication that they have indeed turned the corner.
“We were getting worried that we might be running out of games, but we’ve played really, really well. We’ve given ourselves a platform and we’ve given ourselves a great chance now – there’s still a long way to go but we’re just taking it one game at a time. We’re fighting all the way until it’s mathematically impossible that we’re done, we’ll fight till the bitter end,” said Cowan.
The season might just have one big twist yet to unfold at the bottom of the table.