Porthcawl Town AFC manager Ray Walker says that there won’t be any special approach going into their game with Cefn Cribwr BC this evening as they look to continue their good early-season form.
The Seasides will travel to Cae Gof Playing Fields this evening as they complete their first full month of fixtures in what will be the last midweek fixture for the sides.
But despite it being a derby clash, manager Ray Walker says he will approach the game like any other game, albeit having to patch up a few players who have had to get through five games in 17 days.
“There’s no special approach to this game, I think it’s something like five games in 17 days so it’s just amatter of patching up the walking wounded and getting 15 lads together. With midweek shifts and suspensions on top, it’s not an ideal scenario.”
There is some what of a mutual respect between Ray Walker and Scott Dryden going into this match. Dryden helped guide Cefn Cribwr to promotion last season, to make the derby match possible following Porthcawl’s survival in Division One of the South Wales Alliance.
And now the two sides will meet in league action and despite bragging rights at stake, Walker will not set his side out to be overly agressive and will want to play the football the way he wants to play it, which he also expects from Cefn Cribwr.
“Scott is a good friend of Kevin and myself. We are expecting a fast and competitive game but neither set of managers look to be over aggressive. Both of us want to play football the way it should be played.
Scott has similar traits to us in the way he demands 100% commitment and loyalty from his players and will not entertain big time charlies.”
Going into the game, Porthcawl Town will have all the reasons to be optimistic going into the game after their good start to the season, they recorded an opening day victory over AFC Butetown, as well as picking up league wins over Treforest and Garw, as well as drawing with Cornelly and progressing to the next round of the JD Welsh Cup.
Despite the clubs good start though, the Porthcawl boss says it’s early days and that he’s pleased with how his side has played but there is still many games to be played.
“If we win more games than we lose we will be reasonably happy, it’s very early doors and we are not getting carried away with the current position. Although I’m very happy!”
Part of Porthcawl’s good start has been down to the form of forward Jorge Crofts who has scored five goals already in the league this season and it’s a family affair, with Walker playing alonside Croft’s dad during his playing careers.
“We have known Jorge for most of his life having played alongside his dad mike for many years. He’s Porthcawl through and through and his loyalty to us cannot be faulted,especially given his outstanding talent and ability….and we believe he will only improve.”
After the derby clash with Cefn, the team will take a ten day break until their next fixture, which will be the Round Two Qualifying clash with Carmarthen Stars, whilst they’re an unknown quantity to Porthcawl and Walker, the Porthcawl boss has called upon his side to replicate the side that went on a magnificent cup run back in the late eighties.
We don’t know a great deal about the Carmarthen stars so will approach that game the same as every other fixture.. It’s one game at a time at this stage of the season.
“A cup run in the same vein of Porthcawl Towns late eighties/early nineties team would be fantastic for the continuing growth of the club and the increasing interest from the Towns folk towards the current team!”
(Featured Image: Phil Griffiths of Porthcawl Town AFC)
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