EXILES CUP DRAW

27 June 2007

NEWPORT County will start at home in the preliminary round of the Gwent Senior Cup.

The Exiles host Tredegar Town of the MacWhirter Welsh League, Division Two, at Spytty Park while Division Three champions Cwmbran Celtic will face the winners in round one.

In the other preliminary matches Caldicot Town host Newport YMCA, Risca United visit Monmouth Town and Aberbargoed Buds travel to Abertillery Excelsiors.

Relegated Cwmbran Town entertain local rivals Goytre.

Meanwhile, former Exiles defender Andrew Thomas has joined Merthyr Tydfil from Tiverton Town.

Merthyr are managed by Thomas' former team-mate Garry Shephard.

CROESY TO UPGRADE FACILITIES

13 June 2007

DIVISION One outfit Croesyceiliog could soon have some of the best facilities in the Welsh League after applying to upgrade their Woodland Road ground, writes Terry Daley.

Currently players must walk around 150 yards from their existing dressing rooms in a social complex known locally as the Coffee Bar to the pitch.

Last season, changing rooms without showers were installed and it’s those that the club want improving along with new pitch drainage and the eventual installation of floodlights.

“The drainage will be completed by the time the new season starts in August,” revealed joint team manager Chris Evans.

“We’ve received a grant from the Football Association of Wales for the water connection to be made from the mains, although we must now carry out the dressing-room improvement work ourselves after receiving planning permission.

“We’re also looking to get floodlights installed and all Division One clubs must have these by 2010.

“We’re in the process of getting some quotes for the installation of lights and then we will apply for the necessary planning permission.

“We’ve had various meetings with the planning committee of Torfaen Borough Council, which has been extremely helpful.”

Evans and co-manager Neil Gilmore are currently strengthening their squad after Croesyceiliog ended the 2006-07 season as Gwent’s top club ahead of Caerleon and Newport YMCA.

Croesyceiliog, who return to training on June 28, also defeated Cwmbran Town to win the Gwent Senior Cup while their reserves lifted the Harris Printers Cup.

Next season, the MacWhirter Welsh League Division One will also include Cwmbran, relegated from the Welsh Premier League, and Caldicot Town, promoted from Division Two.

Meanwhile Croesyceiliog have applied to enter a team in the Gwent County Under-18s League.

At Croesyceiliog’s recent presentation evening, Mike Dewar received the club’s and players’ player-of-the-year awards, Chris Mills lifted the reserve-team equivalents and Daniel Clouth the young-player-of-the-year accolade.

COED EVA YOUTH TURN INTO CROWS

12 June 2007

CWMBRAN Town Football Club has announced the introduction of a youth section at the club next season.

Gareth Griffiths, secretary of Coed Eva Youth FC, said: “From the start of season 2007/08 our teams will now be known as Cwmbran Town Youth FC.

“The officers and managers of Coed Eva Youth have all agreed that this is a very positive move for both clubs and more importantly for the young players involved.

“It will give young players the chance to progress from the under-8 age group all the way to senior football within the same club.

“It is great news for all involved and we are very happy to now be linked with Cwmbran Town.”

Cwmbran club secretary Ian Greaney said: “This will provide Cwmbran Town with a solid structure within the youth pyramid system of the Torfaen Youth and Junior League and will prove to be the foundation and natural progression for youngsters at the club that has been missing in previous years.”

Cwmbran Town Youth will compete in the Torfaen Youth and Junior League at all ages and any players wishing to come and play are welcome.

CWMBRAN TRAVEL AWAY FOR FRIENDLIES

9 June 2007

CWMBRAN Town face a trio of lengthy away pre-season friendlies in the summer - including first-time meetings with a couple of opponents from the English pyramid system, writes Terry Daley.

The Crows return to training on June 19 in preparation for the 2007-08 MacWhirter Welsh League Division One campaign following last season’s relegation from the Welsh Premier League.

Under new1y-appointed Spanish manager Guillermo Ganet, Cwmbran visit Lincolnshire to face Stamford, who finished 11 points off a Southern League Premier Division play-off spot last season in eighth position.

That match will kick off at 7.45pm on Tuesday July 17, ensuring a very late homecoming for the Crows.

Four days later, they will face a trip close to Wrexham to meet NEWI Cefn Druids and following a game against town rivals Cwmbran Celtic the next Saturday, Cwmbran make another long journey into meet Northamptonshire-based Corby Town on Saturday, August 4.

However, the Crows should feel fairly comfortable playing at Corby’s Rockingham Triangle Stadium is, like Cwmbran Stadium, geared for athletics more than football.

The Gwent side will follow in the bootsteps of world-famous opponents at the venue, their game taking place just six days after Corby host Glasgow Rangers in a pre-season match.

The Steelmen were league rivals of Stamford in 2006-07, but, like the Crows, suffered relegation after finishing 20th of 22 competing clubs.

During last season, both Stamford and Corby recorded league wins over each other at their opponents’ home ground - the former 2-1 and the latter 1-0.

Because Cwmbran Stadium is used for athletics in the summer, all of the Crows’ pre-season matches are away.

Friendlies: Saturday, July 14: v Grange Harlequins (University Sports Ground, Llanrumney), 2.30pm; Tuesday, July 17: v Stamford, kick off 7.45pm; Saturday, July 21: NEWI Cefn Druids, kick off TBA; Saturday, July 28: v Cwmbran Celtic, 2.30pm; Saturday, August 4: v Corby Town, kick off TBA.

SMALL EXIT A BIG BLOW FOR CROWS

5 June 2007

CWMBRAN Town have suffered a massive pre-season blow by losing one of their most promising players - striker Sam Small, who has joined full-time Welsh Premier League outfit Llanelli, writes Terry Daley.

The Reds' former Newport County boss Peter Nicholas is a long-time admirer of the 21-year-old marksman, who scored seven goals in 14 full and 10 substitute appearances in a struggling Crows side which eventually suffered relegated from the WPL.

Small's departure means newly-appointed Cwmbran boss, Spaniard Guillermo Ganet, must quickly recruit another quality marksman ahead of the club's first MacWhirter League Division One campaign in 16 years.

"I watched Sam (Small) quite a lot last season when he played very well in very trying circumstances," said Newport-born ex-Wales skipper Nicholas, who is preparing the Reds for next month's InterToto Cup two-legged clash against Lithuanians Vetra Vilnius. "He's quick, has an eye for goal and he's the sort of player who I'm convinced can develop into an even better one with us."

Small played for Cinderford Town, made one substitute appearance for Port Talbot Town and also played in the WL for Penrhiwfer, Taffs Well and UWIC, who he was with before signing for Cwmbran.

Meanwhile there was some good news this week for Ganet when more of last season's squad pledged to remain with the Crows in 2007-08.

The nine staying are skipper Josh Collins, Jason Davies, Ben Evans, Geraint Goodridge, Martin Houston, Gareth Mouncher, Michael Parkins, Rhys Williams and Gareth Wesson, the latter needing to play just 11 more games to complete 100 league appearances for the Gwent club.

Cwmbran are to return to training on June 19 and will play their first friendly on July 1 against as yet un-named opponents.

Former Newport County players Andy Hammett and Dale Evans have both joined WPL newcomers Neath Athletic.

Hammett has signed from Taffs Well and Evans links up from Gwent outfit Croesyceiliog.