North Wales duo face trip to mid Wales
Friday 19 March 2010
Latham Parkby Dave Jones, Daily Post
SO two North Wales clubs are to play their Welsh Cup semi-final ... in Mid-Wales.
Bangor City and Prestatyn Town will meet at Latham Park, Newtown, on Sunday, April 11, for a place in the final at Parc-y-Scarlets, Llanelli, three weeks later.
Why the semi cannot be played at a venue closer for both clubs is beyond me.
I would have thought Rhyl was the natural choice.
True, Belle Vue is much closer for Prestatyn, but I wouldn’t have thought too many Bangor fans would have minded a 45-minute maximum train journey along the coast. The regularity of those trains is pretty good, too.
I remember when Bangor played at Rhyl in the semi-final in 2001/02 against Cefn Druids and City fans packed out the place.
Belle Vue has excellent facilities and a great playing surface, suitable for two sides who like to play football. It is also a 10-minute walk from my house which would make reporting on the game a doddle (not that the FA of Wales should take that into account of course!).
With Prestatyn involved, a lot of Rhyl people would probably have come along as interested spectators too. I think a crowd of 1,500 to 2,000 would have been a real possibility.
Perhaps there were concerns over potential problems between Bangor and Rhyl fans, given past hostilities, but if the policing was as well organised as it was at the recent game at Farrar Road between the clubs I’m sure difficulties would have been minimal.
But so be it, Newtown is the venue. I’ve certainly got nothing against Latham Park which is an excellent ground, it is just the distance matter for the semi-finalists that I have issue with.
The impression I’ve picked up from the Bangor contingent is they are quite happy to travel, manager Neville Powell pointing out Latham Park evokes fond memories of their epic 2008 final win over Llanelli.
Prestatyn won’t take as many fans to mid Wales as they would have to a more local venue, but the Seasiders have an ardent growing band of supporters who will serve their club well on the day.