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Fraser Watson says – It’s Goodwick for me – but only just!

This season’s Senior Cup final is an intriguing prospect – and arguably the first time that the two current best sides in the county have met on this stage since Hakin United played Merlins Bridge in that dramatic 2008/2009 finale.

And I hate to use a cliché – but it is shaping up to be a game that truly is too close to call.
To their credit, holders Goodwick have this season bucked the trend of recent Senior Cup winners. The Phoenix Boys themselves (2009/10), Johnston (2012/13), and Tenby United (2013/14) were all squads that were tipped to push on after tasting cup glory.

On all three occasions, such progression never materialised.

But Nigel Delaney’s men recruited well last summer, and the returns of Chris O’Sullivan, Anthony Couzens, and Adam Raymond, plus the addition of Steffan Williams, has turned a solid side into a real force to be reckoned with.

And in Rhys Dalling, Johnny Horgan and Rob Morgans – they have match winners in abundance.
Indeed, at the time of writing this, they have suffered just one competitive defeat all season, actually against The Vikings in the FAW Trophy. That tells its own story.

Furthermore, Delaney’s side are just 90 minutes away from a West Wales Intermediate Cup final, and sit top of Division One. They are within touching distance of an historic treble that they will be desperate to achieve.

And yet they meet a Hakin side that is now sweeping into top form.

Their 7-0 semi-final destruction of Johnston was followed by a nine goal mauling of second placed West Dragons in the league, and they currently look irrepressible going forward.

Their strike force of skipper Nicky Woodrow and Ben Steele, coupled with the form of Ashley Bevan and James Stanmore – will test Wayne O’Sullivan and co in the Goodwick defence to the limit, with Woodrow in particular looking clinical with his four-goal haul in the semi-final.

And as is always the case with The Vikings, they have players who been there and done it. They possess experienced winners like Steve Mathias and Ewan Findlay – while manager Gary Dawes is no stranger himself to Pembrokeshire silverware.

In short, the occasion will not remotely faze them.

Also, Dawes’ side have not won a Senior Cup 2011/2012– a statistic they will want to address.
The three previous meetings between the two this season offers no clues as to who are favourites Saturday - Goodwick won the Jubilee Cup clash 3-1, but The Vikings triumphed by the same score in the FAW Trophy.

The West Wales cup tie went the way of Goodwick, but only after a penalty shootout after the teams finished level after 120 minutes.

Many finals don’t live up to expectations – but I expect Saturday to be fierce, competitive, and produce goals. Both have the weapons to hurt the opposition.

At the start of the season I tipped Goodwick for the Senior Cup and Hakin for the title – and I feel inclined to stick with those choices, albeit without real conviction.

The Phoenix Boys to win a cracking game 3-2………

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