A VILLAGE club will attempt to create one of the greatest Welsh Cup shocks of all time tomorrow in what will be the biggest match in their 36-year history. Castell Alun Colts make the trip across North Wales to face a Rhyl side packed full of former Football League stars. The minnows from Hope are massive underdogs for the second-round tie with the Welsh Premier League big boys, which kicks-off at 2.30pm. Manager Gareth Crewe, who has led Castell Alun into the Welsh National League Premier Division in his five years in charge, is only too aware of the task awaiting his young team. So all the 50-year-old is asking is they go to the 3,800-capacity Belle Vue and do themselves proud. Crewe, 11 of whose 14-man squad tomorrow will be under 20, said: “It is a dream tie for us as we are a very small village club. I do realise there is an enormous gulf between the two teams as they are mostly full-time players, but it’s a great opportunity for my young side to be tested. “It’s an honour to be going there as it’s a fantastic ground with a wonderful pitch. We will go there in a positive frame of mind, we’ll conduct ourselves in the correct manner and all I can ask of the players is that they give it everything. “I expect we’ll take a very good following with us and hopefully it will be a very enjoyable day for everyone involved. It’s the biggest game this club has ever had.” Castell Alun booked their place in the last 64 with a preliminary-round 4-0 home romp over the Mid Wales League’s Presteigne, secured by 16-year-old Michael Pritchard’s hat-trick and a Simon Cartwright strike, before Craig Somerville earned them a 1-0 home win over the Cymru Alliance’s Llandyrnog. That latter victory was one of the surprises of the first round, but Castell Alun would surpass that with success over Rhyl, whose expensively-assembled squad includes ex-Wrexham players Neil Roberts, Leeswood’s Danny Williams, Connah’s Quay’s Gareth Owen and Jamie Reed and Trinidadian Josh Johnson. Crewe said: “The lads are really looking forward to playing against some of the ex-Wrexham players. Half our team are Chester City fans and the other half Wrexham, who not too long ago would have been cheering some of Rhyl’s players on.” Last season’s Dragons captain Roberts is out, however, through suspension while Crewe has injury doubts over his 20-year-old son Tom and his nephew Pritchard, who used be on the books of Chester and Preston. Castell Alun will be captained by centre-back Danny Edwards, whose father is legendary Rhyl skipper Timmy Edwards, who led the Lilywhites to two of their four Welsh Cup triumphs. Halkyn United have a big Welsh Cup clash of their own tomorrow – see page 63 for more. | 
Flintshire Sport 
