Hay St Marys, Presteigne St Andrews and Rhayader Town are all involved in this weekend’s Welsh Cup preliminary round.
The new season kicks off in earnest tonight (Friday) with Hay St Marys at home against Monmouth Town in a tie switched from Monmouth and The Saints will be aiming to make the most of home advantage as they begin a new era under new manager Chris Baynton. But Baynton goes into the new campaign without influential captain Chris Preece who is on holiday. Kevin Jones himself returns from holiday to take his place in a squad which is without Ben Bevan and Phil Davies. Jones and Josh Wisniewski have terrorised defences in the Mid Wales (South) in recent seasons and now have the chance to ply their trade on a bigger stage. Mike Havard and Garry Keeble are included in tonight’s squad along with youngsters Tom Wilkes and Will Goodwin who have impressed during the pre-season programme.
Hay are away in the FAW Trophy at FC Brunswick next Saturday with their first game in the Spar Mid Wales League away at Presteigne on Wednesday, August 26.
Much of the pre-season talk has been of Presteigne and their new faces and they too are on Welsh Cup duty away at Cwmamman United tomorrow (Saturday).
New manager Tim Broome takes charge of his first competitive game for the East Radnor side who are set to unveil a host of new signings.
Tom Goodwin, Shaun Prince and keeper Luke Brimfield, who plays tomorrow, have all signed during the week with Max Powell due to give the club a decision yesterday (Thursday).
Goodwin is ruled out of the opener with knee trouble with Broome hoping the midfielder will be fit to face former side Newtown Reserves on Wednesday night. Shane Sutton, a former Wales under-17 international, is also absent as he is still struggling with ankle ligament damage sustained in a pre-season game at Llandrindod Wells.
Sam Williams and Tom Ammonds, the senior member of the squad at just 27, are cricketing but youngster Danny Ives travels with the squad to South Wales.
Rhayader are at home against Newport Civil service with player-manager Dylan McPhee aiming for a winning start.
McPhee has made few changes to last season’s squad which adapted well to life in senior football but looks set to welcome back influential midfielder Callum McKenzie after a season with Cwmbran Town.
Karl Jones also returns while McPhee is likely to name Ryan Jones in goal, the youngster having impressed in Tuesday night’s 2-1 defeat at Newtown where Rhayader were excellent against Welsh Premier opposition.
Tom Rokoszewski is also included tomorrow having missed most of the build-up to the season.
Rhayader begin their Spar Mid Wales League campaign away at Carno on Wednesday night.
Newbridge and Presteigne are also both in action in midweek.
The Villagers have a home date against Aberystwyth Reserves while Presteigne host defending champions Newtown Reserves who do not look the force they were last term.