Spar flyers deny management fall-out

The Four Crosses management team of Nick Popyk and Gaz Jones have rubbished rumours that they have fallen out, claiming rival sides have reverted to dirty tactics to unsettle the league’s form side.

 

The Spar Division Two flyers have climbed to third with three wins and a draw in their last four games, and they face a massive test tomorrow at league leaders Kerry.

 

But their preparations have been plagued this week by a text message campaign that spread talk of a fall-out between the manager and his assistant which has filtered through to the players.

 

“It is absolute rubbish,” said Popyk, who celebrates his 28^th birthday today. “We have a brilliant team spirit and me and Gaz are working really well together so I can only think that one or two rival clubs are trying to stir things up and unsettle the team.”

 

Popyk’s comments have been echoed by his player-assistant who even said that he had been sounded out about a possible move to other clubs by third parties.

 

“We just can’t work out where it has come from but it is nonsense,” added Jones. “There are no problems at the club and certainly not between me and Nick who I work with very closely and I’m thoroughly enjoying it too. It’s madness what’s been said this week!”

 

Four Crosses have lost James Whittaker to Llangedwyn this week which seems to have sparked the rumours and Jones conceded the player was leaving to secure more first team football with their blessing.

 

“We have a team that has gelled very well and we will travel to Kerry confident after drawing with them 2-2 at home earlier in the season,” added Jones. “We have a good banter at the club and have even surprised ourselves with how well we are doing.”

 

Meanwhile, Montgomery manager Clive McNamee, another birthday boy today, has praised his attacking duo of Mike Cockram and Stu Buckley-Robins as “awesome” after returning to winning ways on Saturday. This weekend his side travel to Llandrindod Wells with a near full strength squad with only Geraint Windsor still missing from the ranks.

 

Llanfair will look to bounce back from defeat when they entertain Aberaeron while Llanfyllin entertain Tregaron. Meifod look for their first win of the season at home to Bont.

 

In Division One, caretaker manager Neil Pryce praised his Berriew side’s spirit after closing the gap on leaders Llanrhaeadr to four points last week.

 

“The lads’ attitude and performance was outstanding but we have a difficult game against the current league champions (Penparcau) this weekend,” he said without committing to whether he would be throwing his name into the hat for the job on a full time basis.

 

Meanwhile Waterloo Rovers boss Dave Proctor is hoping that his side learns a lesson from a team they narrowly lost to last month.

 

Rovers were pipped 3-2 by a then-struggling Newbridge side which has since gone on a run to climb up to third in the table.

 

“We were disappointed to lose to them but you look at the league table now and they have shot up,” he said. “We need to put a run together like that to get ourselves back on track.”

 

Youngster Ed Morrell has signed from the Shrewsbury area after impressing in training and Proctor says he will continue to strengthen over the coming weeks. Tomorrow they travel to Bow Street.

 

Dyffryn Banw bid farewell to Chris Roberts after their match at bottom club Presteigne. The player-manager will wear the Banw shirt for the last time before joining Guilsfield as assistant player-manager. Llansantffraid Village, victors over the Aberystwyth students in midweek, go to Carno.

 

 

Russell Cadwallader begins his Guilsfield managerial career with a date against one of the clubs that he used to play for.

 

Caersws are the visitors with Cadwallader only missing the suspended Rob Cookson from a squad that signed off Bernie Jones’s temporary charge with a 4-0 win over Ruthin last Saturday.

 

“Bernie has agreed to stay on and work with me and Chris which is good news and we are looking forward to a difficult game now with Caersws,” said Cadwallader. “I have a lot of respect for Caersws. They are a big club with a great manager in Mike Evans so it will be a tough test for us but it is games like these that convinced me to move to Guilsfield.”

 

Meanwhile, Technogroup Welshpool manager Mike Barton has continued his rebuilding by signing Callum Wright and said he is still pursuing a number of players to strengthen his side’s bid for league survival. Tomorrow they entertain Porthmadog.

 

 

 

Guilsfield v Caersws

Technogroup Welshpool v Porthmadog

 

Aberystwyth Uni v Tywyn Bryncrug

Berriew v Penparcau

Bow Street v Waterloo

Carno v Llansantffraid Village

Llanidloes v Builth Wells

Newbridge-on-Wye v Dolgellau

Presteigne v Dyffryn Banw

 

Kerry v Four Crosses

Llandrindod v Montgomery

Llanfair v Aberaeron

Llanfyllin v Tregaron

Meifod v Bont

Rhosgoch v Abermule

 

Bettws v Llanidloes Town Res

Churchstoke v Guilsfield Res

Llangedwyn v Berriew Res

 

Llanfechain v Morda Utd Res

Llansantffraid Village Res v Technogroup Welshpool Res

Trefonen v Kerry Res

 

Llanrhaeadr Res v Dyffryn Banw Res

 

Waterloo Rover Colts v Llanfair United Res