There's David v Goliath, and then there's Aberystwyth Town v The New Saints.

The fortunes of the two sides this season could not be more contrasting.

Craig Harrison's normally bullying Saints side suffered an unprecedented five league defeats before Christmas as Rhys Griffiths' Penybont threatened to challenge for the Cymru Premier title.

But since a 1-0 loss to Bala Town at Maes Tegid in early December, the Saints have swept aside everyone in their path.

The Park Hall outfit have won 11 consecutive matches in all competitions - scoring 35 goals at an average of 3.2 goals per game during that run.

And Harrison always wants good things to come in threes.

"From the first day of every pre-season that I've been involved with, the goal is to try and win the treble," he told the FAW.

"Fortunately, I've been the manager to do it twice before."

Even during their early season league struggles, the ruthless streak never left the reigning Cymru Premier champions, as evidenced by their ability to transform their fortunes in the blink of an eye.

Having won the competition four seasons in a row between 2015 and 2018, TNS endured a shock six-year spell without lifting the League Cup trophy until beating Swansea City's Under-21s 5-1 in last year's final at Jenner Park.

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They are now seeking to win the competition for a record-extending 11th time.

As for Aberystwyth, they have been associated with 13 finals since the competition's inception in 1992. However, each of those have been as the host venue for the showpiece event.

Despite the daunting task ahead, Friday night will actually provide Antonio Corbisiero's side with some welcome respite following a run of five defeats in six league matches.

It truly has been a season of turmoil for Aber as Anthony 'Taff' Williams resigned as manager in October.

The Seasiders have won just five of their 26 league matches to date, losing 19 and conceding 60 goals.

With just six games of the league campaign remaining, the Black and Greens sit eight points adrift of safety at the foot of the Cymru Premier.

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It leaves them staring at the grim prospect of being relegated from the top-flight for the first time since the league was formed in 1992, with Newtown - also currently in the relegation zone - being the only other ever-present side in the division.

So Friday night's outcome in Powys is a foregone conclusion. Right?
Of course not.

Understandably, The New Saints are overwhelming favourites to lift the first piece of silverware of the domestic campaign, and few would bet against them clinching the treble that Harrison hankers for each and every summer's day as his players are put through their paces on the training ground during pre-season.

But there is always hope for Town.

Wigan Athletic stunned Manchester City in the 2013 FA Cup final at Wembley, only to be officially relegated from the Premier League after losing to Arsenal three days later.

Wimbledon's 'Crazy Gang' shocked Liverpool thanks to Lawrie Sanchez's goal in the 1988 final, but there are examples closer to home.

During Harrison's first stint in charge of the club, TNS themselves suffered a shock defeat to Carmarthen Town on penalties in the 2013 League Cup final - ironically at Newtown's Latham Park, the venue for Friday night's meeting with Aberystwyth.

It has left Harrison fully aware that his side have a target on their backs.

"They've (Aberystwyth) struggled for the last two or three years, but that goes out of the window because it's a one-off game," he added.

"They're fighting for their lives. I'd imagine a cup final victory would give them a bit of confidence to try and stay in the league, so we definitely won't be taking things lightly."

It would take a brave, some may say daft, punter to risk their hard-earned money on Aberystwyth lifting the trophy on Friday night, and even more so to say the Black and Greens will do so before going on to secure their Cymru Premier status.

But it's that expectation that ensures Aberystwyth can play with freedom at the home of the Robins, which is just a small bonus ingredient in what could be the sweetest recipe of all for Corbisiero's men if they are able to stun the Saints.

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