STEPHEN DAVIES said his Cefn Albion side could beat anyone - and his players did him and Cefn Mawr proud in a sensational performance.

Albion beat STM Sports 3-1 at Newtown’s Latham Park ground in a last four tie that looked as if it was going all the way to a penalty shoot-out.

“It wasn’t a classic game but the character the boys showed was brilliant,” said Davies.

“And the fans we had there. They were amazing. They didn’t stop singing and chanting all through the game.

“It was a great day for the club and the Cefn. Never mind the rest of Wales celebrating the Grand Slam. We did enough celebrating ourselves after the game.”

The game started in controversial fashion when Cardiff-based opponents STM Sports were awarded a hotly-disputed penalty after a foul in the box by Cefn skipper Paul Griffiths.

But a spot-kick awarded to Albion was just as debatable. Not that Oliver Davies was bothered as he sent the keeper the wrong way.

That’s how it stay until the end of 90 minutes as the tie went into extra-time.

Dan Cox then conjured up a bit of magic to put substitute Conner Kendrick in the clear and he skilfully lobbed the keeper.

With the South Walian opponents pushing for an equaliser, Albion caught them on the break with 17-year-old Zac Davies cutting in from the left before smashing the ball home.

Joint-boss Davies said: “We did our fans proud.

“We defended really well but we failed to make the most of the chances created.

“I thought Jordan Jones was a touch unlucky to be dismissed late in the game after receiving a second yellow card and in extra time I honestly thought with just ten men, our best chance of winning might have been through a spot-kick showdown.

“But Conner’s goal really was the defining moment and the late strike by Zac was the icing on the cake.”

A return to Latham Park for a final against Swansea-based Pontardawe, who battered Welsh Alliance title-chasers Bodedern 5-0 at the same mid-Wales venue on Saturday afternoon, could be a possibility.

“It could be Newtown again or Aberystwyth has been mentioned too,” added Davies. “We’ve got three weeks before that final although we’re still waiting to hear the venue for the final of the Welsh National League Cup against Mold Alex.

“We just want to keep the momentum going. We haven’t lost in 2019 and that tells you how well we’ve been playing.

“It would have been nice to have a look at Pontardawe but their semi-final didn’t kick off till half four. We were celebrating in the dressing room and then had to get the bus back home.”