Newport YMCA v Welshpool

Welsh Cup Quarter-final

Saturday, Mendalgief Road, KO 2.30pm

NEWPORT YMCA's Welsh Cup hero Gareth Lynch is dreaming of climbing the football ladder but everyone at the Argus is hoping he doesn't give up the day job.

The 27-year-old centre back, who scored the winner against holders Carmarthen in round three and netted from the spot in the penalty shoot-out win over Llangefni in round four, took time out from working in our circulation department to give us the lowdown on today's quarter-final against Welshpool Town (kick-off 2.30pm).

Juggling a ball outside the Argus office on Cardiff Road yesterday, Lynch said: "I haven't told the lads about this but I'm sure they'll give me a bit of stick when they see the pictures.

"I don't mind though - this a huge game. Everybody's a little bit nervous but that's good - if we weren't nervous you'd start to worry. It shows that we really care.

"We've prepared well but it's a quarter-final and in a one-off cup match you never know what's going to happen," he added.

Lynch has been a vital cog in the YM defence this season and has been influential in their surge to eighth in the MacWhirter Welsh League Division One. And, while he's happy at Mendalgief Road, he sees the cup run as a chance to further his football ambitions.

"I've done quite well personally with the two goals so far and I can't wait to get stuck in to Welshpool," he said.

"It's always good to test yourself to see if you could make the step up and all the boys know the cup run puts us in the shop window.

Some of us may get taken on by a bigger club as a result and it's my ambition to play at as high a level as possible."

And that could include a shot at the UEFA Cup with the Welsh Cup winners qualifying for the preliminary rounds, a prospect that really excites Lynch.

"Playing in Europe would be amazing," he said. "It would be a fairytale for us as non-league minnows to play in the UEFA Cup. It's just a dream at the moment but, you never know, it could become reality."