FREE-SCORING Caldicot Town face the most important game in their 53-year-old history on Saturday – when victory over top-tier outfit Port Talbot Town will put them one step closer to landing a £25,000 Welsh Cup jackpot.

County rivals Newport YMCA have earned £15,000 over the past three seasons from being beaten semi and quarter finalists in world football’s second-oldest cup competition.

Now it’s Caldicot’s turn to aim for the pot of gold and victory over Principality Welsh Premier League side Port Talbot will guarantee them £2,500 for reaching the last 16.

But, of course, it’s not just the cash, much needed though it is by any amateur club, which is Caldicot’s motivation against Welsh domestic football’s ninth-best team.

Jointly managed by Simon Wetter and Jason Pritchard, Caldicot are not that far short of being genuine contenders to lift the MacWhirter Welsh League Division Two title while off the field everything is in place to ensure the club retains its place in next season’s pyramid re-structuring.

Port Talbot, under wily manager Mark Jones, who once guided Carmarthen Town to a two-legged UEFA Cup triumph over Irish champions Longford Town, beat visiting Cwmbran Celtic 5-0 in the previous round.

Included in the Steelmen’s side were former Newport County players, Lloyd Grist, Lee John, Gareth Phillips and Matthew Rees plus Gwent-born goalkeeper Lee Kendall between the sticks.

Port Talbot’s demolition job on Celtic proved what a massive gap there is between amateur football and the semi-professional game.

However, Caldicot have a fighting chance having fired in no less than 48 goals in only 13 league and cup outings with Jason Thorn and Gareth Cullimore leading the way with 13 and 12, respectively.

Caldicot do not have a good record in the competition in which they made their debut in the 1987-1988 season with a 2-1 first-round home win over Caerau (Ely) before being knocked out at the next stage by county rivals Cwmbran Town.

The clubs drew 1-1 at Caldicot before the Crows progressed 4-2 on penalties following a 2-2 after-extra-time draw.

But on only one occasion since have Caldicot faced top-tier opposition in the third round. Following a 5-4 success at Cardiff Corries and a 2-0 home victory over AFC Porth they travelled to the capital to face Inter Cardiff in the third round of the 1993-94 season.

Inter had finished as League of Wales runners-up to inaugural champions Cwmbran the previous campaign and made home advantage count in going though 2-1.

World football’s second-oldest cup competition was eventually won that season by Barry Town. Led by Newport-based player-manager Andy Beattie, Barry sprang a massive shock by defeating Cardiff City 2-1 at Cardiff Arms Park.

While Caldicot chase cup glory Port Talbot-victims Celtic will seek to consolidate second position in the Division Two table with victory over the team immediately below them, AFC Port.

In Division Three Goytre are sitting pretty at the top for the first time in the seven years they’ve been league members and they’ll bid to retain their status by beating struggling visitors South Gower.

l Hot shots: 15 - Ross Fowler (Aberbargoed Buds). 13 - Jody Jenkins (Croesyceiliog). Scott Lanyon (Cwmbran Celtic); Jason Thorn (Caldicot Town); Phil Tranter (Monmouth Town). 12 - Gareth Cullimore (Caldicot Town). 10 - Marcus Power (Llanwern). 9 – Graham Mason (Goytre). 7 - Owen Goodenough (Abertillery Bluebirds); Chris Watkins (Goytre). 6 - Matthew Bowen (Monmouth Town); Owen Llewellyn (Cwmbran Celtic); Brendan Scott (Risca United) Richard Sharratt (Caldicot Town). 5 - Daniel Bailey (Newport Civil Service); Lewis Clark (Abertillery Bluebirds); Daniel Edwards (Newport YMCA); Craig Jolliffe (Goytre); Kristian Powell (Cwmbran Town); Benny Preece (Aberbargoed Buds); Luke Sallis (Cwmbran Celtic). 4 - Michael Aviss (Llanwern); Matthew Lawrence (Newport Civil Service); David Lloyd (Caldicot Town); Sean Matthews (Cwmbran Celtic); Mark Williams (Caldicot Town). 3 – Daniel Bailey (Newport Civil Service); Olly Beckett (Newport YMCA); Richard Clayton (Risca United); Dominic Connor (Caldicot Town); Daniel Cueto (Caerleon); Elliott Ford (Monmouth Town); Joe Heard (Abertillery Bluebirds); Dean Palmer (Monmouth Town); Dafydd Phillips (Abertillery Bluebirds); Luke Lewis (Abertillery Bluebirds); Zac Osbourne (Croesyceiliog); Sam Palmer (Monmouth Town); Rakesh Patel (Cwmbran Celtic); Dafydd Phillips (Abertillery Bluebirds); Dean Randall (Aberbargoed Buds); Richard Shire (Llanwern); Shane Williamson (Cwmbran Celtic); Chris Wilson (Cwmbran Town).

l Clean sheets: 5 - Aberbargoed Buds; 4 - Newport Civil Service; 3 – Cwmbran Celtic; Newport YMCA; 2 – Caerleon, Caldicot Town, Croesyceiliog; Goytre, Tredegar Town 1 – Abertillery Bluebirds, Cwmbran Town, Llanwern, Monmouth Town, Risca United.