TORPOINT joint boss Dean Cardew admits their FA Cup Second Qualifying Round trip to Merthyr Town on Saturday (3pm) is ‘arguably the most difficult competitive game in the club’s history’.

The Point – who play at Step Five of the National League system – in the Western League Premier Division – will head to South Wales to take on a home side who are fifth in National League North – three levels above the Cornishmen.

While Torpoint travel having won three matches just to reach that far – at Saltash United, Sidmouth Town and latterly Royal Wootton Bassett Town – the Martyrs, who are fan-owned, eventually have designs on reaching the English Football League and have averaged crowds over 1,700 so far this term.

However, Cardew, who rejoined the club midway through last season to work with Ryan Fice, who later left to be replaced by Karl Curtis, wants them to relish the occasion at Penydarren Park.

He said: “To be 11 games into the season still unbeaten is something we’re all very happy with and hopefully breeds confidence going into tomorrow.

“However, we’re under absolutely no illusions of the difficulty of the game at Merthyr. It’s arguably the most difficult competitive game the club will have ever faced.

“But we have good support and hopefully everybody can enjoy the day the best we can at what I understand is a great stadium and in front of a large crowd.”

The hosts, who are the only Welsh-based club to play in English Football’s non-league pyramid, eased to the Southern League Premier Division crown last term – sealing their promotion with a 3-0 victory over Berkshire outfit Hungerford Town in a crowd of over 3,000.

To put that into context, Torpoint’s average are gates are somewhere between 100 and 150.

The Martyrs have also taken to Step Two football like a train – securing their five wins from their eight games.

Paul Michael’s men have some ridiculous travelling to do despite being based in South Wales.

They regularly face trips up to Lancashire and Yorkshire and also face three sides based in the North East in leaders South Shields, Spennymoor Town and Darlington.

Cardew, who will see his side return to the bread and butter of league action on Tuesday night at home to play-off rivals Barnstaple Town, knows any mistake will likely to be pounced upon.

He said: “We’ll be approaching it under no illusions, we know that we’re going to have lots of long periods where we don’t have the ball and our concentration levels will have to be spot on.

“What we don’t want is to have players being dragged around and lots of gaps appearing. Discipline in our shape is going to be crucial, and from there you never know what could happen.”