'We've been stripped of the kit we wanted'.

Byline: By Gavin O'Connor South Wales Echo 

They have been sweeping the opposition aside all season and banging in goals for fun. But for more than two months, Merthyr Saints FC Under-14s have been doing so as a rainbow alliance in a rag-bag kit. That's because the youngsters have been waiting nine weeks for a new strip bought at sports shop JJB to turn up.

"We shelled out pounds 55 for new shorts, socks and tops at the store in Cyfarthfa Retail Park," said coach Dean Sawday, 32, of Dowlais.

"On top of that we paid pounds 150 for our club badges and sponsors to be stitched on.

"It's an Umbro Celtic-style strip and the boys were really excited about looking the part while they were top of the league.

"We were told it could take a couple of weeks, but to be left hanging on for the kit for more than two months is ridiculous. The parents are angry because they helped chip in."

Visits to JJB by Dean and his fellow coach Peter Toomey to speed up the process has proved fruitless and sponsors Busy Bee fish and chip shop are also concerned.

On the pitch, however, the team has had no such worries with delivering the goods after they scored 28 goals and only conceding two.

Peter, 38, of Council Street, Penydarren, said: "There was no problem with the receipt because we showed them that as soon as they asked for it. "They told us they lost the invoice and they were expecting five kits in and we could take our pick. "But we want the kit we paid for and shouldn't have to be made to wait so long." A spokeswoman for JJB said the store was trying to get to the bottom of what had happened.