Gresford make it a miserable return to Welsh football for Colwyn Bay

Gresford Athletic 1 (Jordan MacCarter 78)
Colwyn Bay 0
Nathaniel MG Cup First Round

Gresford ensured Colwyn Bay’s return to Welsh football after a 35-year absence was an unhappy occasion as Jordan MacCarter’s 78th minute strike sealed a close-fought Nathaniel MG Cup tie at Clappers Lane.

Substitute MacCarter nodded home firmly at the back post from a Joe Culshaw corner to ensure the Colliers booked a trip to Bala Town in the second round next weekend.

The first half saw the Seagulls denied what looked a clear penalty, while Athletic’s closest call was a Matthew Worrall effort which just cleared the bar.

Worrall’s fine header brought the best out of Bay keeper Paddy Rutter before MacCarter nodded that all-important goal.

Colwyn almost equalised late on with an attempt that struck the post.

Gresford: Ben Jones, Joe Culshaw, Joe Davies, Joshua Griffiths, Jack Chaloner, Ashton Williams, Paul Williams, Alex Buxton (Jake Elly 75), Matthew Worrall (Jordan MacCarter 65), Jake Eyre (Owen Roberts 87), Kieran Evans.

Colwyn Bay: Paddy Rutter, Alex Downes, Kian Owen, Darren Thornton, Will Bell, Matthew Russell, Mitchell Bryant, Tom McCready, Julian Williams, Toby Jones, Sion Edwards. Subs: Andy Coughlin, Morgan Owen, Jordan Carrington, Mike Williams, Joe Chaplin.

Attendance: 307

Round two north draw

Airbus UK Broughton v Llanfair United
Bala Town v Gresford Athletic
Cefn Druids v Prestatyn Town
Conwy Borough/Bangor City v The New Saints
Corwen v Caernarfon Town
Flint Town United v Porthmadog
Guilsfield v Llandudno
Ties to be played weekend of August 9-11