The day a small village club made it to the dizzy heights of tier 2 Welsh football

It is 15 years since Bodedern Football Club made history by becoming one of the smallest village sides to reach tier 2 of the Welsh football pyramid.

A 1-1 draw against Prestatyn Town – themselves on the verge of a footballing fairytale – clinched Boded the Welsh Alliance League championship.

Here is how then club secretary Richard Jones reported on the game….

Bodedern 1 (Corey Sinnott 90 +)

Prestatyn Town 1 (David Hayes 41)

Welsh Alliance League 2004/05

A game largely disrupted by a strong wind.

First clear cut chance fell to Bodedern, playing against the wind in the first half, on six minutes when Corey Sinnott cut back a low ball from the right flank and Arwyn Hughes up from right back glanced a header just wide of the Prestatyn goal.

Ian Griffiths then went close for the visitors with a looping shot going over Gareth OJ Roberts’s goal.

The crowd called for the dismissal of Prestatyn keeper Jon Hill-Dunt on 11 minutes as Sinnott latched onto a through ball and was upended unceremoniously by the No 1 with a ferocious sliding tackle which went inexplicably unpunished by the referee.

As the half progressed the tackling became increasingly heated, resulting in a pair of bookings for Andy Roberts of Bodedern and Prestatyn’s Steven Hoult.

The wind played a major part in Prestatyn’s dominance in the first half and they almost struck in the 36th minute as a long ball caused a mix-up in the home defence allowing Steve Harris to send a low shot past Roberts but against the post.

The deadlock was broken in the 41st minute when a free kick from the left hand side of the box was carried by the wind and glanced past a stationary Bodedern defence into the goal by Dave Hayes.

Half-time: Bodedern 0 Prestatyn Town 1

Half time saw a change in officials as the referee twisted his ankle midway through the first half. Hughie Jones stepped in from the crowd to run the line and the liner took his place in the middle for the second half.

As expected, with the wind now at Boded’s backs, the home side dominated for large periods of the second half with Craig Tipton, Gareth Wyn Roberts and Sinnott all going close.

Restarting reminded Bodedern of their attacking prowess with regular breaks from defence, but as the home supporters and players became increasingly agitated at the coast men’s stubborn defence the general feeling that it was going to be ‘one of those days’ descended around the ground.

Then the news that second-place Rhydymwyn were only three goals to the good with just minutes to play – still well behind Boded on goal difference – filtered through the crowd and this seemed to lift the team for one final effort.

On 86 minutes Sinnott almost obliged with a long range shot glancing just over the bar.
Bodedern’s just rewards came deep into time added on as quick through ball was handled by a Prestatyn defender.

Hughie Jones at first seemed to be signalling for a penalty and the home crowd went wild with joy.

A short-lived celebration as the referee signalled a free kick right on the left-hand side at the edge of the box.

The 120 plus crowd held its breath as super Sinnott stepped up and curled a magnificent shot over the wall and into the top left of the Prestatyn goal leaving Dunt rooted to the spot.

The celebrations could begin in earnest with the realisation that Bodedern were now leading the Welsh Alliance by one point.

Ninety seconds of further football saw Kevin Hughes in the home dugout calling for cool heads and no mistakes.

The team duly obliged and on the final whistle jubilant scenes saw players and supporters celebrating a historic win for the village side.

The presentation of the league trophy to captain Adam Roberts from league chairman Billy Evans was followed by celebrations which went on deep into the night!

Huge thanks to Col Smith for his assistance with this article.