Flashback: 5 years ago today – Holywell Town 2 Buckley Town 1 (Word Cup)

Holywell Town 2 (Steve Lewis 55, Tom McElmeel 69 pen)
Buckley Town 1 (Lee Reynolds 50)
Word Cup first round – September 9, 2020

This all-Cymru Alliance Wednesday night Word Cup tie at Halkyn Road saw Holywell come from behind to win a close-fought derby.

The Wellmen welcomed the Stags and the first chance fell to Buckley.

A long ball was sent over the defence for Lee Davey to chase but his first touch was poor and the opportunity vanished.

Tony Roebuck had the home side’s first shot which went wide of Ben Jones’ goal.

A free kick for the visitors near the halfway line saw the ball float into the Holywell penalty area but Mike Platt was out to gather before a dangerous Roebuck cross was only inches away from touching the boot of the oncoming Steve Thomas.

Buckley’s best chance of the half fell on 20 minutes when Lee Reynolds had a shot which hit Platt on the chest but the loose ball was safely gathered by the keeper.

Holywell’s Stuart Hayes went on a run and beat Ben Nash his marker.

Hayes’s low cross was partially blocked and heading goalwards but was stopped on the line by Jack Jones and cleared.

On the stroke of half time, Holywell’s clearest opening fell to Ryan Davies, whose shot after a corner from a tight angle flew across goal and inches wide.

Half-time: 0-0

The second half started badly for the Wellmen as Buckley took the lead, Reynolds firing home from the edge of the box.

The goal shook the hosts and they probed for the equaliser.

In the 55th minute a poor ball out of the Bucks penalty area landed at Steve Lewis’ feet.

Lewis’ run saw him beat a couple of markers before rounding the keeper and firing in to the delight of the home supporters.

The goal lifted the Wellmen and Josh Roberts was only inches wide of making it 2-1.

Lewis then went close before Buckley’s deflected effort was kept out by Platt.

Holywell did not have long to wait for their second goal.

In the 69th minute Ryan Davies was fouled in the area and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.

Up stepped Tom McElmeel to give the Wellmen a deserved lead.

With a quarter of an hour to go, Lewis went on another run at the defence and passed to Roebuck, whose cross saw the ball fall to Graeme Williams but his flick on went past the post.

Thomas then delivered a free kick into the box, Ben Jones punched the ball clear but only as far as McElmeel. He headed goalwards, but Jones was able to tip the ball over.

Thomas then got Lewis in again and his lay off to Graeme Williams saw him shoot, but the ball deflected past the post for a corner. Then Dafydd Griffith cleared the bar from a Thomas cross.

Jones denied Lewis before the last chance of the match fell to Buckley as a cross by sub Eddie Jebb was cleared by McElmeel.

Good win for Holywell, but Buckley ran them close.

Holywell: Michael Platt, Ross Ankers, Joss Roberts, Tom McElmeel, Dafydd Griffith, Ryan Davies, Graeme Williams, Tony Roebuck, Stuart Hayes, Steve Lewis, Steve Thomas.

Subs: Brady McGilloway, Daniel Drazdauskas, John Leonard, Brett Cotton, Connor Littler.