Football

Marine’s FA Cup giant-killing had strong North Wales connections

Anthony Miley scored for Marine against Colchester. Picture: Bala Town FC

Marine’s fantastic FA Cup win at League Two Colchester United on Saturday involved quite a few North Wales connections.

The eighth-tier Northern Premier League Division One North West outfit created the shock of this season competition so far with a first round proper 5-3 penalties victory at Colchester Community Stadium following a 1-1 draw.

Marine are managed by Neil Young, who was assistant-manager to John Hulse at Rhyl FC before masterminding Colwyn Bay’s return to the Northern Premier League Premier Division via the Division One play-offs in 2009-10.

Young went on to win three consecutive league championships at Chester FC between 2010-13 and took over at Marine in 2018.

His assistant at the Merseyside club is Alan Morgan, who led Llandudno into the Welsh Premier League for the first time in their history in 2015-16.

The Seasiders finished third and qualified for Europe at the first attempt.

Morgan has also managed at Colwyn Bay and Aberystwyth Town, as well as having spells as assistant at Bangor City, where he won two Welsh Cups with Neville Powell, and Connah’s Quay Nomads, plus a player-boss stint at Cefn Druids.

On the playing front, Marine’s goalscorer at Colchester was defender Anthony Miley, best known for the five seasons he spent at Bangor City between 2013-18.

He previously represented Conwy and Colwyn Bay, then turned out for Bala Town after leaving Bangor.

Former Tranmere Rovers and FC United of Manchester full-back James Joyce was a stand out performer for Llandudno when they won the Huws Gray Alliance in 2014-15 before going on to impress in the Welsh Premier and featured in the Europa League.

On the bench against Colchester were Ryan Wignall and Danny Shaw.

Wignall won the FA Youth Cup with Liverpool twice before spells at Conwy United and Airbus UK Broughton prior to joining Connah’s Quay Nomads in 2017.

He won the Welsh Cup, Welsh Premier League title and Nathaniel MG Cup with the Nomads before signing for Marine.

Defender Shaw joined Marine in 2018 having been a key man for Llandudno in their successful debut Welsh Premier League campaign.

davejones

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