Football historian, author and renowned memorabilia collector Mark Jones of Prestatyn has been Grassroots North Wales’ very own Santa over the festive season.
Nostalgia enthusiast Mark has provided a series of articles on programmes for some of North Wales’ more interesting Welsh Cup ties over the years, all ones that will never ever happen again.
Today’s gem is from 1985/86 – Cardiff City v Mold Alexandra
Despite a long football history dating back to the 1890s and earlier, teams from Mold have only sporadically enjoyed Welsh Cup success.
Most notable was in 1890/91, when a Mold side reached the semi-finals going down 5-0 to Shrewsbury Town at Wrexham.
The current flagbearers of football in the Flintshire market town – Mold Alexandra – made the last 20 in 1954/5 when the ten winners were joined in the last 16 by five seeded sides but it would be another 31 years before they would embark on another cup run.
In 1985/6, Alex were at the very top of their game and the Welsh National League (Wrexham area) title landed at Alyn Park in emphatic style with 27 wins from a 30 game season that saw them drop just four points (it was still two points for a win back then).
That form continued in the Welsh Cup as they hurdled the first round with ease beating Druids 9-1 after a 2-2 draw at Plaskynaston.
Next up were tougher opponents in Mid-Wales Leaguers Aberystwyth Town but they too fell at Alyn Park by 3-1.
Round three saw Alex travel the short distance to The Crick for a derby with Brymbo Steelworks and in a tight game it was Mold who triumphed again by the odd goal in five.
Their reward was a plum tie at Cardiff City, who at the time were mired in a relegation battle at the foot of League Division Three, but despite the Bluebirds indifferent form Alex couldn’t produce a giant-killing as City ran out winners by 4-1.
Rob Turner, Jeff Hemmerman (2) and Nigel Vaughan netted the hosts’ goals in front of Cardiff City’s lowest crowd ever – 604!
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