Connah’s Quay Town upset the odds as they lift Mike Beech Memorial Trophy
NORTH EAST WALES LEAGUE MIKE BEECH MEMORIAL TROPHY FINAL
Connahs Quay Town 1 (Lee Reynolds 61)
FC Queen’s Park 0
Hero Lee Reynolds made himself the most famous Reggie since Kray, Perrin and Roland Rat’s little brother as his bullet header clinched the Mike Beech Memorial Trophy for Connah’s Quay Town.
Reynolds, nicknamed Reggie, scored the only goal in Saturday’s final at The Globe, Buckley, to seal North East Wales Football League new boys Town a silverware double, having already scooped the Two Counties Cup.
And the Deesiders could make it a treble if they win their Championship Division title decider with Penyffordd Lions on May 14.
As for Queen’s Park they still have the Top Mark Uniforms Premier Cup final against Cefn Mawr Rangers on Tuesday, May 17, at Brymbo SSC to look forward to (7 pm kick-off) as well as the Horace Wynne Cup semi-final versus Llangollen Town on May 9.
Both clubs brought along a good number of supporters and the game was played in a great atmosphere.
The Park started brightly and moved the ball well along their rear line. Connah’s Quay were disciplined in their press and never really over-committed or let the opposition break their lines.
This frustrated the Park and some sloppy balls were given away.
Connah’s Quay were unlucky not to score in the first half, when they created a number of chances, as was Barry Torrence for Park, who headed over.
John Coady thought he had put Town into the lead on the stroke of half time, but was rightly flagged offside.
The second half saw Quay take the game by the scruff of the neck and be first to every loose ball, playing through the impressive Coady.
Ryan Hewitt should have put Quay ahead, but blazed over from 10 yards out
After 61 minutes, the deadlock was eventually broken. Town’s Will Leonard found himself in space down the right flank and a delightful cross was met with a bullet header from Reynolds, giving the lower-ranked side what would be the decisive goal.
The Park came into life in the final 20 minutes and were unlucky as Curtis Neary sent a header wide, but Quay held on and recorded a second cup win this month – and in their first season.
Saturday’s closely-fought final at Buckley saw Tier 5 Championship overcome the considerable challenge of Tier 4 Premier, the Park being old hands at winning trophies over the years.
TEAMS
Connah’s Quay Town
Dan Cooper
Will Leonard
Lee Butterworth
Kyle Reid (Eddie Gallagher 80)
John Leonard
Ben Howarth
Jake Reilly (Tommy Leonard 80)
Lee Reynolds
John Coady
Ryan Hewitt
Jamie Wynne (Bobby Raggett 90)
Unused subs: Scott Earnshaw, Callum Woods
Manager: Gavin Parry
Assistant: Steve Hopkins
FC Queen’s Park
Joey Jones
Callum Roberts
Ross Bignall
Curtos Neary
Charlie Rowley
Nathan Brookfield
Niall Martin (Leroy Ngema-Stamp 78)
Tony Jones
Jack Hanley
Barry Torrence
Jake Harper (Callum Williams 60)
Unused subs: Tommy Hutchings, Dave Evans
Manager: Dave Evans