Ardal North East – stunning start for Cefn Albion, disaster for Corwen and Rhos Aelwyd

Ardal League North East – August 6

Corwen 1 Llanfair United 5

Corwen failed to follow up their Welsh Cup success of the previous weekend as they began the league campaign with a heavy defeat at home to last season’s high-flyers Llanfair.

The home players all wore black armbands in memory of Corwen supporter and former committee member Peter Hughes senior. Both sets of players also held a minute’s applause prior to kick-off.

The deadlock was broken as early as the seventh minute, when the home side failed to deal with a Llanfair attack and Jamie McVeagh played the ball back to debutant Richard Davies, who fired home.

On 15 minutes, Corwen’s Delwyn Jones chased down a high ball, which forced Llanfair keeper Lee Andrew to come rushing off his line.

In the resulting scramble Jones lost his balance, but was able to get beyond the goalkeeper. However, a defender was able to track back and clear his lines before Jones could recover.

Home keeper Rhys Jones then came to the fore, making good stops from Nyasha Mwamuka and Ben Jones.

Midway through the half Corwen hit their visitors with a lighting quick attack, which came to fruition when Gruff Evans fed Morgan Daykin, whose great first touch allowed him to notch his first competitive goal in club colours.

Delwyn Jones missed a chance to make it 2-1 and then the hosts suffered two hammer blows before the interval, McVeagh and Davies finding the net.

Three minutes into the second half, Llanfair’s Karl Seliaerts made it 4-1 with a deflected shot.

Davies capped off an impressive debut performance for the visitors by completing his hat-trick near the end.

Bow Street 4 Rhos Aelwyd 0

A bad start to the season for Rhos Aelwyd, goals from Rhydian Davies (1, pen), Ifan Burrell (45 and 48) and Dafydd Carruthers (53) sealing a comfortable success for Bow Street.

Builth Wells 3 Welshpool Town 1

Lee James, Aeron Powell and Jamie Evans shared the goals that booked three points for promoted Builth, Ethan Kinsey having handed Welshpool a 38th minute lead.

Dolgellau Athletic 3 Llandrindod Wells 1

Daniel Thomas, Gerwyn Williams and Ioan Roberts were on target for winners Dolgellau, Finley Francis with a consolation reply for Llandrindod.

Llanrhaeadr 0 Llanuwchllyn 4

East newcomers Llanuwchllyn kicked-off in style, Mike Pritchard, Joe Williams (2, 1 pen) and Owain ap Gareth splitting the away goals.

Penycae 1 Llangollen Town 1

Promoted Llangollen earned a dramatic point at Penycae when Benjamin Wilson plundered a 96th minute equaliser.

The hosts had led through Hari Gould’s 37th minute strike.

Rhayader Town 0 Cefn Albion 5

Debutant Jordan Johnson marked the occasion with a 17-minute hat-trick for an impressive Albion outfit.

Kien Morris and Ryan Kershaw added a goal apiece for the visitors , who were 5-0 up by the 33rd minute.