Ardal Northern – Cefn Albion hit top spot after return to form, Llangollen and Hawarden win

ARDAL NORTHERN LEAGUES – REPORTS, OCTOBER 1

ARDAL NORTH EAST

Corwen 0
Cefn Albion 3 (Johnson 13, A Williams 80, Own goal 88)

Report: Gavin Billington

Albion hit top spot with a three-goal away win at the expense of bottom side Corwen.

The Cefners bounced back after suffering a surprise first league loss of the season at Llandrindod Wells the previous weekend.

Early on at the War Memorial Park on Saturday, Corwen’s Henry Evans floated a free kick into the Albion penalty area, where Harry Pooler was only able to send the ball over the bar.

With 13 minutes played, Cefn worked a corner short to Dion Gibbins, who was able to find Jordan Johnson on the edge of the Corwen box.

Johnson lifted the ball over goalkeeper Nathan Roberts and into the back of the net to open the scoring.

It remained 1-0 up to half time.

After the break, Corwen’s Delwyn Jones ran onto a long ball, forcing away keeper Joshua Roberts to come off his line and make a save.

A great last-ditch tackle from Jack Richards prevented the hosts from doing any damage from the rebound.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes the visitors played the ball forward and ran at the Corwen defence with a series of short passes.

The move bore fruit when Torne Samuels fed Alex Williams, who curled a low shot beyond the outstretched Corwen goalkeeper.

The hosts looked to find a way back into the game when Delwyn Jones ran at the Cefn defence and then curled a shot at the goal, but he was denied by Joshua Roberts.

The final nail was placed in Corwen’s coffin when an own goal made it 3-0.

Chris Budrys saw his shot saved by Nathan Roberts, only for the hosts to have the misfortune of the ball hitting a home player on the knee and finding the net.

Llangollen Town 1 Penycae 0

Eighteen-year-old Jake Hayward notched the 52nd minute goal which clinched Llangollen their first league win of the campaign.

Penycae finished with 10 men after the 89th minute dismissal of goalkeeper Oliver Hague.

ARDAL NORTH WEST

Hawarden Rangers 2 Bodedern Athletic 0

Tom Gunson’s double, a 27th minute strike and a penalty on 70, sealed Hawarden a double over fellow tier 3 newcomers Bodedern.

It was a fifth straight league defeat for the Anglesey side.