JD Welsh Cup third round – reports from selected ties

JD WELSH CUP ROUND THREE RESULTS

Aberystwyth Town 1 Newtown 3
Airbus UK 2 Trefelin BGC 1
Bala Town 2 Flint Town United 0
Barry Town United 0 Gresford Athletic 2
Buckley Town 2 Prestatyn Town 0
Cefn Druids 3 Llanelli Town 4
Connah’s Quay Nomads 4 Colwyn Bay 0
Conwy Borough 0 Penybont 3
Cwmbran Celtic 4 Carmarthen Town 3
Guilsfield 6 Goytre United 3
Hakin United 1 Holywell Town 5
Mold Alexandra 0 Briton Ferry Llansawel 4
Penydarren BGC 1 Trethomas Bluebirds 0 (Fri)
Pontardawe Town 3 Pill 1
Ruthin Town 3 Pontypridd United 4
The New Saints 2 Caernarfon Town 1 (Fri)

REPORTS

Hakin United 1 Holywell Town 5

Record-breaking 2013-14 Welsh Cup semi-finalists Holywell marched into the last 16 of the 2022-23 competition with a ruthless demolition of Pembrokeshire League Division One champions Hakin.

The Wellmen had one foot in the last 16 by half time, at which stage they held a 3-0 lead.

Jake Cooke won possession, burst forward towards the halfway line then played a great ball through to Mark WInslade, who sprinted down the wing and his inch-perfect low cross was slammed home by Dave Forbes.

Moments later it was 2-0. Danny Andrews’ free kick found Danny Sullivan, who made no mistake.

With the half coming to a close, Town struck again. A corner was only partially cleared, the ball fell to Forbes and he scored with a shot on the turn.

The home side pulled one back midway through the second half, Nick Woodrow heading in a free kick.

Hakin pushed for another and entering the final 10 minutes, the next goal was important.

Thankfully for Town, it was they who struck next, the outstanding Winslade rounding the keeper to find the empty net.

Holywell added a fifth through Oli Buckley before the end.

Airbus UK 2 Trefelin BGC 1

Jamie Reed celebrated his first win as Airbus manager as the Wingmakers fought back from one-down to progress to round four thanks to two late goals.

Brad Knight and Jake Eyre guided Airbus to victory in the final 10 minutes in a dominant display from Reed’s men.

Ceri Williams had netted the opener against the run of play for the Cymru South visitors.

Just before the break a free kick was awarded to the home side, which Joey Palmer slammed into the crossbar.

Into the second half and Trefelin BGC keeper Keenan Bailey continued to keep his team in the tie with some fine stops.

Frustration grew for Airbus, but their efforts finally came to fruition when Beau Cornish whipped in a fantastic cross, which fell right at the feet of Knight, who tapped comfortably home.

Soon after, Eyre’s delivery from wide found the net and the tie was won.

Buckley Town 2 Prestatyn Town 0

After a goalless first half, a superb brace from Aled Bellis in the second period put Buckley into the last 16 at the expense of fellow Cymru North side Prestatyn.

Connah’s Quay Nomads 4 Colwyn Bay 0

After 10 straight wins, a Manager of the Month award and a new contract for Neil Gibson, this was the sort of occasion where it could have gone wrong for Nomads.

Visitors Colwyn Bay are undefeated, top of the Cymru North, and knocked the Quay out of the Welsh Cup last season, but there was to be no repeat upset at Deeside Stadium.

Gibson’s charges put in a thoroughly professional performance in front of the live TV cameras.

They led 2-0 at half time, veteran strikers Mike Wilde and Mike Hayes combining superbly for the first goal. Wilde flicked on a header and Hayes adjusted his body brilliantly to slide the ball past keeper Ryan Woods.

Hayes had time to make a cup of tea before putting away the second goal at the back post following tremendous work from Josh Williams.

Bay could have pulled one back after the break when Matty Hill made a great connection, but Cymru North Player of the Month for October, Andy Firth produced a marvellous save.

Nomads sealed the tie with two goals in the last 10 minutes.

Substitute Ryan Stratulis broke from midfield and looked set to score only to be denied by Woods, but the ball ran nicely for Wilde to slot into an empty net.

Callum Morris then converted a penalty given for a foul on Harry Franklin by Alex Downes.

Ruthin Town 3 Pontypridd United 4

A late flurry from the Cymru North underdogs was not quite enough to prevent their Cymru Premier visitors advancing.

Pontypridd struck very early when Jarrad Wright headed home from a free kick.

An unfortunate if spectacular own goal under pressure from Vita Mbolokele doubled the away advantage, but on 29 minutes Ruthin were back in it, Sam Jones with a diving header from a Sam Ricketts cross.

Joe Evans headed in from a corner to make it 3-1 after the break before Lewis Twamley guided a beautiful left-foot effort into the net to seemingly put Ponty out of sight.

But Town kept battling and a real mess at the back from the visitors allowed Sam Jones to find an open net from an angle.

Llyr Morris drilled home from just outside the box in the 90th minute to make it 4-3 and only a spectacular tip over in the dying seconds from ex-Bala Town keeper Ashley Morris denied the hosts a dramatic equaliser.