Derby special – Llanfairfechan edge win at Penmaenmawr

NORTH WALES COAST EAST PREMIER DIVISION

Penmaenmawr Phoenix 0
Llanfairfechan Town 1 (Croston 50)

January 7, 2023

Llanfairfechan enjoyed the perfect start to 2023 after Elliot Croston’s 50th minute decider clinched victory at nearest local rivals Penmaenmawr.

With two previous attempts to play the “Tunnels Derby” fixture this season postponed, the pair finally got it together at Cae Sling on the first Saturday in January.

Phoenix had beaten their neighbours 3-1 both home and away last season – the first of the new tier 4 North Wales Coast Premier – so Llanfair will certainly have felt they were due some revenge.

This derby is not always one which gets the respect and attention it deserves, but both teams have a decent history in North Wales football and to fans of the coastal rail network, they will recognise them as the last two stops before or after Bangor.

In what was a very close game, Llanfair keeper Sam Tidswell had to pull off a great double save in a first half which also saw the away team’s Ellis Jones shudder the crossbar.

At half time, Llanfair brought the wizardly Ryan Dodd on for Ellis Jones and moved Croston through the middle.

This paid off after Dodd played a through ball which led to a one-on-one where Croston curled a left-footed strike around the keeper into the bottom right corner.

There were a few more half chances for both teams but Llanfair saw the game out.

TEAMS

Penmaenmawr Phoenix

Jonathan Sweetser-Hawkes
Jamie Jones
Scott McGoona
Matthew Hunt (c) – Lewis Roberts 72
Gavin Simpson (Daniel Hughes 74)
Tom Prince
Daniel Williams
Kyle Robb
Ricky Jones (Haydn Griffiths 58)
Liam Griffiths
Francesco Gallina (Alfie Caldecott 56)

Llanfairfechan Town

Sam Tidswell
Owen Bellfield (Christy Pritchard 66)
Bradlee Rowlands
Lewis Mitchell
Curtis Murray (Matthew Williams 66)
Meurig Evans
Daniel Hughes (Jamie Baker 86)
Elliot Croston
Jamie Haggas
Ellis Jones (Ryan Dodd 47)
Cory Young (Sam Regan 70)