Welsh Cup special – which teams will feature into tonight’s quarter-final draw?

Seven teams are through to the last eight of the JD Welsh Cup with one tie still outstanding.

Airbus UK Broughton, Bala Town, Briton Ferry, Connah’s Quay Nomads, Holywell Town, Penybont and The New Saints all progressed to the quarter-finals on Saturday.

The winner of the postponed Cwmbran Celtic v Penydarren Seniors BGC round four tie will join them.

So now all eyes will be on the quarter-final draw on Monday evening due to be broadcast from 8 pm on the FAW’s YouTube channel.

In the meantime, here is a look back at some of Saturday’s round four games

RESULTS

JD WELSH CUP FOURTH ROUND

Bala Town 2-1 Pontypridd United
Briton Ferry Llansawel 2-2 Buckley Town
(Briton Ferry Llansawel won 8-7 on pens)
Cwmbran Celtic P-P Penydarren Seniors BGC
Gresford Athletic 0-2 Penybont
Guilsfield 1-2 Holywell Town
Llanelli Town 0-2 Connah’s Quay Nomads
Pontardawe Town 1-1 Airbus UK
(Airbus UK won 5-4 on pens)
The New Saints 7-0 Newtown

Guilsfield 1 Holywell Town 2

The heroes of the 2013-14 Welsh Cup competition are one step away from repeating their unforgettable feat.

Nine seasons ago, Holywell Town made history by becoming the first-ever tier three club to reach the semi-finals of Wales’ premier national knockout.

Johnny Haseldin’s men were in the Welsh Alliance League at the time and saw off three Cymru Alliance and one Welsh Premier club before gallantly losing 3-1 at Aberystwyth Town in the last four, having taken the lead.

Fast forward to 2022-23 and the Wellmen are challenging for the tier 2 Cymru North title, but still carry underdog status entering this season’s Welsh Cup quarters.

Holywell are the sole Cymru North participants left in the competition with five Cymru Premier sides already through.

Another tier 2 outfit, Briton Ferry Llansawel of Cymru South, have progressed, while the round four game still to be played sees Cymru South Cwmbran Celtic await third-tier Penydarren Seniors BGC of Ardal South West.

On Saturday, the heroes of Holywell emerged 2-1 winners from a tough all-Cymru North clash at Guilsfield.

With quarter of an hour played, Town took a deserved lead.

Jake Cooke burst forward and skipped past a couple of challenges before getting to the byline and his inch-perfect cross was tapped home by Ilan ap Gareth.

Cooke was then twice denied by home keeper Robbie Williams before Dave Forbes’ strike flew over the bar.

With the half coming to an end, Town doubled their lead. Williams cleared but the ball broke to Danny Andrews, whose looping, swirling effort deceived the keeper and found the net.

Half-time: Guilsfield 0 Holywell 2

Guilsfield were more in the game after the break and pulled one back with 70 minutes played. The home side won a corner, and Callum Bromley headed home at the far post.

Andrew Forde almost equalised before Holywell brought on Mark Winslade and Luke Wiltshire for Morgan Murray and Tom Bibby.

Winslade nearly made an instant impact, bursting down the wing and cutting inside but his shot was saved by Williams.

Guilsfield applied heavy late pressure but the visitors defended really well and Winslade and Brady McGilloway threatened on the break.

The referee blew his whistle and the Wellmen, cheered on by their excellent supporters who had travelled to Mid Wales, marched on in their beloved Welsh Cup.

Match report: Steve PH Roberts

OTHER ROUND FOUR ACTION

Bala Town pipped Pontypridd United 2-1 in a hard-fought clash at Maes Tegid.

Chris Venables’ penalty for the Lakesiders separated the sides at half time, but it took the hosts until the 83rd minute for Nathan Peate to add their second.

Danny Williams notched a 90th minute reply for Ponty, who had Jarred Wright sent off in the 55th minute for a second yellow card.

Connah’s Quay Nomads, cup winners in 2017-18, progressed 2-0 at Llanelli Town thanks to goals from Ben Nash and Joe Malkin.

The hosts had a great chance to level things with 20 minutes to go but Josef Hopkins had his penalty saved brilliantly by Andy Firth.

Buckley Town put up a magnificent battle at Briton Ferry Llansawel before going out 8-7 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

Kris Evans edged the Cymru South hosts in front after 23 minutes and Tom Walters doubled the lead on 44.

However, Bucks gave themselves hope when Jake Roberts pulled one back on the stroke of the interval.

Three minutes from time the Cymru North travellers booked a penalty shoot-out when Max Moore made it two-apiece.

It was 8-7 to Briton Ferry on pens when Rhys Wilson saved Josh Jones’ kick to put the South Walians into the last eight.

Gresford Athletic put up a tremendous battle against Cymru Premier visitors Penybont before going down 2-0, Mael Davies and Kostya Georgievsky with the goals on 18 and 57.

Airbus are having a miserable season in the Cymru Premier, but they advanced in the cup thanks to a penalties triumph at Pontardawe Town after a 1-1 draw.

Lewis Reed gave the Cymru South hosts a 20th minute lead, but George Peers levelled on 43 and that was enough to ensure spot-kicks were needed to settle the outcome.

Pont keeper Steven Reeve had his kick saved by opposite number Lewis Dutton before Airbus skipper Stephen Tomassen slotted the winning pen.