CATCH-UP – Cymru North: Shock news – Holywell concede a goal! Colwyn Bay march on with 25th straight league win
CYMRU NORTH REPORTS – MARCH 10-11
Conwy Borough 1 Holywell Town 4
Holywell travel to next-bottom Penrhyncoch this Saturday chasing a 22nd league win on the bounce.
Despite their amazing form, the Wellmen still trail Cymru North leaders Colwyn Bay by 12 points, although Johnny Haseldin’s men do have two games in hand on the Seagulls.
Town will have hoped to reduce the gap to nine points by the time they visit table-toppers Bay for the mother of all crunch clashes on March 25.
Holywell made the trip to Conwy Borough last Friday having not conceded a goal in nine league matches.
That record soon came to an end after Boro took a surprise lead after five minutes. It was the first time keeper Keighan Jones had picked the ball out of the net in a Cymru North game since late November.
The Town defence had not been breached for at least 850 minutes of league football since.
The opposition drought terminated when Leigh Craven curled a free kick into the Holywell box, Will Ashley headed on, keeper Jones failed to clear convincingly and Craig Whelan’s shot went in off defender Kai Edwards.
Holywell were level on 14 minutes – and what a goal it was!
David Forbes played the ball to Danny Andrews who hit a magnificent dipping volley from about 20 yards into the net for his 15th goal of the campaign in all competitions.
The Wellmen edged ahead after 18 minutes.
Morgan Murray played a lovely ball down the right for Jake Cooke, whose measured low cross was whipped in by Brady McGilloway.
Cooke had a long range strike well saved by Tyler French, then Forbes headed in a McGilloway cross but was adjudged offside.
Forbes would not be denied in the 43rd minute when he touched in from close range for his 26th goal this term after great build-up involving Murray and Kai Wallis.
Jack Williams so nearly pulled one back for Conwy when he rounded keeper Jones, but from an angle smacked the outside of the post.
The points were sealed on 62 minutes when the excellent Murray broke down the right and his powerful cross was deflected in by Conwy substitute Moses Barnett for an own goal.
Porthmadog 0 Colwyn Bay 2
Report: Mr Treflyn Jones
Steve Evans’ Bay side edged ever close to the title after they made it a phenomenal 25 straight league wins at Porthmadog’s expense last Saturday.
The Seagulls travelled to Y Traeth exactly 12 months since their last league defeat – 3-0 at Llandudno on March 11, 2022. Since then the Seagulls have now gone 30 league games unbeaten with 28 wins and two draws.
The opening 20 minutes or so at Port last weekend were pretty even, but it was the home side who started marginally the brighter with Bay keeper Jack Crichton having to tip over a dangerous cross by Gareth Jones Evans on five minutes.
The same player unleashed a 20-yard shot on eight minutes but it drifted just wide of the upright.
Two minutes later, it was the Bay`s turn as a strong volley by Matthew Hill went just over.
On 23 minutes a 20 yard effort from a tight angle also cleared the bar from the right boot of Port`s Meilir Williams.
However, in the 27th minute Colwyn opened the scoring with a close range shot by Sam Hart.
Five minutes before the break, Bay doubled their money with a glorious, thumping header into the roof of the net by that man Hart.
After the break, Bay continued to launch quick attacks and twice Port keeper Morgan Jones did very well to block strong low shots by Dylan Allshorn with his legs.
As the half wore on, however, Port started to get their game together with tidy passes and more composed defending as exemplified by the excellent Tom Mahoney and Josh Banks.
On 67 minutes, a daisy-cutter by Jones-Evans went past the post, then Crichton had to get everything behind a good shot by Alex Boss.
Seven minutes from the end, Cai Parry’ s strong half-volley appeared to come off a defender`s arm but all protests were rather surprisingly waved away and it ended 2-0 in favour of the champions in waiting.
Penrhyncoch 2 Mold Alexandra 2
All-square at Cae Baker, Niall Coleridge and Courtney Perkins netting for Penrhyncoch on 33 and 75 minutes respectively, while substitute Sion McHugh struck Mold’s first after 52 and Haci Ozlu provided their second equaliser on 77.