Kian Turton double sends underdogs Llay Welfare into the NEWFA Challenge Cup semi-finals

NEWFA CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER-FINAL

Cefn Druids 1 (Evans 32)
Llay Welfare 2 (Turton 16, 86)

Kian Turton was the toast of Llay after his double sank higher league Cefn Druids and put Welfare into the NEWFA Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Tier three Llay of Ardal North West were underdogs against a Druids outfit sitting fifth in the Cymru North, but beat the odds to make the last four where they join Ruthin Town and Holywell Town. Ruabon Rovers and Gresford Athletic have still to meet in the remaining quarter-final.

Wednesday’s tie at The Rock was a very competitive game played in the right spirit.

Both sides exchanged early punches before a superb Jared Taylor cross was met by Turton to make it 1-0 after 16 minutes.

Druids struck back with a Darren Evans header from a set piece on 32 minutes to make it 1-1 at half time.

The second half was again a well-contested affair, Llay having a few good chances to take the lead with a Matt Thompson goal chalked off for offside.

Visiting keeper Kyle Flower had to be at his best to deny Druids near the end, but it was Turton again with an 86th minite net-finder following a Llay attack by Jon Collo that sent the tier 3 side through.

TEAMS

Cefn Druids: Michael Jones, Daniel Cabral, Phil Mooney, Steffan Jones, N/A, Darren Evans, N/A, Matthew Lloyd, Ross Weaver, Dean Arthur, Iwan Hardy. Subs: Ben Maher, Neil Ashton.

Llay Welfare: Kyle Flower, Ryan Dacey, Max Peate, Ryan Merrill, Matthew Thompson, Kian Turton, Tom Wells, Lewis Bickerton-Cole, Aayron Rafferty, Jonathan Collo, Jared Taylor. Subs: Michael Wright, Scott Swords, George Finlay, Perry Shoemark, Dan Richardson.

NEWFA CHALLENGE CUP 2022-23 QUARTER-FINALS

Ruthin Town 1 FC Queen’s Park 0
Holywell Town 6 Brickfield Rangers 0
Ruabon Rovers v Gresford Athletic (March 22)
Cefn Druids 1 Llay Welfare 2