Gresford Athletic will meet Holywell Town in NEWFA Challenge Cup Final – Colliers beat Ruthin in semi

Holywell Town and Gresford Athletic will meet in the NEWFA Challenge Cup Final next month.

Gresford advanced to the May 20 showpiece game after beating Ruthin Town 3-2 in last night’s semi.

Both finalists compete in the tier 2 Cymru North League.

Gresford have won the cup three times, in 1973, 1992 and 2017, while Holywell are yet to lift the trophy.

The Wellmen whipped Llay Welfare 6-2 in their semi-final.

Second semi-final – April 26
Ruthin Town 2 (Jones pen, Evans)
Gresford Athletic 3 (Gallagher-Keenan, Deacon 2)

Wednesday’s semi-final at The Crick, Brymbo, went the way of Eddie Maurice-Jones’ Gresford side.

Athletic started well, Steffan Gittins’ strike saved by goalkeeper Daniel Goldston.

Harvey Ellis did brilliantly to block a Ruthin shot in the 17th minute.

However, the Colliers edged ahead when Toby Gallagher-Keenan got on the end of a great forward ball from Nathan Williams and calmly slotted home.

Cup holders Ruthin were quick to respond and in the 23rd minute were awarded a penalty, which Joshua Jones put away to equalise.

In the 28th minute the Athletic lead was restored, Dominic Deacon sticking a rebounded Simon Smith attempt into the net.

Gallagher-Keenan almost made it three when his angled shot pinged off the inside of the post and came back out in the 35th minute.

Gittins shot just wide before the break, which arrived with the score 2-1 to Gresford.

Both teams continued to battle in the second half, Ruthin forcing a good save from Rhys Williams in the 64th minute.

Gresford all but confirmed their progression to the final when Deacon scored his second goal in the 78th minute, taking the ball round Goldston to tap it into an open net, with Nathan Williams providing his second assist of the game.

Deacon went close to grabbing a hat-trick, but a good save from Goldston denied him.

Ruthin replied in the 90th minute, Matthew Evans heading in from a corner, and they continued to chase an equalising goal right until the closing seconds of added time, with Williams making a crucial save in the 96th to ensure that Gresford saw out the result.

NEWFA CHALLENGE CUP LIST OF WINNERS

1969-70 Brymbo SW
1970-71 Brymbo SW
1971-72 Bala Town
1972-73 Gresford Athletic
1973-74 Llangollen
1974-75 Buckley Rovers
1975-76 Rhosddu
1976-77 Llay Welfare
1977-78 Cefn Albion
1978-79 Sunblest United
1979-80 Buckley Town
1980-81 Buckley Town
1981-82 Brymbo SW
1982-83 Brymbo SW
1983-84 Llay R.B.L.
1984-85 Brymbo SW
1985-86 Mold Alex
1986-87 Mold Alex
1987-88 Mold Alex
1988-89 Lex Xl
1989-90 Llay RBL
1990-91 Lex Xl
1991-92 Gresford Athletic
1992-93 Cefn Druids
1993-94 Wrexham AFC
1994-95 Wrexham AFC
1995-96 Brymbo
1996-97 Rhostyllen Villa
1997-98 Wrexham AFC
1998-99 Flexsys Cefn Druids
1999-2000 Oswestry Town
2000-01 Buckley Town
2001-02 Buckley Town
2002-03 Buckley Town
2003-04 Bala Town
2004-05 Buckley Town
2005-06 Buckley Town
2006-07 Bala Town
2007-08 Bala Town
2008-09 Lex Xl
2009-10 Buckley Town
2010-11 Rhos Aelwyd
2011-12 Cefn Druids
2012-13 Buckley Town
2013-14 Cefn Druids
2014-15 Mold Alexandra
2015-16 Cefn Druids
2016-17 Gresford Athletic
2017-18 Ruthin Town
2018-19 Cefn Druids
2019-20 Competition incomplete (Covid-19)
2020-21 Competition cancelled (Covid-19)
2021-22 Ruthin Town

TOTAL WINS

9 – Buckley Town

6 – Brymbo, Cefn Druids

4 – Bala Town, Mold Alexandra

3 – Wrexham, Lex XI, Gresford Athletic

2 – Ruthin Town, Llay RBL

1 – Rhos Aelwyd, Llangollen, Llay Welfare, Buckley Rovers, Rhosddu, Cefn Albion, Sunblest United, Rhostyllen Villa, Oswestry Town.