All rise for Abergele – NWCFA Junior Cup winners 2022-23 and treble champions!

NWCFA JUNIOR CUP FINAL 2022-23

ABERGELE 4 (Hoult 16 & 90, Hennigan 22, Holland 82)
LLANDUDNO AMATEURS 0

Three cheers for 2022-23 treble winners Abergele!

The tier 5 club added the NWCFA Junior Cup to their list of achievements today, hot on the heels of winning the North Wales Coast East Division One league title and REM Jones Cup.

On a perfect afternoon weather wise at Nantporth Stadium, Bangor, the final was played on a magnificent surface and watched by an enthusiastic crowd well in excess of 300.

The supporters were magnificent for both clubs, with groups of youngsters backing each side trying to out-sing and out-shout one another. Really positive stuff. Grassroots is where it’s at.

As for the game, the big difference was the finishing – Abergele were deadly, whereas the Amateurs produced lots of great approach play yet did not seriously test opposition keeper Cain Folly until the 90th minute.

Both North Wales Coast East Division One sides entered the final on the back of superb league campaigns, Gele lifting the title and third-place Amateurs netting in excess of 100 goals.

Amateurs started the better, managing five efforts on goal in the first 15 minutes, but none troubled glovesman Folly.

Azz Rogers, top-scorer on 39 goals, had a decent opportunity from a corner, but skewed his header off target.

Then out of the blue Abergele took the lead.

Jack Hoult raced to the ball on the right-side of the box, cut inside and scored with a lethal left-foot drive.

Six minutes later it was 2-0. This time Hoult slipped an exquisite pass into the path of Frankie Hennigan, who drilled a first-time effort beyond keeper Kyle King.

So 2-0 at half time to the double-winners, but the Amateurs were playing well enough to suggest if they could get a goal back, then it would be game on.

As it was, Gele took the initiative at the start of the second half, Sam Ashton forcing King to push out a fierce cross-shot, then Jack Lloyd-Williams’ follow-up strike was blocked.

Amateurs had another decent spell, neat passer Gaz Sharp constantly trying to pick the lock of the Abergele’s defence, but they were facing a brick wall.

The last 10 minutes saw the final well and truly decided.

King spilled a cross from the right and substitute Dom Holland poked home for 3-0.

Then sub James Lloyd fed a ball over the Amateurs defence and an onside Hoult sped into the box before firing in number four, his effort too powerful for the keeper.

Still the battling Amateurs tried to pull one back. In the 91st minute David Williams was through one-on-one with Folly, but the keeper made a great block.

The final whistle blew on joyous Gele celebrations – some fantastic songs tailored for the occasion and worthy of the treble-winning wonders.

ABERGELE
Cain Folly. Ben Knight, Chris Davies, Lewis Waggett, Ryan Pamment, Liam Roberts, Jack Hoult, Sam Ashton, Frankie Hennigan, Jack Lloyd-Williams, Connah Atkinson. SUBS (ALL USED): Dominic Holland, Ben Pamment, Keiran Holland, James Lloyd, Ricci Thomas.

LLANDUDNO AMATEURS
Kyle King, Gaz Sharp, Kyle Johnson, Joe Jones, Azz Rogers, Luke Nichols, David Williams, Geraint Thomas, Danny Talbot, Anthony Tidswell, Lewis Appleton.
SUBS USED: Jamie Seager, Ben Hayward.

OFFICIALS (excellent)
Craig Griffiths, Mark Blench, Aaron Gray.