Giant-killing 2: Y Glannau break Abergele jinx in style in Welsh Cup battle

WELSH CUP QUALIFYING ROUND ONE – JULY 29, 2023

CPD Y Glannau 4 (J MacGillivray 5 & 52, H Bellis 42 & 64)
Abergele 1 (Hay 46)

Revenge must have been so sweet for a Glannau side which had never previously beaten mighty Abergele.

The last meeting between the teams was quite a painful experience for Christian Fontana and Danny Parsons’ men – a 5-3 defeat in the 2022-23 REM Jones Cup Final.

Today Glannau turned the tables in the biggest competition available to both clubs – the Welsh Cup.

And it has to rank as a giant-killing with Glannau still in the tier 5 North Wales Coast East Division One and last season’s champions at that level Gele now a tier 4 Premier Division team.

From the very first whistle today Y Glannau were “on it”, pressing high and giving Abergele no time.

Harrison Bellis went close with an early volley which blazed just wide.

It was a fantastic move down the right which led to the St Asaph hosts opening the scoring. Chris McQuillen played a ball into Osian Williams on the overlap and his delivery across goal was perfect for Josh MacGillivray to run in and tap home.

Glan almost doubled their lead moments later, MacGillivray with a superb ball into the box, but Joey Fontana lashed just over the bar.

However, it became 2-0 a few minutes before half time, Fontana with the ball through to Harrison Bellis, who then put it through the onrushing keeper’s legs and calmly watched it go into the back of the net

Abergele came out firing in the second half, their best spell of the game coming in those first 10 minutes.

A lovely ball in by Greg Hilditch was headed home by player/coach James Hay to take the scoreline to 2-1.

This is where Y Glannau’s mentality had to be spot on, Abergele have done this to so many teams in the past – you think you’re in a great position then they come back firing and swamp you.

This time though, the hosts held firm and got back to playing good football. They restored a two-goal lead when Harrison Bellis flicked on a ball in from the left, and MacGillivray drilled home for 3-1.

Then minutes later, the home side were awarded a penalty after their keeper Cain Folly took out Harrison Bellis in the area. Bellis stepped up and finished the penalty well despite a big hand from the Abergele stopper.

Y Glannau made a few changes to keep it fresh and all the lads who came on worked hard and did their jobs well.

Y Glannau v Abergele head-to-head

2023-24: Y Glannau 4 Abergele 1 (Welsh Cup)
2022-23: Abergele 5 Y Glannau 3 (REM Jones Cup Final); Abergele 3 Y Glannau 3 (league), Y Glannau 3 Abergele 4 (league)
2021-22: Abergele 3 Y Glannau 1 (league); Y Glannau 2 Abergele 4 (league)

Y Glannau

Brad Wright, Kyle Hedge, Tawse Cox (Ged Burke), Jake Reddaway (Michael Bellis 74), Harrison Bellis, Joey Fontana. Josh MacGillivray (Aaron Dodwell 81), Osian Williams, Alec Williams, Chris Snow (Richard Peskett 71), Chris McQuillen, (Tomos Williams 77).

Abergele

Cain Folly, Greg Hilditch, Chris Davies, Lewis Waggett, Keiran Holland, Lewis Moroney, Sam Ashton, James Hay, Simon Roberts, Will Smith, Connah Atkinson.
Subs: Ryan Pamment, Jack Lloyd-Williams, James Lloyd, Luke Binns, Tommy Lloyd.