Former Cymru Premier star Rob Hughes was a Welsh Cup hero tonight as his two goals helped Flint Mountain of Tier 3 stun Cymru North leaders Holywell Town in a major upset at the Essity Stadium.
Holywell have been famous giant-killers in the past, including becoming the only Tier 3 club ever to reach the semi-finals of the national knockout in 2013-14.
Tonight, it was the Wellmen’s turn to be eliminated by lower-level opposition and it came at the hands of Flintshire derby rivals – not Flint Town United this time, but new kids on the block Mountain.
Currently sixth in the Tier 3 Ardal North West, Aden Shannon’s dazzlers took a 13th minute lead when Hughes found the net from an Aaron Simpson assist.
Hughes received the ball on the edge of the box and drilled home a low shot.
Jake Cooke forced a good save from home keeper John Danby before Tyler French did well at the other end to deny Mike Hayes.
Former Caernarfon Town, Rhyl FC and Prestatyn Town winger Hughes doubled the home advantage in first-half stoppage time with another corking strike.
There was still time for Holywell to pull a goal back before the whistle blew for the interval, Cooke making it 2-1.
Cooke controlled well, cut inside and his low drive beat keeper Danby and found the bottom corner.
Midway through the second half, the underdogs went 3-1 up when Aaron Hassall set up Lloyd Ellams to score.
Hassall’s whipped free kick into the box was met by Ellams and his reverse header looped over the keeper for his first Mountain goal.
It was always going to be an uphill task for Cymru North strugglers Llandudno at Maes Tegid – and so it proved.
Bala took a 13th minute lead through Paulo Mendes and it remained 1-0 up to half time.
Mendes struck again eight minutes into the second half before Osebi Abadaki soon added a third.
An eighth win on the bounce for Eddie Maurice-Jones’ Gresford side put them into the Welsh Cup third round.
Toby Gallagher-Keenan broke the deadlock for the Colliers in the 19th minute of this all-Cymru North clash, Simon Smith with the assist.
No further goals before the break and it was not until the 67th minute that the same combination made it 2-0 to the visitors, Gallagher-Keenan scoring again and benefiting from Smith’s good work.
Sam Spridgeon added a third on 73 minutes, Haci Ozlu helping lay it on, before Athletic had Nathan Williams dismissed for a second yellow after 86.
Jamie Breese pulled one back for the Daffs a minute later, but that was the end of the scoring at Victoria Park.
Sam Jones and Harvey Morris bagged the goals which earned Llanfair maximum points at Welshpool this evening.
Airbus regained the table leadership with a two-goal win over previously unbeaten Denbigh.
The deadlock was broken in the 65th minute through Harry Henderson before Bradley Knight added a second on 78.
Denbigh had manager Liam Nash red-carded on 85 minutes and Matthew Blake suffered the same punishment with 89 on the clock.
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