REM Jones Cup: Bow and Y Glannau produce a classic worthy of higher standard

REM JONES CUP QUARTER-FINALS

Bow FC 3 (Harper 17 & 67; Sykes 18)
CPD Y Glannau 2 (Fontana 21, H Bellis pen 73)

“So good, it should have been the final” and “two outstanding goalkeeping displays” – just two positive comments to emerge from Saturday’s REM Jones Cup clash at Bastion Gardens.

Bow started with captain Steve Middleman in a unfamiliar central defensive midfield role and the much-admired James Harper making a return to centre-midfield.

Ten minutes in, the home side’s Loui O’Carroll unleashed a great shot which was well saved by the Glannau keeper Brad Wright.

The 17th minute saw the hosts take the lead. Greg Hall, playing as a lone striker, won a corner which Aaron Boyle whipped in and was met by Harper, who superbly headed home to make it 1-0 Bow.

Within a minute and Bow were in dreamland. Hall bulldozed his way into the box before laying off to Harper, whose shot was brilliantly blocked by a Glannau defender, but it fell to Liam Sykes, who poked past the keeper for 2-0.

This woke Y Glannau up and they started pressing Bow quite a lot. In the 21st minute a visiting cross wasn’t dealt with and cannoned off a couple players before captain Joey Fontana smartly back-heeled home to make it 2-1.

The final 20 minutes of the first half were all about the keepers.

Bow’s Richard Hillier-Evans made fantastic saves, pushing efforts onto the post and bar, while at the other end Wright performed heroics to deny O’Carroll and Hall.

Just before half time Hall was through on goal and was brought down in the box. Boyle stepped up to take the resultant penalty, but his effort was well saved by Wright.

Half time: Bow 2-1 Y Glannau

Both sides threatened at the start of the second half, Y Glannau top-scorer Harrison Bellis denied by a brilliant sliding tackle from Steve Middleman.

Changes were made and Bow brought on Danny Grindlay, Mike Jones, Kyle Robb, Joe Carey and Dean Davies.

This proved a great decision as on the 67th minute Jones went through on the left, his shot cannoned off a defender and fell to Robb, who floated a ball into the box and Harper nodded in to make it 3-1.

Y Glannau were far from finished and in the 74th minute Harrison Bellis netted from the penalty spot for his 26th goal in just 10 games this season, and 17 in his last five.

Within a minute, Bow’s Jones was fouled for another penalty. Jones took it, but slipped on his run up and skied the ball.

The final 10 minutes saw plenty of chances, Hillier-Evans making a tremendous late stop from Bellis, while Harper would have completed a hat-trick but for the brilliance of keeper Wright.

Betws-y-Coed 1 CPD Henllan 4

Good win for Henllan with second-half goals from Mathew Shaw, Lewis Roberts, sub Josh Jones and Ashley Andrews sending the green and whites into the semis.

Connor Court replied for Betws.

Llysfaen 3 CPD Caer Clwyd 1

In their first match without Emlyn Robert Jones at the helm, Sean Sheridan led Llysfaen to cup success at the Bananabeau.

The tie was scoreless until midway through the second half, when Dan Batey nudged ‘Faen in front.

Substitutes Dean Satchel and Mateo Saloma-Jones made it 3-0 before Lloyd Hubbard notched a late reply for the visitors.

Glan Conwy v Llandudno Amateurs – POSTPONED