Match of the Day: Dramatic FAW Trophy tie with thrilling end features 4 red and 12 yellow cards

FAW AMATEUR TROPHY ROUND 5

CPD Y RHYL 1879 3 (Hold 1, A Jones pen 85, Buckley 90)
FLINT MOUNTAIN 2 (Ellams 50, Ruffer 60)

Report: Dave Jones

Pictures: Richard Bates

Even taking into account the FOUR RED and 11 YELLOW cards for the visitors in this match it was still a classic cup tie.

Despite their disciplinary problems, Flint Mountain played their full part in a great contest where they led 2-1 until the 85th minute only to lose two late goals when they had nine players on the pitch.

Both sides went into Saturday’s FAW Trophy last 32 tie at Belle Vue in great form, albeit in different competitions.

Not since losing 4-1 at home to Mountain in the league in August had Rhyl been beaten in Tier 3 Ardal North West. Nine wins in 10 has secured them an eight-point lead at the summit.

Mountain, meanwhile, had over the past four months reached the Welsh Cup quarter-finals, Trophy last 32 and League Cup second round.

Since that triumph at Belle Vue on August 9, they had won 12 out of 16 games in all competitions, including two draws. They had also won their last eight matches on the bounce.

Something had to give.

Rhyl made a perfect start, scoring in the first minute.

There probably is no award called Pass of the Season, but if there was Rhyl’s Chris Bennett would have scooped it hands down for the defence-splitting free kick he sent to Macauley Taylor in the box. A perfectly-weighted delivery enabled Taylor to cross low and Adam Hold converted at the back post.

Referee Michael Gray was determined to take a hardline approach against any over-zealous tackles and he produced the first yellow card after just four minutes for Mountain’s Chris Li’s ferocious challenge on Hold.

Mountain manager Aden Shannon was soon cautioned for dissent as the official also made it clear he would not abide feisty backchat.

The visitors were indebted to centre-back Rowan Brooks for a great challenge as Oli Buckley pulled the trigger before Hold’s firm strike from 20 yards was well held by experienced keeper John Danby.

On 26 minutes Hold walloped a free kick which deviated menacingly through the air but flew wide of the goal.

Mountain’s only efforts of the first half saw a speculative hit from Mike Hayes fail to produce the bend to test keeper Joe Griffith, a 40-year-old veteran who signed for the club the day before, while Brooks launched a hurried attempt into the crowd.

Rhyl’s only yellow of the match came on 38 minutes when Alex Jones reacted to a late tackle and a stand-off ensued which also saw Mountain’s Joe Holt enter the book.

HALF-TIME: 1-0 Rhyl 1879

The hosts will have been happy at how comfortably they kept the visitors at bay in the first 45 minutes, but Mountain emerged a different proposition after the changeover.

In the 50th minute Sam Henry’s inswinging corner from the left was back-headed in by the always dangerous Lloyd Ellams.

With the height in their ranks, Mountain always asked questions from set-pieces, but for the most part 1879 coped really well, defenders Casey Faulkner, Miles Todd, captain Reece Fairhurst and James Jones standing out.

Rhyl nearly regained the lead when Alex Jones played a great one-two and shot for goal, but Ieuan Hewitt produced an heroic goal-line clearance.

Then on the hour, Mountain went 2-1 up. Sub Tom Ruffer raced into the box, had his first shot blocked, but the ball broke nicely for him and he blasted past Griffith, who got his hands to the effort but was unable to keep it out.

Mountain looked to have it under control at this point, but then pushed the self-destruct button.

Brooks was shown a yellow and red for dissent on 68 minutes and from there, the visitors appeared to lose focus while 1879 upped the ante.

The 82nd minute brought a major flashpoint.

Todd twice had headers blocked before the referee pointed to the spot.

Mountain skipper Hewitt was shown a straight red for disputing the decision, leading to some of the visitors’ bench coming onto the field. It appeared for one moment that Shannon was going to take his team off the park, but common sense prevailed.

The penalty still stood, but the delay and all the commotion in the box and elsewhere would not have done taker Alex Jones’ concentration much good.

Nonetheless, calm as you like, Jones stepped up to score and make it 2-2 on 85 minutes.

Rhyl now pressed for the decider and it came in the 90th minute.

Substitute James Cairns crossed low into the box, Sam Ashton helped the ball on aod Buckley steered in what ended up the winner.

In the aftermath, Holt became the third player red-carded and after the final whistle Dom McHugh was also dismissed.

It had been a fantastic Trophy tie, but sadly the lack of discipline from the visitors took some of the shine off it.

TEAMS

RHYL 1879

Joe Griffith
Chris Bennett (Sion Williams 76)
Casey Faulkner
Miles Todd
Reece Fairhurst
James Jones
Sam Ashton
Alex Jones
Macauley Taylor (James Cairns 86)
Oli Buckley (Meirion Pughe 95)
Adam Hold
SUBS NOT USED
Dan Sim
Luke Griffin

FLINT MOUNTAIN

John Danby
Dom McHugh
Ieuan Hewitt
Rowan Brooks
Mike Hayes
Calyn Spencer (Rowan Whelan 86)
Joe Holt
Aaron Simpson
Chris Li (Tom Ruffer 34)
Lloyd Ellams
Sam Henry
SUBS NOT USED
Corey Smart
Taylor Edwards
George Woodburn