North East Wales League – Gronant 12 wins in row and lead Championship, Acton and Corwen edge cup crackers
NORTH EAST WALES LEAGUE – JANUARY 6 REPORTS
HORACE WYNNE CUP
Acton 5 Plas Madoc 4
An all-Championship Division nine-goal thriller saw Acton edge the honours after recovering from 4-2 down.
Madoc led 3-2 at half time thanks to Ryan Jakovlevs (2) and Nicky Williams, Samuel Giles and Andrew Bithell replying for the hosts.
When Josh Hughes put the visitors two goals ahead six minutes into the second period, it looked like Acton were in trouble, but Bithell made it 4-3 before late strikes from Seb Kidd and Michael Pugh won it for the hosts.
Corwen 5 Ruabon Rovers 4
Premier Division leaders Corwen were given a great battle by top-flight newcomers Ruabon in another nine-goal special.
Owen Cordiner (2) and Joe Ephraim put the hosts 3-1 up at the break, Kyle Evans replying, but the tie was far from over.
Jimmy Jones and Andrew Swarbrick brought it back to 3-3, Les Brophy made it 4-3 on 71 and Cordiner completed his hat-trick on 79, but Conner Kendrick reduced the deficit to one late on to create a tense finish.
Caerwys 1 Coedpoeth United 0
Harry Roberts’ 15th minute decider was enough to send Caerwys into the next round.
Sklppy 0 Connah’s Quay Town 25
Lee Jones scored six, while Lewis Harris and Lewis Hodson added four apiece in this overwhelming victory for Town.
Will Leonard (3, 1 pen), Jordan Hensel (2), Ryan Hewitt (2), Pascal Gomez, Josh Williams (pen), Ben Howarth and Shay Davies provided the rest.
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION
CPD Gronant 4 CPD Sychdyn 0
A 12th straight league win for Gronant put them top of the Championship, but visitors Sychdyn made life hard for their hosts with a battling display.
It was 0-0 at half time and Sandy Malone’s side may have wondered if it could be one of those days, but they found their goal touch in the second period.
Dylan Taylor broke the deadlock on 63 minutes, then Matthew Lewis, Declan O’Connor and Liam Rowland-Jones added further strikes before the end.
NEWFA RESERVE CUP
Castell Alun Colts Reserves 0 Saltney Town Reserves 2
Rhys Baines edged Saltney in front after eight minutes and a second from Fabrizio Donna on 72 made sure the Bordermen advanced to the next stage.
FC Queen’ s Park Reserves 4 Buckley Town Reserves 1
Richard Jones (2, 1 pen), Stephen Rees and Sean Price split the goals as the ever-impressive Park Reserves saw off Buckley, who bagged a consolation through William Weaver.
Gresford Athletic Reserves 7 Connah’s Quay Town Reserves 2
No stopping Gresford as Callum Wakefield and Robert Reynolds delivered a double apiece in a home thrashing of Town.
William Evans, James Reynolds and Leonardo Almeida bagged one apiece for the Colliers, Damon Bradley and Kai Hardcastle with replies for the Deesiders.
Penyffordd Lions Reserves 3 Mold Alexandra Reserves 1
Great win for Penyffordd, with Matthew Holmes (2) and Paul Jones supplying the all-important home goals.
Jay Hughes was the sole Mold marksman.
FRIDAY – NEWFA Reserve Cup
Flint Mountain Reserves 3 Mynydd Isa Reserves 1
James Dunseath, Dylan Owens and veteran Wayne Edwards bagged the goals which put Mountain into the next round.
Substitute Joseph Liptrot made it 1-1 on 68 minutes after Dunseath had broken the deadlock on 56.
Owens notched Mountain’s second on 89 and Edwards added the third in stoppage time.
The hosts also had Alex Goundrey sent off a minute past the 90 for a second yellow card.