Cookson Cup: Kinmel Bay and Llandudno Junction are into the final!

Fantastic goalmouth action from Kinmel Bay v NFA. All photos BECCA GREGSON – huge thanks

NORTH WALES COAST EAST LEAGUE COOKSON CUP SEMI-FINALS

Kinmel Bay 1 NFA 0

Kinmel Bay advanced to the Cookson Cup final after winning a tale of two penalties – one scored and one missed.

Saturday brought a second meeting between Bay and NFA in three weeks.

Kinmel came out on top 4-3 in the league on January 27, but the Morfa side had lost their last two Premier Division games. A tough test was assured against their visitors from Rhyl.

The game started fast with both teams playing some brilliant one-touch football, moving the ball well all over the pitch.

A good crowd gathered at Y Morfa

NFA had a couple of corners, but Bay defenders Cole Rich and Liam Jones cleared their lines well.

With Paddy Hamid running the midfield, the hosts created a couple of chances. Hamid picked out a fantastic ball over to Owain Roberts on the right and he laid off to Oli Gray.

Gray beat his defender to run into the box, forcing keeper Scott Williams to get down low and push it out wide.

Connor Morris, back from suspension, capitalised on the loose ball to try and round the NFA keeper, who was adjudged to have brought the striker down – penalty to the hosts

Up stepped Morris to dispatch the spot-kick into the bottom left corner and make it 1-0 after 20 minutes played.

NFA put the pressure on towards the end of the half and earned themselves a penalty.

Unfortunately for the visitors, Niall McGuinness put the kick wide so it remained 1-0 up to half time.

The second half carried on much the same with good chances for both sides, but it was Bay who held strong and dealt with everything NFA put forward.

Ash Wood at left-centre-back cleared so much danger and Nyal Hughes in the middle battled for everything.

The winning team line up with a special message

The last 10 minutes were a bit shaky for Bay with lots of pressure from NFA as they chased that one goal to force extra time but to no avail with many shots going high and wide.

Bay held out until the 104th minute to take a slim 1-0 win and into the final where they will face Llandudno Junction

Bay MOM: Ashley Wood
NFA MOM: Paul Jones

CPD Cerrigydrudion 2 Llandudno Junction 3

Junction have just celebrated a goal. Picture: CONNOR MCNAMARA

Junction fought back from 2-0 down to earn a Cookson Cup final date with Kinmel Bay after a thrilling semi at Cerrig.

With these two flying high in the North Wales Coast East Premier, a close contest was assured and it was Cerrig who struck first through Tegid Williams on 10 minutes.

After some end-to-end football Williams was on the mark again to double the home lead on 27.

When Junction heads had dropped ever so slightly David Maddock lifted them again when he smashed a shot out of nowhere into the back of the net to make it 2-1 at half time.

The second half was full of challenges, passion and fight from both teams, Dean Seager’s strike making it two-apiece.

A second yellow for Seager on 73 minutes saw Junction down to 10 and now the balance had surely shifted Cerrig’s way?

Not the case, as on 77 minutes the ball was bouncing around the box and Curtis Cooper placed it home to win the tie.

The last 15 saw Junction clinging on with corner after corner and numerous attempts from the home side to force an equaliser, but the Railwaymen hung on for a famous win.

Junction’s Dan Roberts: “Well done to everyone today. We weren’t great in the first half, but to show the character we did in the second half was class. Sometimes it’s not all about playing good football, it’s showing character that can win games on their own.”