NEWFA Challenge Cup Final: Two-goal hero Lloyd Ellams guides Mountain to an amazing triumph
2023-24 MACRON NORTH EAST WALES CHALLENGE CUP FINAL
Flint Mountain 3 (Ellams 12 & 80, Sconce 15)
Mold Alexandra 2 (H Nash 32, Duffy 58)
Flint Mountain tonight won the biggest prize in their short history – but they will have no time to celebrate!
That is because in less than 24 hours, Aden Shannon’s side have a league title to go for!
Tomorrow (Saturday) Mountain travel to CPD Y Felinheli knowing three points will secure them the Tier 3 Ardal North West title and promotion to the Cymru North.
The utter madness of Welsh football’s fixture planners have the sky blues down to play key matches in successive days.
And Flint cannot even call on their reserves to assist them, as the second team have a final tomorrow, taking on Ruthin Town Reserves in the NEWFA Reserve Cup showpiece game.
But Mountain have simply got on with it, tonight beating a third Tier 2 side in this season’s NEWFA Challenge Cup to lift the prestigious trophy for the first time.
It was always going to be ultra-tough for Flint to beat a Mold Alex outfit which finished fourth in the Cymru North and had won the WBS League Cup national and northern trophies.
Alex were definitely the favourites, but soon found themselves two down after Mountain made a flying start.
In the 12th minute, a free kick into the Mold box found Lloyd Ellams, who controlled, turned and fired past keeper Alex Swindell.
Just three minutes later, Jack Sconce raced onto Tom Ruffer’s through ball. Sconce was one-on-one with Swindell, the Mountain man dinking the ball past the keeper for 2-0.
Mold rallied, top-scorer Danny Warren firing straight at keeper Jamie King from a good position before the same player clattered the bar.
Alex did reply in the 32nd minute, Henry Nash finding the target following a scramble after a corner.
More chances fell for both sides, but there was no further score before the break.
Mountain missed a great opportunity to make it 3-1 before a 58th minute equaliser arrived courtesy of Mold’s Sam Duffy – game well and truly on!
Perhaps the impetus was now with Mold after coming back from two-down, yet it was the Tier 3 underdogs who upped the ante, Ryan Kershaw’s wonderful ball releasing Sconce, who was thwarted by Swindell.
Then on 80 minutes, Flint retook the lead.
Kershaw’s dangerous free kick was glanced past the keeper by two-goal hero Ellams.
Mold had a last-gasp goal disallowed, meaning Flint Mountain were the 2023-24 NEWFA Challenge Cup winners! Congratulations!
NEWFA CHALLENGE CUP LIST OF WINNERS
1969-70 Brymbo SW
1970-71 Brymbo SW
1971-72 Bala Town
1972-73 Gresford Athletic
1973-74 Llangollen
1974-75 Buckley Rovers
1975-76 Rhosddu
1976-77 Llay Welfare
1977-78 Cefn Albion
1978-79 Sunblest United
1979-80 Buckley Town
1980-81 Buckley Town
1981-82 Brymbo SW
1982-83 Brymbo SW
1983-84 Llay R.B.L.
1984-85 Brymbo SW
1985-86 Mold Alex
1986-87 Mold Alex
1987-88 Mold Alex
1988-89 Lex Xl
1989-90 Llay RBL
1990-91 Lex Xl
1991-92 Gresford Athletic
1992-93 Cefn Druids
1993-94 Wrexham AFC
1994-95 Wrexham AFC
1995-96 Brymbo
1996-97 Rhostyllen Villa
1997-98 Wrexham AFC
1998-99 Flexsys Cefn Druids
1999-2000 Oswestry Town
2000-01 Buckley Town
2001-02 Buckley Town
2002-03 Buckley Town
2003-04 Bala Town
2004-05 Buckley Town
2005-06 Buckley Town
2006-07 Bala Town
2007-08 Bala Town
2008-09 Lex Xl
2009-10 Buckley Town
2010-11 Rhos Aelwyd
2011-12 Cefn Druids
2012-13 Buckley Town
2013-14 Cefn Druids
2014-15 Mold Alexandra
2015-16 Cefn Druids
2016-17 Gresford Athletic
2017-18 Ruthin Town
2018-19 Cefn Druids
2019-20 Competition incomplete (Covid-19)
2020-21 Competition cancelled (Covid-19)
2021-22 Ruthin Town
2022-23 Holywell Town
2023-24 Flint Mountain
TOTAL WINS
9 – Buckley Town
6 – Brymbo, Cefn Druids
4 – Bala Town, Mold Alexandra
3 – Wrexham, Lex XI, Gresford Athletic
2 – Ruthin Town, Llay RBL
1 – Rhos Aelwyd, Llangollen, Llay Welfare, Buckley Rovers, Rhosddu, Cefn Albion, Sunblest United, Rhostyllen Villa, Oswestry Town, Holywell Town, Flint Mountain