Welsh Cup upsets – second qualifying round: big wins for Phoenix, Llansannan, Talysarn, Gaerwen, Carno & Cerrig

WELSH CUP UPSETS QUALIFYING ROUND 2 – SATURDAY, AUGUST 24

Penmaenmawr Phoenix (T4) 5 CPD Pwllheli (T3) 2

What a way to celebrate your 50th birthday!

Victory over a team from a league above in the most prestigious competition of all – the Welsh Cup.

Penmaenmawr Phoenix of the tier 4 North Wales Coast East League Premier pulled off one of the results of the weekend as they eliminated third-tier Pwllheli of the Ardal North West at Cae Sling.

On what has been a landmark week for Pen, reaching the 50th year since becoming a Phoenix club, it seemed fitting to have a home fixture in the number one national knockout.

Pwllheli came out on top in their first qualifying game 3-1 at Kerry, while Phoenix overcame Barmouth and Dyffryn away in a dramatic penalty shootout to reach the second qualifying round.

The stage was set for what was anticipated to be a good game.

Phoenix had invited all past and present players and members to attend the game and celebrate the history of the club.

In the seventh minute, skipper Liam Griffiths played a ball over the top for Adam Hold to race through on goal only to be brought down by Tomos Davies on the edge of the area.

The defender was lucky only to be shown a yellow card, however up stepped James Hobson to hammer home the free kick to give the home team an early advantage.

This seemed to inspire the hosts, who began to play some really good football, dominating possession and creating chances.

Aaron Keating’s side were rewarded in the 18th minute when Daniel Williams’ dribble down the left wing and cross into the box found Hold, whose acrobatic scissor kick found the back of the net.

Hold repaid his assister in the 28th minute when he played a lovely through ball for Williams to run onto, the centre forward lashing into the net with his left foot.

Pwllheli regrouped and Dafydd Roberts cut the deficit in the 42nd minute when he went through on goal and slotted past the keeper.

The away team showed why they are a well-established tier 3 side as they continued to put pressure on the Phoenix before the break,

Evergreen Carl Jones gave them even more hope when he curled a free kick into the top corner in the 44th minute.

Half-time: Phoenix 3 Pwllheli 2

The break came at the perfect time for the home team, giving them a chance to regroup.

Pen came out the better team for the second half, but Pwllheli defended well and created chances for themselves. It felt like the next goal would be ultra-important.

In the 68th minute Hold was again felled on the edge of the area in almost identical position as the first goal of the game.

And Hobson thumped home his second free kick of the day to make it 4-2.

The tie was put to bed in the 79th minute with a goal worthy of a Puskas Award.

Hobson crossed a free kick from the left and found Hold just outside the 18-yard box. Hold tried his luck with a full bicycle kick and watched as the ball sailed into the top corner,

Cae Sling erupted with jubilant scenes.

The Phoenix celebrations carried on long into the night with members of the club in great spirits reminiscing with stories from past and present.

Carno (T4) 2 Penycae (T3) 1

Tier 3 Penycae of the Ardal North East crashed out at fourth-tier Central Wales Northern outfit Carno.

All the goals arrived in the first half at Ty Brith Field, captain Geraint Jones and Sam Williams putting the Powys hosts two-up before William Nevitt replied.

Great outcome for Carno, who knocked out another T3 side in Radnor Valley at the previous stage.

CPD Cerrigydrudion (T4) 3 Llansantffraid (T3) 1

North Wales Coast East Premier side Cerrig marched on in the 2024-25 Welsh Cup at the expense of Ardal North East strugglers Llansantffraid.

It was no ordinary 3-1, though. There were no goals until 79 showed on the clock when Llan took the lead before three in five minutes from the hosts won them the tie.

Sub Alfie Harrison levelled on 83, Gruffudd Edwards made it 2-1 after 87 and captain Tomos Tryfan Jones added another a minute later.

Cerrig’s Tirion Griffiths was shown a red card in the 90th minute, but Elystan Hughes’ men are into the first round proper.

CPD Llansannan (T4) 2 Conwy Borough (T3) 2 (Llansannan won 5-4 on pens)

North Wales Coast East Premier Division leaders Llansannan continued their amazing start to the season by making it seven unbeaten after knocking distinguished tier 3 visitors Conwy out of the Welsh Cup on penalties.

The deadlock remained unbroken until the 57th minute when Macsen Rhys Williams nudged Boro into the lead.

Lewys Jones made it 1-1 on 75 and Ben Allis put Llan ahead in the 81st minute.

Lewys Jones was red-carded for the hosts two minutes into stoppage time and Jack Williams converted a penalty to force a shoot-out.

And it was the lower league outfit who came out on top, scoring five penalties compared to Conwy’s four.

CPD Rhos Aelwyd (T3) 0 CPD Gaerwen (T5) 2

Teenage sensation Calum Thomas scored twice inside the first quarter-hour to seal the biggest upset of the weekend as tier 5 Gaerwen toppled Rhos Aelwyd of tier 3 away.

It took just four minutes before the 17-year-old was put through via a great pass from keeper Tom Hughes to slot the ball under onrushing custodian Daniel Roberts.

It was double delight for Thomas and Gaerwen on 13 when Gwion Parry produced some immense work on the right flank, rounding the full back and squaring to Calum to roll in his second of the game.

Rhos Aelwyd were finding a bit of joy with some long balls, but the Auctioneers back-line were limiting the home side to little but half chances. On 33 minutes, Gaerwen’s Kieran Williams smashed a 35 yard shot which went just over the bar.

Aelwyd came out strongly for the second half, but again the more likely team to score was the young islanders, but although going close with efforts which included Jay Finter clipping the bar from 25 yards and Thomas nearly getting his second hat-trick on the bounce, only for a great save by Roberts, the score stayed at 2-0. What a day for Gaerwen!

This match was reported on in more depth by Grassroots North Wales on Saturday.

Talysarn Celts (T4) 1 Llandrindod Wells (T3) 0

All hail the pride of the Nantlle Valley!

Talysarn Celts pulled off one of their greatest-ever results on Saturday when the tier 4 North Wales Coast West Premier village side dumped Ardal North East tier 3 strugglers Llandrindod out of the Welsh Cup.

Wayne Jones’ heroes won the tie thanks to a goal three minutes into added time at the end of the first half from Glyn Hughes-Thomas, Jack Usher, who had only just taken the field as a substitute, providing the assist.

A day to forget for the visitors was made worse when they had James Barker red-carded in the 88th minute.