WELSH CUP: Porthmadog and Dolgellau knock out higher-ranked opponents, Mold heartbreak

JD WELSH CUP ROUND TWO REPORTS – OCTOBER 18

Porthmadog 0 Buckley Town 0 (Porthmadog won 4-1 on pens)

For the second consecutive round Tier 3 Porthmadog knocked out a team from a league above on penalties.

Taking on in-form Cymru North outfit Buckley Town, who had won their previous away game 7-0, Ardal North West leaders Port prevailed after a 0-0 draw with goalkeeper Josh Cooke saving two spot-kicks in the shootout.

This was a truly remarkable win for Chris Jones men especially taking into account the amount of pressure Buckley managed to exert on the Port rearguard for a lengthy spell during the second half.

The first half was a fairly even affair with Port holding their own. The Bucks came fairly close to opening the scoring when an under-hit attempted back pass by Danny Brookwell to Cooke was intercepted, but the Port defence managed to clear the danger.

Then, it was Port’s turn when skipper Cai Jones’ fine header was blocked before troubling the keeper and the same player sent in a strong half volley from distance which just missed the upright. Half-time 0-0.

The second half was barely three minutes old when Cooke pulled off a brilliant save from a first-time close-range volley.

For much of the second half, Port were under severe pressure as Buckley won a litany of corner kicks which were excellently dealt with by the home defenders with timely blocks and no nonsense clearances.

However, it wasn’t all Buckley as Port sub Sam Reynolds was put clean through on goal only for the onrushing Josh Tibbetts to pull off a fine point-blank stop.

Buckley threatened when a splendid half volley by Aled Bellis only just cleared the crossbar before Port`s Caio Evans side-footed a goal-bound shot which prompted a clearance off the line.

No goals so it was down to penalties.

Cavanagh and Ryan Williams scored for Port, while Daniel Burgess and Nick Grogan were both denied by the heroic Cooke.

Jonny Bravo put Port 3-0 up before Bradley Knight replied for Buckley, but Arden Gisbourne’s successful kick meant it was all over.

Newtown 0 Caernarfon Town 3

Cymru Premier visitors Caernarfon were a class above a Newtown outfit which lost their top-flight status last season after a 23-year stint.
Town took a 21st minute lead when Sion Bradley won possession and passed to Connor Evans whose shot was kept out by Dave Jones, but Josh Lock was on hand to head in the rebound.
Caernarfon’s second on 35 minutes was a beauty, Phil Mooney netting with a superb header from a pinpoint Lock cross via the left.
Goal number three after 75 minutes was another well-worked affair. Sub Osebi Abadaki showed great strength in breaking from his own half and slipping the ball to Iwan Lewis, who passed neatly to Connor Evans inside the box and he scored left-footed after a smart turn.

Bala Town 0 Connah’s Quay Nomads 3

Callum West, Max Woodcock and Harry Franklin were all on target as Nomads reached the JD Welsh Cup third round with an impressive 3-0 victory over Bala Town at Maes Tegid.
West capitalised on a mistake from Bala goalkeeper Joel Torrance to slot Nomads ahead shortly before half time.
Kit Margetson produced a stunning save to deny Levi Lumeka to maintain the Nomads’ narrow lead before Woodcock’s sweet strike and Franklin’s close range header wrapped up victory for John Disney’s side.

Bow Street 0 Flint Town United 3

Elliott Reeves’ second-half double finally killed off the determined challenge of tier-three underdogs Bow Street.
The sides were level at 0-0 before in first half added time Ben Wynne put the Cymru Premier visitors ahead.
Reeves sealed the result with goals on 67 and 73 minutes, George Maire providing the assist for the Silkmen’s third.

Broughton United 0 Trearddur Bay 6

Tier 4 minnows Broughton said farewell to this season’s Welsh Cup after a six-goal caning at the hands of Ardal North West travellers Trearddur Bay.
Former Welsh Premier forward Toby Jones scored twice for the Tier 3 Anglesey side, whose other marksmen were Tom Hilditch (penalty) and Christoph Azimale, while the unfortunate Danny Jones conceded two own goals.

Caersws 0 Dolgellau 1

An upset at the Recreation Ground as Cymru North hosts Caersws were knocked out by Tier 3 visitors visitors Dolgellau, Osian Morris with the 93rd minute decider.

Gresford Athletic 9 Llanrug United 0

Jake Roberts and Iwan Roberts both notched hat-tricks as a Gresford side beaten 7-0 at home in a Cymru North fixture last weekend turned the script on its head by slamming nine past Tier 4 visitors Llanrug United in the Welsh Cup.
Sub Dominic Deacon (2) and Haci Ozlu added further goals for the Colliers.

Holyhead Hotspur 2 Airbus UK Broughton 5

Trailing 2-0, Hotspur fought back to level with the Cymru North leaders, only for Airbus to go up another gear and win the tie with three further strikes.
Kaiden Cooke and George Peers put Mark Allen’s Wingmakers two ahead before a pair of goals in four minutes from Connor Owen and Craig Whelan made it all-square.
Peers struck again in first half stoppage time to give Airbus a narrow interval lead.
Tyler McManus made it 4-2 soon after the restart and Sam Baker pocketed number five on 88 minutes. Hotspur exited the competition but not without putting up a good battle.

Holywell Town 3 Rhostyllen 2

Holywell led 2-0, were pegged back to two apiece by their Tier 4 visitors, but struck late to edge a tricky tie.
Jake Cooke’s 22nd minute net-finder put the Wellmen in front, a Lewis Bickerton-Cole OG made it two on 61, but Tom Douglas and skipper Adam Williams replied on 69 and 82 respectively to raise the prospect of a big upset.
Unfortunately for the North East Wales League Division 1 hopefuls, their Cymru North opponents had the final say when Ieuan Hewitt notched an 88th minute decider.

CPD Llannefydd 1 Penrhyncoch 1 (Penrhyncoch won 3-1 on pens)

Unlucky Llannefydd missed out on a giant-killing when they went out on penalties at the hands of Cymru North guests Penrhyncoch.
The Ardal North West side took a 53rd minute lead through Mathew Jones, but Daniel Owen saved Penrhyn’s skins with an equaliser on 85.
Llannefydd missed three penalties in the shootout which saw Penrhyn progress 3-1.

Mold Alexandra 1 The New Saints 2

Massive heartbreak for huge underdogs Mold as Saints scraped a victory thanks to a 90th minute header from Harvey Godsmark-Ford.
The Cymru North hosts performed marvels to keep the tie at 0-0 until the 68th minute when Ryan Astles finally put the 17-time Cymru Premier champions ahead following a corner.
Any thoughts that this would be the end of Mold proved unfounded when Eddie Servuts levelled on 72 after Owen Cordiner charged down an attempted clearance.
Mold keeper Joe Smith kept his team in the tie with two stupendous saves from Astles headers before Saints were spared penalties by that last-gasp headed winner from another corner.