MATCH OF THE DAY 2: Broughton clear at peak after edging seven-goal thriller

NORTH EAST WALES FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE – NOVEMBER 15, 2025

Hawarden Rangers 3 (Callum Cartwright 35, Connor Parry 40, Scott Davies 90+17)
Broughton United 4 (Callum Webber 7, 54, Nathan Swann-Jones 42, Luke Muia 66)

REPORT: Shaun Best

Broughton United are out on their own at the top of NEWFA Division One, following today’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Hawarden Rangers. As a result, a five point gap has now opened up at the league’s summit.

The top of the table clash was moved to Airbus UK Broughton’s Hollingsworth Group Stadium to combat the wet weather that had blighted most of the country over the last 24 hours.

Broughton wasted little time in getting forward and struck first blood. James Rutter found teammate Callum Webber in space in the box and the frontman calmly stroked the ball into the net.

De facto host side Hawarden suffered a blow when their own marksman Noah Sumner pulled up and limped off the pitch, bringing a premature end to his afternoon. Hawarden goalkeeper Elliot Collins was then on high alert to punch clear a teasing Elliott Evans corner.

The hosts soaked up the pressure and found an equaliser with their first effort on goal. Thomas Bridges broke clear and his pull back was smashed in on the line by Callum Cartwright.

Minutes later, another effort led to another goal as Hawarden handed out another lesson in clinical finishing. Bridges was once again the architect. This time, the winger threaded through for Connor Parry to coolly slot beyond Broughton goalkeeper Liam Tarran.

The lead didn’t last long. Another Evans corner found the head of Nathan Swann-Jones, who rose highest to head down into the bottom corner. Both teams went into the break on level terms.

A Rutter screamer had Collins clasping for air as it whistled inches over the bar, but Broughton got their noses in front once again with their next attack. Some fancy footwork from Lewis Wright, which wouldn’t look out of place on the dancefloor of Strictly unlocked the Hawarden defence and enabled Webber to slot in his second from close range.

Webber sought a hat-trick and was heard asking to stay on, but he didn’t get his wish. However, the Broughton double substitution crucially and quickly paid dividends. Lewis Jones’s low delivery caused chaos in the box and Luke Muia reacted quickest to knock the ball in off the post.

Hawarden pushed for a way back into the match. Callum Cartwright drove a low effort into the box and an instinctive foot from a teammate drove the ball goalwards, but Tarran somehow kept it out.

A nasty clash of heads between the Hawarden rearguard of George Thomas and Haydn Cartwright caused a lengthy delay, with both sets of physios coming on to treat Thomas, who had suffered the brunt of the impact. Thankfully the patched up Thomas was able to leave the pitch on his own power and was substituted as a precaution.

Deep into stoppages, Bridges claimed his third assist of the game. The winger’s searching ball was expertly chested down by Scott Davies, before the substitute quickly hit a shot on the turn which flew across goal and beyond Tarran into the bottom corner.

Broughton’s Jayden Evans missed a golden chance right at the end, rolling inches wide of the post. Some 70 minutes after kicking off the second half, the referee brought a pulsating game to a close.

Headcount: 80