WELSH CUP ROUND FOUR: Tier 3 Trearddur Bay make history in Wales’ premier knockout
JD WELSH CUP ROUND FOUR – DECEMBER 13, 2025
Trearddur Bay 5 (Hilditch 12, Aziamale 39, T Jones 72, Samuel 77, Armstrong 90+5)
Newport City 3 (McLaggon 66, Jarvis 90+1, Hillman 90+3)
Trearddur Bay produced one of the finest performances ever by an Anglesey side to knock out higher level Newport City in an eight-goal Welsh Cup thriller.
Leading 4-1 entering the 90th minute, Campbell Harrison’s men were still not home and dry when the Cymru South visitors pulled two goals back in quick succession.
One more goal from the South Walians would have forced a penalty shootout and potential heartbreak for the hosts, but Liam Armstrong’s 95th minute strike finally put the tie to bed.
Bay now become only the fifth Ynys Môn side in history to reach the Welsh Cup quarter-finals.
The previous four, Holyhead Town, Glantraeth, Llangefni Town and Holyhead Hotspur all gallantly failed to progress to the semis, so Trearddur are on the verge of carving their own unique niche in the 148-year-old competition.
On a run of seven straight wins, but sitting fourth in Tier 3 Ardal North West, the Beach Boys were second favourites to see off a Newport team fourth in second-tier Cymru South.
Yet despite the eventual closeness of the contest, Bay were always in control of the encounter, staged at Treborth, near Bangor.
It was no surprise to see Tom Hilditch strike the first blow for the hosts in the 12th minute.
With eight goals in his previous six games, the forward made the most of a Sean McCaffery assist to net his 20th net-finder of the season.
Hilditch then turned provider in the 39th minute, setting up Christoph Aziamale for his 14th goal of the 2025-26 campaign.
Leading 2-0 at the break, Trearddur were in a very handy position.
City hit back in the 66th minute when former Barry Town United hitman Kayne Mclaggon halved the deficit.
However, this only served to inspire the Anglesey side to greater heights as evergreen ex-Welsh Premier marksman Toby Jones made it 3-1 on 72, substitute Sebastian Samuel assisting.
And when the roles were reversed after 77, Jones providing the platform for Samuel to score the team’s fourth, it looked to be all over.
However, Newport City are known for their resilience and the 2024 FAW Amateur Trophy winners responded through Nat Jarvis and Danny Hillman on 91 and 93 respectively to make for a tense finish.
However, the influential Samuel’s involvement helped Armstrong make it 5-3 with 90+5 on the clock and a jubilant Trearddur Bay were into the last eight.
TREARDDUR BAY
Paul Pritchard, Thomas Taylor, Liam Armstrong, Thomas Lennon, Sean McCaffery, Tom Hilditch, Christoph Aziamale, Toby Jones, Joe Williams, Gareth Evans, Harri Jones. Subs used: Morgan Rowlands, Sebastian Samuel. Unused subs: Owen Griffiths, Leo Morris, Jac Giles