REPORT – NWCFA JUNIOR CHALLENGE CUP FINAL 2025-26: Mountain Rangers 2 Llandyrnog United 1
NWCFA JUNIOR CHALLENGE CUP FINAL 2025-26
CPD Mountain Rangers 2 (Griffiths 39, Owen 49)
Llandyrnog United 1 (Appleby pen 41)
Former Everton midfielder and Caernarfon Town icon Nathan Craig laid on the winning goal which secured Mountain Rangers the NWCFA Junior Cup for the first time in their history.
Craig, 34, emerged from a four-year retirement in January to join Rangers as a player-coach and worked his magic from a 49th minute corner which enabled Cai Owen to head home the decider.
It was a tremendous battle at Y Morfa, Conwy, between two well-matched sides, but the odds turned against Llandyrnog when they were reduced to 10 men in the 22nd minute after key forward Alfie Harrison was red-carded for an off-the-ball elbow.
Around 300 spectators witnessed the 118th Junior Cup Final involving two sides which has never lifted the trophy previously.
The opening 15 minutes produced no efforts on goal whatsoever as both sides went at it hammer and tongs.
North Wales Coast West Division One hopefuls Llandyrnog, beaten finalists in 1990, forced three corners in the early stages, but all came to nothing.
Craig blasted a free kick over the bar before the incident which happened right in front of the main stand and certainly enlivened the crowd, 24-goal striker Harrison receiving a straight red.
Rangers made the most of the extra man as they launched a series of attacks, The first on-target effort of the final came on 28 minutes when Aeron Williams forced Ryan Fox into a brilliant save, keeping out a fierce 10-yard shot at his near post.
Dion Jones flashed wide from a great position for the Cae Gors side, whose pressure eventually told in the 39th minute.
Fox will feel he should have done better to prevent Dion Griffiths’ low close range shot out of the net.
Llandyrnog battled back bravely and equalised in the 41st minute.
Left-back Matt Pleavin made a great run from halfway, drawing a foul in the box resulting in referee Aaron Gray awarding a spot-kick which Luke Appleby put away.
Rangers should have retaken the lead in added time at the end of the half when Craig delivered from deep, Rhys Jones headed the ball down and Williams blasted over from six yards.
HALF-TIME: 1-1
With a whole half to come a man down, Llandyrnog needed to keep a tight ship in the opening stages of the second period, but they were left with a major mountain to climb when they conceded within four minutes of the restart.
Craig sent over a brilliant corner from the right and Cai Owen headed home unchallenged.
Rangers were now on top and dominated attack-wise, although Llandyrnog never stopped battling and countered when they could, but the scoring chances never materialised.
Rhys Jones was through but drove across the face of goal for the North Wales Coast West Division One side before Craig sent a thunderous header against the bar.
Fox saved firm strikes from Craig and Ben Aaron Davies before deep into injury time Dyrny had a late chance, but Sion Davies’ volley flew over.
In the end, a deserved win for Mountain Rangers. Had it stayed 11 v 11 who knows, but despite playing the best part of 70 minutes with 10 men, Llandyrnog left nothing on the pitch and could feel proud of their contribution to the final.
MOUNTAIN RANGERS
Darryl Edwards. Dion Jones (Elis Lloyd Jones 52), Joshua Williams (Mark Williams 90+2), Daniel Hughes, Dion Griffiths, Cai Owen, Dan Owen, Aeron Williams, Ben Aaron Davies (c), Rhys Jones, Nathan Craig.
Manager: Sion Wyn Davies
LLANDYRNOG UNITED
Ryan Fox, Ifan Clayton (Daniel Smith 64), Matt Pleavin (Will Clayton 84), Sion Davies, Michael Harrison, Rob Hurst (c), Nathan Rose, Luke Appleby, Dan Porter (Rob Swift 57), Alfie Harrison, Jack James (Adam Harvey-Davies 84). Sub: Joel Rowlands.
Manager: Sion Morris
OFFICIALS
Referee: Aaron Gray; 1st assistant: Max Wilkinson, 2md assistant: Adam Prescott, 4th official: Tony Samuel.
MAN OF THE MATCH – NATHAN CRAIG (Mountain Rangers)
Nathan Craig made his competitive first-team debut for Everton versus BATE Borisov of Belarus on December 17, 2009 in the UEFA Europa League.
On April 18, 2026, he won the NWCFA Junior Cuo with Mountain Rangers.Both games will have meant the world to him.
What a tremendous career he has had.
NWCFA JUNIOR CUP LIST OF FINALS
2025-26 Mountain Rangers 2-1 Llandyrnog United
2024-25 Blaenau Ffestiniog 5-1 Caergybi
2023-24 Cancelled at semi-final stage
2022-23 Abergele 4-0 Llandudno Amateurs
2021-22 Cemaes Bay 4-2 Talysarn Celts
2020-21 Cancelled altogether
2019-20 Cancelled semi-final stage
2018-19 Bro Goronwy 3-1 Bryngwran Bulls
2017-18 Nefyn United 4-2 Bontnewydd (aet)
2016-17 Bro Goronwy 2-0 Waunfawr
2015-16 Llanfairpwll Res 4-0 Llanfairfechan Town
2014-15 Llandudno Albion 4-2 Trearddur Bay Reserves
2013-14 Y Felinheli 6-1 Aberffraw
2012-13 Y Felinheli 4-3 Menai Bridge Tigers
2011-12 Morawelon 4-1 Talysarn Celts
2010-11 Point of Ayr 6-4 Trearddur Bay
2009-10 Mynydd Llandegai 2-2 Bangor City Reserves (Mynydd won 6-5 pens)
2008-09 Trearddur Bay United 2-1 St Asaph City
2007-08 Barmouth & Dyffryn United 2-0 Llanystumdwy
2006-07 Beaumaris Town 4-0 Rhuddlan Town
2005-06 Caernarfon Borough 4-1 Gwalchmai
2004-05 Llanystumdwy 2-2 Bontnewydd (Llanystumdwy won on pens) * 100TH FINAL
2003-04 Llangoed 2-2 Holyhead Gwelfor Athletic (won 5-4 on pens)
2002-03 Castle Rhuddlan 2-1 Bethel
2001-02 Bethel 3-1 Porthmadog Reserves
2000-01 Nantlle Vale 4-1 Llanystumdwy (after extra time)
1999-00 Nefyn United 2-1 Llanystumdwy
1998-99 Abergele 2-2 Prestatyn Town Reserves (Abergele won on pens)
1997-98 Glan Conwy 7-1 Llannerchymedd Bulls
1996-97 Amlwch Town 3-1 Llannerchymedd
1995-96 Gwalchmai 2-1 Llandudno Cricketers
1994-95 Machno United 3-1 Holyhead Hotspur
1993-94 Deiniolen 2-0 Llansannan
1992-93 Gwalchmai 1-0 Cemaes Bay Reserves
1991-92 Llangefni Reserves 2-1 Machno United
1990-91 Gwalchmai 2-1 Penrhos United
1989-90 Connah’s Quay Albion 4-0 Llandyrnog United
1988-89 Llanfairfechan 4-1 Glantraeth
1987-88 Holyhead Town 2-1 Llandegfan (after 1-1 draw)
1986-87 Bro Goronwy 2-0 Holyhead Town
1985-86 Sychdyn 3-0 Llannerchymedd (after 2-2 draw)
1984-85 Llannerchymedd 4-2 Mostyn
1983-84 Rhydymwyn 2-0 Llanfairpwll (after 1-1 draw)
1982-83 Llanfairpwll 1-0 Llanberis
1981-82 Hawarden Rangers 4-1 Felinheli
1980-81 Llanfairpwll 2-0 Rhydymwyn
1979-80 Bethesda 1-0 FlintTown United
1978-79 Llanrug 6-3 Menai Bridge
1977-78 Llanrug 2-1 Llandudno Amateurs
1976-77 Holywell Town 2-0 Machno United
1975-76 Llanfairpwll 1-0 Mountain Rangers
1974-75 Llandegfan 1-2 Beaumaris (awarded to Llandegfan, Beaumaris played ineligible players)
1973-74 Mostyn YMCA 2-0 Llanfairpwll
1972-73 Mostyn YMCA 2-0 Point of Ayr
1971-72 Mostyn YMCA 2-1 Beaumaris
1970-71 Llangoed & District 2-1 Holywell
1969-70 Rhyl Wanderers 2-1 Mountain Rangers (after 2-2 at Caernarfon)
1968-69 Llechid Celts 3-1 Mountain Rangers
1967-68 Machno United 3-2 Flint Town
1966-67 Llechid Celts 2-1 Holywell Town
1965-66 Llanberis 6-1 Mostyn YMCA
1964-65 Llanberis 5-1 Queensferry Wanderers
1963-64 Llanberis 1-0 Gwalchmai
1962-63 Brynsiencyn 1-0 Dolwyddelan
1961-62 Gwydyr Rovers 2-0 Brynsiencyn
1960-61 Gwalchmai 2-1 Newborough
1959-60 Mostyn YMCA 6-1 Newborough
1958-59 Gwalchmai 4-2 Penrhos United
1957-58 Newborough 4-1 Saltney Ferry
1956-57 Newborough 1-0 Gwalchmai
1955-56 Amlwch 2-1 Newborough
1954-55 Saltney Ferry 4-1 Llangefni
1953-54 Mostyn YMCA 5-3 Nantlle Vale
1952-53 Greenfield United 1-0 Bangor Normal College (after 3-3 draw)
1951-52 Connah’s Quay Albion 3-1 Criccieth
1950-51 Connah’s Quay Albion 6-1 Port Dinorwic
1949-50 Amlwch 3-1 Newmarket (after 2-2 draw and 1-1 draw)
1948-49 31st TRRA Kinmel 2-0 Aberffraw
1947-48 Menai Bridge 3-2 Mostyn YMCA
1946-47 Menai Bridge 3-1 Penyffordd
1945-46 Mostyn YMCA 3-1 Penmaenmawr
1939-40 Connah’s Quay Albion 3-2 Penmaenmawr
1938-39 Bangor Normal College 3-2 Connah’s Quay Athletic
1937-38 Shotton Athletic 3-1 Llanrwst
1936-37 Shotton Athletic 2-1 Llanrwst (after 0-0 draw)
1935-36 Llanberis 2-0 Holywell St James
1934-35 Llanberis 1-0 Llanrwst
1933-34 Colwyn Bay Comrades 3-1 Penrhyn United
1932-33 Menai Bridge 4-1 Llanrwst
1931-32 Menai Bridge 1-0 Llanrwst
1930-31 Mold Alexandra 5-0 Glasinfryn
1929-30 Menai Bridge 1-0 Llanddulas
1928-29 Prestatyn 5-1 Menai Bridge
1927-28 Bethesda Vics 5-1 Menai Bridge
1926-27 Menai Bridge 3-1 Bangor Normal College
1925-26 Llanrwst 2-0 Colwyn Bay Reserves
1924-25 Beaumaris 2-0 Blaenau Ffestiniog (after 1-1 draw)
1923-24 Abergele 6-0 Llechid
1922-23 Oakenholt 4-1 Llanrug
1921-22 Glasinfryn 2-1 St Asaph (after 1-1 draw)
1920-21 Bangor Reserves 2-1 Penmaenmawr (after 2-2 draw)
1919-20 Abergele 6-0 Holywell Textiles
1913-14 Menai Bridge 1-0 Abergele
1912-13 Glasinfryn Swifts 3-0 Caernarfon Reserves
1911-12 Menai Bridge 2-1 Llanfairfechan
1910-11 Holyhead Reserves 3-0 Llandudno Reserves
1909-10 Bagillt 2-0 Llanberis
1908-09 Llanrwst 4-2 Bangor Reserves
1907-08 Llanrwst 1-0 Holyhead Reserves (after 2-2 draw)
1906-07 Rhyl Vcis 3-1 Llanrwst (after 2-2 draw)
1905-06 Greenfield 0-0 Holyhead (cup shared after two 2-2 draws)
1904-05 Bangor Reserves 1-0 Flint UAC
1903-04 Conway 2-1 Bangor (after 1-1 draw)
1902-03 Flint UAC 3-1 Bangor Reserves (after 1-1 draw)
1901-02 Llanrwst 3-2 Flint UAC (after 2-2 draw)
1900-01 Rhyl Reserves 6-0 Llanrwst
1899-1900 Flint Reserves 3-1 Caernarfon
1898-99 Colwyn Bay 2-1 Llanrwst
1897-98 Bangor Reserves 1-0 Buckley Town Reserves
1896-97 Buckley Vics 5-0 Llandudno Reserves
1895-96 Bangor 3-1 St Asaph