Having covered North Wales football for close on 40 years. I’ve attended and reported on hundreds if not thousands of games across the pyramid.
Here’s another in a series of personal classics from the archives
James McIlvogue produced one of his best performances in a Llandudno shirt as the Seasiders triumphed in the 2009-10 Cymru Alliance League Cup Final at Globe Way, Buckley.
The Silkmen struggled to cope with Tudno’s former Welsh Premier striker McIlvogue but prior to the game all eyes were on Shaun Beck.
The Flint forward was the Alliance’s top-scorer that season, but he failed to convert a number of chances in the opening 10 minutes.
That was to prove costly on 13 minutes when the referee pointed to Flint’s penalty spot.
Paul Roberts crossed and John Davies bundled veteran McIlvogue to the ground.
Lee Thomas made no mistake to give Tudno the lead.
On 26 minutes Flint almost grabbed the equaliser as Tudno keeper Paul Whitfield parried a Mike Thelwell volley and blocked a header on target from Beck.
Half-Time: Llandudno 1 Flint Town United 0
Beck was to be denied again on 69 minutes when a snap-shot again found Whitfield rather than the net.
Just five minutes later it was game over as McIlvogue went through one-on-one. Despite Andy Hughes getting a hand to the initial strike, McIlvogue nodded the ball home to spark scenes of celebration.
It proved to be an enthralling contest between the Alliance’s second and third-placed clubs.
Llandudno’s keeper Whitfield excelled to earn the plaudits as the man of the final.
There were emotional scenes after the game with Llandudno club stalwart Brian Jarvis joining in the celebrations.
Flint went on to finish runners-up in the Cymru Alliance while Llandudno ended up third. Llangefni Town were crowned champions.
Llandudno also reached the NWCFA Challenge Cup Final but lost 1-0 to Porthmadog.
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