Archive Classics: Corey Sinnott wonder goal lights up final, but Chris Davies double wins it for Prestatyn (2009-10)

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

SEASON 2009/10

PRESTATYN TOWN RESERVES 2 (C Davies 83, 93)
GWALCHMAI 1 (Sinnott 73)
MARCH 2010

Mark Boulton’s Prestatyn Town Reserves side continued their remarkable run of success by lifting the NWCFA Intermediate Cup with a 2-1 win over Gwalchmai in a thrilling final at Farrar Road, Bangor.
It was the latest in a long line of trophies for the Seasiders who won the Clwyd League Premier Division title two seasons in a row under “Bolly’s” management.
This extra time triumph over Gwynedd League leaders Gwalchmai certainly made up for Prestatyn’s disappointment at losing out on the Reserve Premier League title in midweek as Flint Town United claimed the inaugural crown with a 5-2 victory at Denbigh, who led 2-0 until the last 20 minutes.
The Intermediate Cup final was a real spectacle befitting a much higher level than fourth-tier of the Welsh football pyramid.
Man of the match was Prestatyn’s Chris Davies, who netted both of Town’s goals.
Prestatyn nearly grabbed a 12th minute lead when Jack Lewis’ cross from the left slipped through the grasp of keeper Kenny Hughes, but Steve Sinclair was covering to clear off the line.
Hughes produced a good stop at the feet of Jack Higgins before a ball over the Town defence put Corey Sinnott in on goal but keeper Simon Williams produced a fine block.
There was controversy three minutes later when Sinnott was again clean through but got clattered by the advancing Williams who should have been red-carded but referee Lloyd Edwards let him off with a yellow.
Gwalch finished the first half the stronger with a Mark Griffiths right-footer coming back off the bar.
Half-Time: 0-0

The second half was nip and tuck until in the 67th minute Prestatyn substitute Carl Murray’s neat header presented Ian Griffiths with a great shooting chance from an angle, but the first team regular’s strike rebounded off the post.
On 74 minutes the deadlock was finally broken with a goal worthy of winning any cup final.
Williams’ poor kick out fell at the feet of Sinnott who produced a sublime chip from all of 45 yards to beat the keeper all ends up – 1-0 Gwalchmai.
Moments later Sinnott broke down the right and crossed for Griffiths whose header flew straight at Williams when an effort either side of him would have produced a goal.
It looked as if the cup was Gwalchmai bound, but the coast side staged a late rally.
In the 83rd minute Tom Patel centred from the right, Griffiths was denied by heroic defending but the ball ran loose for Chris Davies to steer in the equaliser.
So extra time was needed and the crucial moment came in the third minute of the first period when Davies was brought down by Sinclair in the area and a penalty was rightly awarded.
Davies’ kick was pushed on to the post by Hughes but the Prestatyn youngster, who had broken into the first team that season, was quickest to the rebound to notch the winner.