Archive Classics: Rhyl trail 2-0 to underdogs but battle back to win epic Welsh Cup clash (2005-06)

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 2005-06

RHYL 5 (Stones 48, Moran 54 & 65, Sharp 70 & 80)
GOYTRE UNITED 2 (Davies 7, Penney 30)
WELSH CUP QUARTER-FINAL
MARCH 4, 2006

Trailing 2-0 at half time to rank outsiders Goytre United, Rhyl woke their ideas up after the break and romped into the Welsh Cup semis with a five-goal salvo.

Welsh League Division One title contenders Goytre were given little hope of progression against the Welsh Premier Lilywhites, three-time winners of the national cup, the most recent success having come in 2004 as part of a quadruple-winning campaign.

But the visitors looked on course for one of the great Welsh Cup upsets when they led mighty Rhyl 2-0 at the midway point.

Kevin Davies netted on seven minutes and Ryan Penney struck on the half-hour to leave the large home crowd shell-shocked at the interval.

But Rhyl manager John Hulse showed his mettle as his dressing room tirade left his team in no doubt what was expected of them in the second half.

And they delivered emphatically.

Greg Stones powered home a far-post header to reduce the deficit and two goals in 11 minutes from Andy Moran, one from the spot, put Rhyl ahead in the 65th minute.

The home supporters were now in raptures and it got better, substitute Chris Sharp crowning a sensational fightback with a brace to earn the Belle Vue side a semi-final tie with Port Talbot.

Rhyl went on to win the Welsh Cup for the fourth time, defeating arch-rivals Bangor City 2-0 in the final at the Racecourse, Wrexham.

Rhyl: John Gann, Mark Connolly (Tim Edwards), Stuart Graves, Greg Stones, George Horan, James Brewerton, Marc Limbert (Mark Powell), Andy Moran, Lee Hunt (Chris Sharp), Ricky Evans, Chris Adamson. Attendance: 456.