Archive Classics: A day fans of Chirk AAA will never forget

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 classics from the archives

FAW TROPHY FINAL 2017

Chirk 2 (Thomas 71, Bennion 99)
Penlan Club 1 (Chappell)
(After extra time)

April 8, 2017

It was an unforgettable afternoon at Park Avenue, Aberystwyth, as Chirk lifted the FAW Trophy for the fourth time in their illustrious history.
Winners of the competition three times in the 1960s, this 2017 success made the Colliers the joint most successful North Wales club in the Trophy’s 136-year existence.
Mark Holmes’ side were great value for their win although they had to work considerably harder to beat Swansea-based Penlan Club on this occasion than they did the previous time the teams met when the men from Holyhead Road whipped the South Walians 9-0 in the 2013-14 Trophy quarter-final.
Chirk were losing finalists in 2014, but made up for it three years later.
Although the North Walians had the better of the first half possession-wise, it was Penlan who led at the break when Luke Chappell worked the ball onto his right foot just inside the box and curled a lovely shot beyond AAA’s keeper Zac Bebbington.
Glovesman Bebbington produced some marvellous saves to deny the Swansea outfit a second goal, while at the other end Marcus Collins did well to thwart Chirk’s efforts to force the equaliser.
In glorious conditions, the Welsh National League Wrexham Area side deservedly levelled in the 71st minute when Collins saved an initial shot at full stretch but Matty Thomas put away the rebound.
Bebbington was in outstanding form between the sticks for the Colliers, doing as much as anyone to ensure extra time was needed.
The winner arrived in the first period when a ball was delivered into the box from the left, Chris Bennion steadied himself and lashed a lovely shot home to secure the Trophy for the heroic Colliers.

CHIRK AAA: Zac Bebbington, Rob Salisbury, Dan Hughes, Nathan Lavender, Phil Pearce, Chris Bennion, Nicky Williams, Ashton Williams (Adam Williams 82), Matty Thomas, Joe Roberts (Will Evans 112), Louis Middlehurst (Matty Woods 90).
PENLAN SOCIAL: Marcus Collins, Dale Rowe, Liam Otten, Darren Roberts, Jamie Davies (Chris Blundell 45), Jamie James, Jordan Doyle (Matthew Sillitoe 78), Corey Charles (Jason Beer 84), Darren Rowe, Luke Chappell, Carl Mucha.

CHIRK’S PATH TO THE 2016-17 FINAL

Round two: Chirk AAA 5 Rhydymwyn 1
Round three: Chirk AAA 5 AFC Brynford 1
Round four: Radnor Valley 1 Chirk AAA 3
Round five: Llanrwst United 1 Chirk AAA 2
Quarter-final: Corwen 1 Chirk AAA 2
Semi-final: Llangefni Town 0 Chirk AAA 1 (at Rhyl)

CHIRK’S SUCCESSES IN FAW TROPHY FINALS

1958-59 (known as Welsh Amateur Cup): Chirk AAA 2 Whitchurch Alport 0 (replay after 2-2 draw)
1959-60 (Welsh Amateur Cup): Chirk AAA 3 Caerau Athletic 2
1962-63 (Welsh Amateur Cup): Chirk AAA 2 Caersws 0
2016-17 (FAW Trophy): Chirk AAA 2 Penlan Club 1 (AET)

ALSO FEATURED SO FAR IN ARCHIVE CLASSICS……

Rhyl 4 Porthmadog 5 (6.1.2018)
Bala Town 2 Differdange 03 1 (9.7.2015)
Denbigh Town 1 Bangor 1876 0 (24.2.2023)
Holywell Town 4 Penrhyndeudraeth 2 (19.4.2015)
Rhyl 1 Wrexham 4 (12.5.2004)
Rhyl 5 Goytre United 2 (4.3.2006)
Prestatyn Town Reserves 2 Gwalchmai 1 (30.4.2010)
Bethesda Athletic 3 Rhyl 2 (9.2.2008)
Llanfairpwll 2 Prestatyn Town 3 (5.4.2008)