PICTURE by Richard Gregson shows Marc Parry scoring for Cefni in their 7-2 win over Llangoed.
THE 21/22 edition of the FAW Amateur Trophy kicked off on Saturday afternoon and brought with it some cracking encounters.
Cefni advanced to round two of the cup with a fantastic 7-2 away win at Llangoed.
The home side raced into the lead after just 15 seconds when Llion Roberts got in behind the Cenfi defence and put in a delightful ball for Anthony Williams who made no mistake to a lot home.
Cefni were back in the tie just moments later however – the in-form Marc Parry notching home with a tidy finish last Llangoed keeper Duane Hunt to equalise.
The visitors then began to find their rhythm and it wasn’t long before they took complete control of the tie.
Parry (below on right) added another, with forward Gwynfor Owen (who later sadly went off after sustaining a nasty knee injury) bagging a 15-minute hat-trick and Andrew Cleator adding one to give Cefni a resounding 6-1 lead at the break.
Llangoed looked better in the second 45 and were rewarded for their efforts when Llion Roberts tapped home from close range. Cleator then scored for Cefni right at the death to complete and emphatic win for the visitors.
Bodedern Athletic continued their ruthless form with a 9-0 win over CPD Y Fali.
Former Bangor City and Gwalchmai man Marc Evans (below) was the star of the show with four goals to show for his efforts on the day.
Goal machine Asa Thomas managed a double – as did talented midfielder Casey Gregg, with Sean Pritchard adding the other as Boded proved to be far too strong for their tier five opponents.
Aberffraw impressed as they advanced past Caergybi with a big 5-1 win.
Tom Hughes and club stalwart Richard Roberts (below) bagged a brace each and substitute Liam Williams added the other goal as Berffro impressed.
Despite the defeat for Cybi, talented young forward Louis Chapman once again managed to get on the scoresheet for his side. That’s now 7 goals in just 3 matches for the 20-year-old already this season.
Llanerchymedd maintained their winning streak as they beat higher league opponents Pentraeth 4-1 in the cup. Here’s AFE contributor Tomos Wyn Jones’ match report from that game …
Llan produced a scintillating display at Tan Parc, blowing away the visiting side with their powerful attack.
Both sets of players fought their way through a gruelling afternoon in the heat. The home team started on the front foot and set their high intensity from the off. Tom Kelly played an excellent ball down the left to Mark Jones, who put it on a plate across goal for Gwion Owen, but he missed the target by slicing it across goal.
A few moments later Chris Bennett made an excellent run and produced a great ball towards the feet of Mark Jones, who took a touch but his shot was aimed straight towards Pentraeth’s goalkeeper Osian Howarth who stood his ground well.
It was only a matter of time before Llanerchymedd would make the breakthrough though, and on 11 minutes, Kelly opened the scoring. He worked the ball well onto his left foot and bent it into the top left corner from 25 yards out, giving Howarth no chance. It looked like the home side would start scoring goals for fun, and nearly did during a crazy five-minute period following the goal. James Burgess nearly caught the goalkeeper off his line, however, his half volley attempt hit the roof of the net. A minute later, they hit the post through Owen.
By the 24th minute, Llanerchymedd had hit the woodwork three times, this time it was Burgess who was the unfortunate culprit. Bennett worked it well down the right-hand side, put it on a plate for the man-mountain striker, but his header hit the post from six yards out. The Tan Parc outfit were wasting chances, and nearly paid the price for that in the 43rd minute. Marc Lock battled well in the middle of the park to win the ball back for the visitors, glided halfway into the home side’s half, pinpointed an excellent through ball into the path of Leon Owen who shrugged off the Llanerchymedd defender but saw his effort hit the woodwork from an excellent shooting position. It was a big let off for Llanerchymedd, who were wasteful during the opening period. Their wastefulness continued into stoppage time too, as they missed an absolute sitter through Mark Jones. Burgess dummied the cross right to the path of the striker, yet he struck the ball straight towards the keeper from 5 yards out.
If the first half was anything to go by, it would only be a matter of time before the home side would double their advantage. Having said this, Llanerchymedd started the second half in a sluggish manner, losing the intensity they had in the opening 45-minute period. The first chance of the second half didn’t come until the 56th minute, where ‘Medd’s Burgess audaciously created an overhead kick for himself, but he didn’t generate enough power on the ball and it sailed wide of the mark.
Pressure was starting to mount on Pentraeth though as the home side picked up the pace as they grew into the second half. Then followed an incredible 10-minute period in the game. The second goal for the Tan Parc outfit came in the 65th minute, with Bennett pulling out some audacious skills. He controlled the ball well with his knee, lobbed the Pentraeth defender before calmly slotting the ball to Howarth’s left, giving him no chance with Bennett’s precision. The goal most certainly is a contender for a goal of the month award – it was a Dennis Bergkamp-esque finish!
However, out of nowhere, Pentraeth struck back immediately. An excellent through ball found striker Nathan Jones one on one against keeper Kenny Hughes, who rounded the veteran and slotted it into the net to make it 2-1. Llanerchymedd needed to restore order into the game and did just that by keeping possession of the ball well, inviting the Pentraeth players to come and press them and try to catch them out of position.
Llanerchymedd’s third goal came in the 73rd minute through a deep corner taken by sub Deion Evans, Daniel Thomas headed the ball back across goal for Mark Jones who couldn’t miss his header within the 6-yard box. It was a deserved goal for the striker who had worked tirelessly throughout the game and got his reward with the goal.
Pentraeth struggled to get themselves back into the game after the third goal as Llanerchymedd made it difficult for them to get a grip hold of the game and deprived them of any attacking play. Jones then added to his tally on the 87th minute to make it 4-1 for the home side. Pentraeth nearly scored a consolation in stoppage time as 17-year-old Cai Evans-Hughes struck the bar from 25-yards out with the ball dipping. Had he taken the shot 5 yards further aback I’m sure it would have hit the back of the net as the goalkeeper was beaten.
Pentraeth should take great pride from the game, as they struck the woodwork twice and, on another day, could have changed the outcome of the game. A special mention must go out to Pentraeth’s shot stopper Osian Howarth, who produced some excellent saves and kept the score line down for most of the game.
Elsewhere, Gaerwen and Gwalchmai played out a cup thriller as the away side advanced with a 5-2 victory.
Gaerwen had been 3-0 down at one stage only to pull it back to 3-2 (through a brace from 16-year-old midfielder Sion Jones) and then eventually lose out 5-2 to a fellow tier four side.
Goalscorers for Liam Ewing’s Gwalch side were Connor Owen, Declan Jones, Nathan Sinnott, Dion Owen and Harry Jones.
Amlwch Town also advanced against Glantraeth on penalties.
The two tier four clubs drew 2-2 in normal time – Tudur Williams (49’) putting the visitors ahead before Jac Thomas levelled the score two minutes later.
Paris Hargrave put Glan ahead once more just before the hour mark but Amlwch refused to lie down and equalised again through Liam Billington on 70mins.
Penalties were needed and the hero of the day proved to be 16-year-old debut debutante Tommy Torr in the Amlwch goal who saved Glan’s fourth spot kick before Rhys Roberts scored the decisive penalty for the Blues.
Man of the Match for Glantraeth was veteran Steve Smith (below), sponsored by AFEFootballNews for the 21/22 season!
Also impressive in round one were Talysarn Celts, who beat tier four side Pwllheli 3-2 in a contest which produced a thrilling first half.
Tom Usher put the Celts ahead just two minutes in but that lead last just four minutes before Osian Jones equalised for Pwllheli.
In an entertaining first half, Glyn Hughes-Thomas put the home side ahead once more before Connor Livingstone once again drew Pwll level before half time.
Jac Jones then scored moments before the half time whistle and the scoreline remained the same throughout.
Bontnewydd continued to impress as they beat higher league opponents Llanberis 4-1 in the cup to advance to round two.
In the only match played on Sunday, Gethin Jones put the visitors into a 1-0 lead a the break – but was sent off just ten minutes or so after scoring, reducing Llanberis to 10-men.
Bont fought back in the last half hour, Josh Roberts equalising on the hour mark before Sean McGrath (72’), Cai Edwards (76’) and Alex Kalafusz (90’) completed a great turnaround.
Worth mentioning that the majority of the Bont squad playing yesterday were under 25 years old – they look like a team to watch in tier five this season.
There were goals galore at Mountain Rangers v Mynydd Llandegai too as the game finished 3-3 in normal time.
17-year-old Cai Jones put Rangers ahead 17 minutes in but the talented Osian Jones equalised for Mynydd on the half-hour mark.
Midfielder Gerwyn Roberts, who recently returned to the club, then notched for Mynydd before Jones again scored for Rangers to make it 2-2 on the hour mark.
Powerful forward Alwyn Roberts made it 3-2 to Mynydd on 65mins but Rangers again fought back in the dying moments of the match through Osian Hughes-Jones.
It was Mynydd who eventually triumphed on penalties however – Rangers forward Alan Mark Owen missing his spot-kick before Alwyn Roberts stepped up to score the decider for Mynydd.
OTHER RESULTS INVOLVING NORTH WALES TEAMS …
- Blaenau Amateurs 0-4 Bangor 1876
- Bontnewydd 4-0 Llanberis (played on Sunday)
- Brymbo 1-1 Llanuwchllyn (Brymbo win on penalties)
- Brickfield Rangers 0-2 Chirk AAA
- Bro Cernyw 1-2 Caer Clwyd
- Caerwys 1-3 Halkyn and Flint Mountain
- Castell Alun Colts 5-1 Lex XI
- Cefn Mawr Rangers 3-1 Penycae
- Connah’s Quay Town 5-1 NFA FC
- Penrhyndeudraeth 1-0 Bethesda Athletic
- Y Felinheli 4-0 Llanystumdwy
- Glan Conwy 3-1 Abergele
- Greenfield 4-1 Rhuddlan Town
- Hawarden Rangers 2-3 New Brighton Villa
- Llandyrnog United 2-4 Rhydymwyn
- Llangollen Town 3-3 Rhos Aelwyd (Llangollen win on pens)
- Llansannan 3-0 Rhyl Dragons
- Meliden 2-1 Llandudno Junction
- Mold Alexandra 7-0 Penyffordd Lions
- Nantlle Vale 4-2 Llanrug United
- Prestatyn Sports 4-1 Mochdre Sports
- Nefyn United 4-2 Waunfawr
ROUND TWO DRAW
Made earlier today, has thrown up the following matches …
- Bodedern Athletic v CPD Cefni
- Brymbo v Rhostyllen
- Chirk Town v Cefn Albion
- Coedpoeth United v Llay Miners Welfare
- Connah’s Quay Town v Halkyn and Flint Mountain
- Corwen v Chirk AAA
- CPD Aberffraw v CPD Llannerchymedd
- CPD Bangor 1876 v Amlwch Town
- CPD Bontnewydd v Nantlle Vale
- CPD Llannefydd v CPD Caer Clwyd
- CPD Penrhyndeudraeth v Nefyn United
- CPD Y Felinheli v Porthmadog
- CPD Y Rhyl 1879 v Llanrwst United
- Denbigh Town v Llansannan
- Glan Conwy v Meliden
- Llanfairfechan Town v Gwalchmai
- Llangollen Town v Cefn Mawr Rangers
- New Brighton Villa v Castell Alun Colts
- Mold Alexandra v Greenfield
- Penmaenmawr Phoenix v Menai Bridge Tigers
- Prestatyn Sports v Llandudno Albion
- Rhydymwyn v FC Queen’s Park
- Talysarn Celts v Mynydd Llandegai
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