Spectators at Forest Road certainly got their money’s worth on Saturday as Ardal League South East rivals, Hay St Mary’s and Brecon Corries went head to head in the Dragon Signs FAW Trophy.
HAY ST MARY’S 3 - BRECON CORRIES 3
(Brecon Corries win 5-4 on penalties)
DRAGON SIGNS FAW AMATEUR TROPHY
And for the second time in 15 days, the rivals shared six goals before 10-man Corries won in a thrilling penalty shoot-out.
The tie was not as intense as the recent league meeting and Corries were very much on top to start with Craig Evans giving them the lead after cutting in from the right. Hay keeper, Alex Horsely, who had another good game, denied the impressive Evans and Paul Keddle before The Saints equalised. Steve Goodwin, Hay’s standout player on the day, and Rob Sneddon combined and Matty Tong curled his effort past Declan Gaydon.
Keddle regained Corries’ lead following a clever run through and Joel Evans added number three with a tap-in from Jordan Cooper’s cross. Five minutes before half-time, Keddle was yellow carded for a challenge on Sneddon and then handed a straight red for remarks to referee, Aled Jones.
Hay made the best possible start to the second half with Jack Cook smashing home to reduce the deficit and they were level with just over an hour played when a free kick found its way to Jack Biggs who equalised.
Hay were making their extra man count but felt another turning point in the tie was possibly injuries to midfielders, Sneddon and Callum Maddy, who had to be replaced.
Craig Evans went close with a free kick for Corries while Hay were inches away from winning it when Cook was brought down by Jordan Baker and picked himself up to hit the inside of the post with the resulting free kick. But there was no addition to the score and it went to the dreaded shoot-out where Corries held their nerve to move into Round Three.
Corries are at home against third placed Goytre in the Ardal League South East on Saturday while Hay host Lliswerry.
TRANCH FC 4- TALGARTH TOWN 5
GWENT CENTRAL LEAGUE OPEN CUP
As they scoreline would suggest this was a game that had pretty much everything - punctuated throughout with a number of controversial decisions, yellow and red cards, goals, near misses, individual performances of note and most of all a battling performance and deserved win for Talgarth Town
A stunning 5-4 victory for Talgarth against higher graded opponents Tranch FC means they progress to the next round of the competion where we will have home advantage when another higher graded team Pilcs FC will be the visitors to King George V Playing Fields.
Jordan Harvey put Talgarth back on terms after Trench scored first but the home side got a second on the stroke of half-time.
Talgarth saw Dan Scaife red carded soon after the restart but that appeared to galvanise them and Steve Potter and Gavin Perry saw them in front. Tranch were themselves reduced to 10 but levelled to force extra-time with a late penalty.
Talgarth fell behind again but Perry scored with a cracking 25-yarder before Grzes Chodnicki won it with a trademark finish with Tranch having a second player dismissed on the final whistle.
Brecon FC meanwhile fell to a 3-1 defeat at home against Merthyr Saints Reserves in the RTM Brickwork Merthyr League. Cavan Williams scored the only first half goal for Saints and Danny Foley doubled the lead midway through the second period. Rory Myles-Roberts immediately reduced the arrears but a second goal from Foley clinched it for the visitors.
RADNOR VALLEY 1 - FOUR CROSSES 1
(Radnor win 4-1 on penalties)
DRAGON SIGNS FAW AMATEUR TROPHY
Radnor Valley are through to the 3rd Round of the Dragon Signs FAW Amateur Trophy but needed penalties to knock out Four Crosses from the MMP Central Wales League (North).
Radnor manager, Adam Jones continued to rotate his squad with Matt Croose, Josh Traylor-Hall, Thomas Edwards, Charlie Beaumont and Taylor Wozencraft all returning to the starting line-up from the previous week.
Crosses keeper, George Thomas made a fine double save from Edwards and Wozencraft as Radnor looked for the opening goal.
Croose headed over from Wozencraft’s cross and overlapping full back, Henry Shipley went close.
The visitors did not pose much of a threat going forward, without their top goalscorer, Will Howard, although Charlie Davies fired over following their best move of the first half.
Radnor had appeals for a possible penalty for handball turned down in the second half while half-time substitute, Joey Price had a couple of half chances.
But it was Four Crosses who took a shock lead on 77 minutes with captain, Tom Evans heading in from a Robert Weir corner.
The Goats responded and with four minutes remaining, Matt Croose levelled, stooping to head home a Joey Price cross at the far post. Radnor might have won right at the end but the hard working Callum Matthews crashed a rebound into the side netting after keeper, Thomas had saved Joey Price’s low free-kick.
It went to penalties and Radnor were spot on with Joey Price, Elliot Morris, Ieuan Price and Jack Williams all on target while Tom Evans and Charlie Davies blazed Crosses’ first two efforts over the bar.
Radnor play twice this coming weekend, starting with a trip to Welshpool Town in the Ardal League North East on Friday night. The Goats then visit Abermule in the Central Wales Cup on Sunday.
DRAGON SIGNS FAW AMATEUR TROPHY
Presteigne St Andrews are out of the Dragon Signs FAW Amateur Trophy following a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Dolgellau. But manager, Corin Jones can take a number of positives from the tie against Tier Three opponents.
Gerwyn Williams put Dolgellau in front and the striker, who bagged a hat-trick against Builth Wells the previous week, struck again in first half stoppage time.
That was the first of three goals in as many minutes with Rueben Lloyd pulling one back for Presteigne before a Matt Tilson own goal regained Dolgellau’s two-goal advantage.
To Presteigne’s credit they gave as good as they got after the break with youngsters, Niall Rhodes and Corey Blythin-Williams showing up well and on another day might well have reduced the deficit.
Elsewhere in the FAW Trophy in Mid Wales, goals from Ryan Hurrell and Lee Morgan earned Tregaron a 2-1 verdict over Berriew whose Marc Jones replied from the penalty spot while Montgomery Town won 3-0 at Barmouth courtesy of Lee Jones, Jack Williams and Tom Halliday.
Machynlleth needed penalties to see off Waterloo Rovers after their tie ended 1-1. Luke Vince-Holt put Machynlleth ahead but Tom Ellis levelled for Rovers and Holt, Callum Page and Gareth Hughes gave Mach a 3-1 win in the shoot-out with keeper, Tom Jenkins saving three penalties.
Tywyn Bryncrug also progressed 4-3 after penalties at Dyffryn Banw where it ended 3-3 with Joe Evans (2) and James Turner scoring for the home side and Joe Soar, Nick Williams and a Turner own goal making up the Tywyn tally.
Llansantffraid Village had a day they will want to forget as the Ardal League North East leaders crashed out of the competition beaten 6-0 at Corwen.
ARDAL LEAGUE NORTH EAST
There was just one game in the Ardal League North East on Saturday and Cefn Albion came up with a significant 2-0 win at Penrhyncoch.
Both sides are fancied to be among the favourites for the title and it was Cefn who took the spoils with two second half goals.
Josh Astley broke the deadlock on the hour and Torne Samuels added the second with Penrhyn unable to capitalise when Dion Gibbins was sent off for the visitors on 68 minutes.
EMRYS MORGAN CUP
Hay St Mary’s Reserves are through to the 3rd Round of the Emrys Morgan Cup with Darren Horrigan scoring twice as they defeated Llandrindod Wells Reserves 4-2 at home last Tuesday night.
Llandrindod included first team defender, Ashley Jones in their line-up as he continues his recovery following knee surgery and it was his own goal which gave Hay a lead which was doubled by Horrigan.
Tom Evans reduced the arrears but Horrigan struck again for Hay before half-time.
Taylor Bradley netted a second for the Spa side on 57 minutes but almost immediately James Jeffreys grabbed his first goal for The Saints, since a summer move from Brecon Corries, to seal their first win of the season.
Knighton Town also booked their 3rd Round ticket with a 2-0 midweek victory over MMP Central Wales League (South) rivals, Penybont United. A goal in each half from Henry Shaw and Declan Beddoes gave The Radnor Robins the win at a blustery Bryn-y-Castell.
Shaw opened the scoring after Callum Stead pulled the ball back for him to smash home and returning keeper, Danny Bird then denied Penybont an equaliser. Knighton, who gave a debut to Sam Salisbury, from the bench, doubled their advantage when Stead fed Declan Beddoes who rounded Penybont keeper, Terry Williams.
In the week’s other tie, Sean Wild grabbed an 89th minute winner for Carno who beat Aberystwyth University 2-1 at home.
Wild had given Carno an early lead which was cancelled out by Vincent Orford for the students who were paying their first match of the term.
The two Central Wales Cup 2nd round ties over the weekend resulted in wins for Llanfair United and Llansantffraid Village.
Llanfair defeated Ardal North East League rivals, Llanrhaeadr 3-1 with former Bishops Castle midfielder, Sam Jones netting twice in the second half. Kyle Capner had put Llanfair ahead but Joe Vaughan equalised.
And Llansantffraid bounced back from their big defeat in the FAW Trophy to triumph 7-0 at Bishops Castle on Sunday. Liam Pickstock led the way with a hat-trick with Chris Aitken, Oscar Herd, Jamie Clewlow and George Durnell also finding the net.
MMP CENTRAL WALES LEAGUE
Rhayader Town slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Llanilar in the MMP Central Wales League (South) as The Ceredigion side completed a league double over The Red Kites. When Rhayader lost 2-1 at Llanilar earlier in the month there was little to choose between the teams and it was the same story on Saturday with Guto Roberts bagging the all important goal on 68 minutes.
After six games away from home, Penybont United were playing their first game of the season at The Racecourse but they found Penparcau too hot to handle as the league leaders romped to a 9-3 victory.
Penybont had no answer to perennial goalscorer, Mattie Davies who helped himself to five of the goals. Aaron Davies-Thomas, Neil Evans, Mark Gornall and Elwyn Edwards were the other Penparcau marksmen with Penybont, who trailed 5-2 at half-time, replying through Louis Davies, Alfie Stonefield (pen) and an own goal from Edwards.
Knighton Town found themselves without a game on Saturday with Aberaeron currently having problems in raising a team.
Defending League Champions, Kerry are top of the MMP Central Wales League (North) after high scoring 6-4 win at Meifod. The in-form, Richard Davies scored twice and Barry Bellis, Drew Cook, Charlie Mainwairing and Luke Mumford also chipped in with Zakh Ward, with a hat-trick, and Alun Hughes keeping Meifod in contention.
Forden United are up to second with Steve Roberts (2), Harvey Gill and a Zac Warren own goal contributing to their 4-0 home success over lowly Abermule.
FAW NATIONAL RESERVE LEAGUE CENTRAL
Tom Evans scored twice for Llandrindod Wells but it was not quite enough to secure their first win of the season as they were held 2-2 by Caersws in the FAW National Reserve League.
Evans handed Llandrindod an interval lead but Caersws’ Tomos Evans equalised midway through the second half.
Topscorer, Evans had Llandrindod back in front with 10 minutes remaining but there was time for Sam Williams to grab a late leveller for The Bluebirds.
Builth Wells were third last season and aiming to improve on that this time but are yet to secure a win and fell to a disappointing 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Llanuwchllyn.
Gwydion Roberts had given the Bala visitors a half-time lead and Iolo Jones added a second. Llanuwchllyn then had goalscorer, Roberts and Cai Aykroyd both sent off following separate incidents and Builth cashed in with Alex Hicks pulling a goal back. But as Builth chased an equaliser they were caught on the break with Ifan Jones sealing nine-man Llanuwchllyn’s victory in stoppage time.
Hay St Mary’s failed to build on their Emrys Morgan Cup success going down 4-1 at home against Bow Street on Friday night. Caio Carruthers scored twice for Bow Street, his first goals for the club, and Ryan Evans and Josef Williams were also on target with Dave Thomas gaining The Saints’ consolation.
JT HUGHES MONTGOMERY AMATEUR LEAGUE
Felindre turned in their best performance of then season to beat Llanfechain 3-0 in the JT Hughes Montgomery Amateur League.
The visitors started the day second in the table on the back of four straight wins but The Millers showed what they are capable of. Callum Turberfield headed Felindre in front in the first half, Robert Brock added a second and Jake Meredith sealed the win from the penalty spot.
Newcastle however crashed to a 4-1 defeat at Abermule Reserves whose James Stovell was the star of the show with all four goals for the home side.
The Shropshire side lost player-manager, Tom Bright with a facial injury which required stitches midway through the first half and Stovell struck twice for Abermule before half-time. Abermule saw Cole Robinson pick up his second yellow card but extended their lead through Stovell. Ed Marston reduced the deficit for Newcastle with a header from a corner but they then had debutant, Andrew Green sent off for two yellows before Stovell completed his tally.
Presteigne St Andrews Reserves, who are fourth in the table, again had no fixture at the week-end while the games involving Rhayader Town Reserves and St Harmon were both postponed.
Trefonen remain top on goal difference despite a 5-2 defeat at Llangedwyn whose Barry Morris completed a hat-trick. Richard Evans and Andrew Evans made up the nap hand with Jamie Rowlands and Andy Garmston scoring for Trefonen.
Waterloo Rovers Reserves made it three wins from their last four with goals from Shaun Roberts (2), Babicas Viktor and Richard Lewis securing a 4-1 success against Churchstoke who replied through Dylan Torelli.