Corrig lands a hat-trick
CORRIG McGONIGLE made it nine goals in four appearances for Glantraeth with a hat-trick in his team’s 4-0 Cookson Cup thrashing of Greenfield last Saturday.
It was a torrid first hour for the Flintshire visitors as they were run ragged by a high energy performance from a home side who were on fire from the opening whistle.
There was experience and control at the back but it was the sheer pace and accuracy of the play from the youngsters through midfield and into attack that caught the eye, McGonigle again unstoppable as he made it successive hat-tricks.
It was almost 1-0 for the home side on three minutes as Jamie Roberts’ cross was met by McGonigle, only for his header to come back off the bar.
There was incessant pressure from Glan and it paid off on 17 minutes as Sion Hogan and Roberts combined well on the left, and this time McGonigle made no mistake with his header as the cross came in.
Two minutes later a goal of sheer quality put Glan two ahead as Sam Faulkner played an exquisite ball with the outside of his boot behind the Greenfield defence for McGonigle to run on to, round the keeper and finish expertly from an acute angle.
A third came on 25 minutes as Hogan drove a ball in from the left that ended up nestling in the corner of the net.
It had been a superb first-half display by Glantraeth which made a nonsense of their tepid Welsh Cup performance the previous weekend.
Tom Taylor at the back looked like he had never been away, as cultured as ever with his play.
Five minutes into the second half it was all but over as McGonigle fastened on to a long ball from keeper Ben Heald and ran clear to score.
Moments later Sean Davies was only a foot wide with a header.
The pace started to slacken in the final half-hour with Greenfield having their first serious attempt on goal after 62 minutesk, Liam Robinson firing a foot over.
Then Heald was called on to make a smart save from Wayne Edwards – but it was too little too late from the visitors.
It is back to league action this weekend with Glantraeth entertaining Welsh Alliance Division One newcomers Nantlle Vale.
Glan have already beaten Nantlle once this season, recording a 2-1 triumph at Maes Dulyn at the end of August.