Cefni heroes exit the Welsh Cup on pens
LLANGEFNI Town may have ended up losers on the day but the Anglesey side could feel thoroughly proud of themselves after exiting the Welsh Cup on penalties to Huws Gray Alliance champions Caernarfon Town.
Welsh Alliance Division One side Cefni came back from a goal down on four occasions to draw 4-4 after extra time only to eventually be eliminated on spot-kicks.
A proud Llangefni manager Chris Roberts said: “My pre-match team talk was for the lads to give it everything they had and go home after the final whistle with no regrets, and I can safely say they did that and more.”
The visitors were quickest off the mark, going 1-0 up in the third minute. Jamie Breese found the back of the net, tapping in at the far post after debutant Kenny Hughes in Cefni’s goal could only get a hand to a Cory Williams cross.
Llangefni began to impose themselves more on the tie as the first half went on and on 38 minutes they were level.
A quick break on the left with good interchange of passes between Iwan Jones and Sean Pritchard resulted in a cross into the area by the former, which Mathew Jones met with his head to steer into the corner of the Caernarfon goal.
Having held the visitors back for long periods after the break, the Cofis nearly regained their lead in the 70th minute when Breese hit the post.
In the 85th minute, Caernarfon finally got back in front when Tom Quinn powered his way past three defenders before placing the ball beyond Hughes and into the net.
Cofis’ delight was short-lived however, as with the match in its final seconds, Llangefni substitute Corey Sinott finished smartly to make it 2-2 with his first touch of the game to take the tie into extra time.
Caernarfon went ahead for a third time when Cory Williams took possession 30 yards from goal, beat his marker and struck powerfully past Hughes, the ball dipping as it reached inside the far corner of the home net.
Llangefni were far from finished and Anthony Hughes made it allsquare from a corner.
There were just six minutes remain- ing when Darren Thomas was felled in the penalty area and Nathan Craig put the Cofis ahead at 4-3 but, as had been the case all afternoon, with less than a minute left on the clock, Llangefni showed excellent character to come back again.
Alun Roberts was fouled in the area and Craig Evans smashed the ball in to the top corner of the net to force a penalty shoot-out.
Unfortunately for the hosts, Sinnott saw his penalty saved by Keighan Jones and Craig Evans hit the woodwork, leaving Danny Sullivan to convert the winning kick.
In another Welsh Cup clash, Mynydd Llandegai of Welsh Alliance Division Two lost 3-0 to visitors Greenfield from a level above, Shaun Beck netting twice.