Cup agony as Hotspur slip in extra time

HOLYHEAD Hotspur suffered back-to-back cup heartbreak as they crashed out in the first round of the Welsh Cup at Denbigh Town’s Central Park, writes Gareth Davies.

The Welsh Cup exit follows Tuesday’s Nathanial MG Cup defeat at the hands of Caernarfon Town.

Saturday’s tie could have gone either way in a pulsating tussle which ebbed and flowed and saw seven goals, extra time and two red cards.

Hotspur took the lead via Chris Jones after 14 minutes, as he took full advantage of a bad clearance by keeper John HillDunt, which was cancelled out by Danny Sullivan just before the half hour.

Kristian Pierce shot Denbigh in front on 60 minutes. Tomos Clarke headed the visitors level on 83 minutes but this was short-lived as Josh Davies restored Town’s lead a minute later.

It looked like a winner but Hotspur battled back with another header by Clarke in the fourth minute of added time, when he found the target with a replica of his first goal.

Extra time saw Denbigh’s Pierce shown a straight red card for a foul, but not long after that the 10-men went ahead again from substitute Warren Duckett, which was to prove the match winner, on 104 minutes. Clarke turned hero to villain shortly after as he was given a second yellow to even up the numbers, but there was no more scoring.

Smarting from a disappointing run of late, Holyhead Hotspur will want to get back on the winning trail when they return to league action this weekend, visiting long-distance venue Penrhyncoch in mid Wales.