Pesda edge victory - P71 Glan reach cup final... now it’s back to title bid
HAVING secured a place in the Cookson Cup Final, Glantraeth will aim to keep their league title quest on track this Saturday when they entertain Llanrug United in a Welsh Alliance Division One fixture (2.30pm).
Fourth-placed Glan won 3-2 at Eithin Duon during the first week of the season so will be going for a double over a ‘Rug outfit who will no doubt be buoyed by last weekend’s 2-1 home victory over leaders Llangefni Town.
Warren Gibbs’ Traeth were also in winning form last weekend but had to battle hard to see off 10-man Pwllheli 3-2 in their Cookson Cup semi-final at Bodorgan.
There was a sensational start to the tie as Pwll’s Carl Jones was sent off after just six minutes by referee Peter Kewley for foul and abusive language.
Any ideas that Glan would then be in for an easy ride to the final were to prove anything but the case with the visitors coming close to pulling off an astounding victory against all the odds.
Keeper Jiri Kobr and player-manager Jason Jones were at the heart of a heroic defensive performance from the Llŷn Peninsula men, while Mark Jones made the most of the two opportunities that came his way in attack.
The home side had a great chance to take the lead on 18 minutes as Craig Roberts found Kelvin Frazer in space, but with the whole goal gaping his volley struck the underside of the crossbar.
However, Glantraeth edged ahead on 30 minutes as Roberts met a Frazer cross with a neat header at the near post.
Five minutes into the second half the home side were shocked as a ball in from the left found Mark Jones unmarked, and he made no mistake with a cleanly-struck finish.
It was the signal for Glan to step up the pressure with Craig Roberts seeing his shot come back off a post, then Kobr saved a powerful Mark Bridge strike and Frazer volleyed inches over.
The action was now almost totally centred around the away penalty area which the incessant rain had turned into a quagmire, with appeals being made to referee Kewley to call the game off.
There was some heroic last-ditch defending by Pwllheli in the face of a constant barrage with Kobr again the saviour as he kept out shots from Guto Hughes and Jamie Bell.
After all this pressure there was virtual disbelief in the home camp when with 14 minutes remaining Mark Jones ran at the Glan defence and found the bottom corner to put Pwllheli 2-1 ahead.
With events looking to be turning against them, Glan to their credit continued to throw everything at a Pwll defence now looking like they
Picture: ALED JONES might hold out.
But the breakthrough came 10 minutes from time as Tom Clarke’s left-foot shot found the net to make it 2-2.
With the home side pouring forward in numbers the winner came four minutes later as Sean Davies slid in to convert a left-wing cross from Guto Hughes.
In the Cookson final, Glantraeth, who have never won the competition but were beaten finalists in 2003, will meet Llanfairpwll or Llanberis, whose semi was postponed last Saturday due to a waterlogged pitch.