Bangor 1876 end on high but must play waiting game
BANGOR 1876 beat Hawarden Rangers 3-2 in the last game of the regular season to stay top of the Ardal North West – but must now wait until Saturday to learn whether it was enough to take the title and automatic promotion.
1876 fell behind when Scott Davies finished a neat move on 20 minutes for Rangers, but equalised when Corrig Mcgonigle turned in a cross just before half time.
Liam Morris gave 1876 the lead shortly after the break, but a James Ratcliffe penalty (for handball) soon levelled for Hawarden.
Pressure from 1876 was finally rewarded on 83 minutes when Hawarden failed to deal with a long throw and Tom Clarke headed home to secure a precious three points – and relegate Hawarden.
Bangor 1876 now wait to see the result of rivals Denbigh Town’s final match at Rhostyllen this Saturday
– Rhostyllen are bottom and relegated so have only pride to play for, while a point would be enough to give Denbigh the title on goal difference.
That would put 1876 in the playoffs against the Ardal North-east runners-up, who will be either Cefn Albion or Bow Street - a fixture backlog means Bow Street don’t play their final game until May 20.
Meanwhile, Bangor 1876 have been granted the crucial Tier 2 licence to allow them to play in the Cymru North should promotion be achieved.
A statement on the club website said: “The FAW’S Independent Tier 2 Club Licensing First Instance Body met in person, and remotely, on Friday, 5th May 2023, at which the Club’s licensing application was considered. We are pleased to announce that it decided to award a FAW Tier 2 Licence for the 2023/2024 Season.
“The Panel commended the work undertaken to meet the criteria and congratulated the Club for achieving the licence. [The club] has also indicated to the FAW that it wishes to fill any vacancy occurring as the membership of the Cymru North and Cymru South Leagues are finalised.”
BALA TOWN’S season came to a crashing end as they were beaten 4-2 by Newtown in the JD Cymru Premier playoff semi-final. It was a ninth game in a row without a win for the Lakesiders and came five days after they were beaten 6-0 in the JD Welsh Cup final.
Two goals each from Aaron Williams and Albanian striker Zeli Ismail took Newtown to a victory that means they are now one win away from qualifying for a third season of European football.
Williams made it 18 goals for the season in all competitions with his double, although his first only came after Bala goalkeeper Harri Lloyd had first saved his penalty in the 15th minute that came after a handball against Naim Arsan. Williams followed up to tap home the rebound.
Bala hit back with a goal from George Newell in the 37th minute, following a mix-up in the Newtown defence. Ismail then edged the visitors back in front on the stroke of half-time with a flicked effort that hit the post before going into the net off Lloyd. Williams extended the lead to 3-1 as he turned in a Louis Robles cross from close range. Newell’s second goal, heading home a Ross White cross in the 71st minute, gave Bala a chance. It wasn’t to be though, as another cruel twist saw Ismail’s shot deflect off team-mate Henry Cowans 10 minutes later.
In the other semi-final Haverfordwest County’s Kiwi goalkeeper Zac Jones kept out three spot-kicks against Cardiff Met – one in normal time and two in the shoot-out – to steer the Bluebirds into the final.
WHEELCHAIR basketball teams from North Wales are punching well above their weight in the UK national leagues after clinching a three-year sponsorship deal.
Housing association Cartrefi Conwy are backing North Wales Knights who run four teams with players based at sports centres at Rhyl, Penrhyn Bay and Anglesey Hawks at Holyhead Leisure Centre.
They run mixed sides competing in Division One and Division Three of the National League, a women’s team and a mixed Under-18 and Cartrefi Conwy’s support aims to keep them competitive.
They are certainly making waves in the physical world of wheelchair basketball with the first team third in Division One and the seconds in the play-offs for promotion to Division Two. The Women’s team just missed out on winning Division One of their league and the Under-18s have qualified for the Junior League final.
Head of Basketball Mike Hayes, a former Paralympic athlete and a leading light of wheelchair basketball in North Wales, said: “We’re hugely grateful to Cartrefi Conwy for their support which is key to us being able to run the Knights successfully.
“Back in 2010 when we started the Rhyl Raptors there wasn’t any wheelchair basketball in North Wales at all but now we have Conwy Thunder and Anglesey Hawks and the Knights are drawn from the three clubs. They have been going since 2015 and have really gone from strength to strength and enable us to compete at a national level which we wouldn’t be able to do as individual clubs.
“We’ve seen a massive growth in the game with 40 players now in the Knights squads and we’re competing against massive clubs from cities like London and Glasgow.”