Nefyn spot-on in eight-goal thriller
THE race for the Gwynedd Football League title is turning into a real thriller.
Just three points separated fourth from first after last Saturday’s round of matches.
Holyhead Town were on 40 points from 16 matches, Bontnewydd 39 from 16, Bro Goronwy 38 from 17 and Llanystumdwy 37 from 16.
With each club playing 22 games, it is hard to predict which way it is going to go.
Last night (Tuesday) Holyhead Town had a massive game at in-form Gwalchmai, then this evening Llanystumdwy host Bontnewydd in a six-pointer.
Bontnewydd romped to an 8-0 win over Llanllyfni last Saturday, Rob Daniels and Dan Evans with hat-tricks, Tomos Owen and Guto Roberts one each.
Talysarn Celts were convincing 6-1 victors at Beaumaris Town, Glyn Tomos with a treble, Tomos Bracegirdle, Rhys Jones and an own goal making up the rest, while a Sion Parry pair earned Llanystumdwy a 2-1 success at Menai Bridge Tigers.
Nefyn United prevailed 5-0 at Llanllyfni last Wednesday, Tristan Parry, Meical Williams, Mark Dunn (pen) and Ifan Jones (2) sharing the goals.
Bontnewydd were 4-1 winners at Menai Bridge last Tuesday and Waunfawr thumped Talysarn Celts 8-0. BETHEL Under-16 girls overcame a half-time deficit when they reached the final of the North Wales Coast Cup after a 6-1 victory over Rhyl Hearts.
Rhyl broke the deadlock just before half time, taking against the run of play as a
NEFYN United reached the NWCFA Junior Cup Final for the first time since 2000 after winning a thrilling tie at Holyhead Town 8-7 on penalties.
This all-Gwynedd League clash at Millbank was an absolute thriller which ended 4-4 after extra time before spot-kicks decided the winner.
Valley and Gwalchmai are due to meet in the other last four clash. However, Valley are still awaiting the outcome of a protest from Bontnewydd, who they beat 3-2 in the last round, the Caernarfon-area club claiming the islanders fielded a suspended player when the teams met.
Holyhead versus Nefyn was always destined to be a cracker and it was the Harbourmen who made the better start.
In the seventh minute Sion Davies sprinted clear down the left and sent in a cross which Tom Hadley headed into the net.
Town dominated the first half, but it remained 1-0 up to the interval.
Holyhead looked to have put one foot firmly into the final on 62 minutes when a free kick from the right was nodded in by Barrie Lavelle at the back post.
Nefyn appeared to be heading out, but in the 73rd minute they were back in the contest when young substitute Jack Williams benefited from the hosts’ inability to clear the ball from a goalmouth scramble to fire into the bottom corner.
The game was in the third minute of injury time when Daniel Roberts forced the ball home to necessitate an added half-hour.
The Penwaig were now the more confident side and in the 97th minute they grabbed the lead for the first time when Mark Dunn fired a 25-yarder into the top corner, giving keeper Mike Bentley no chance.
Holyhead soon responded when Ian Williams’ swerving shot was kept out, but Hadley was following up to score and make it 3-3.
With the first half of extra time almost complete, United edged back in front when Jack Williams’ attempted cross ended up in the net.
Both sides went close before in the dying stages Holyhead won a corner, Mike Davies headed against the bar and Sion Davies was on hand to nod the rebound in.
The penalty shoot out went 8-7 to Nefyn before Ben Stewart missed and the Harbourmen’s Junior Cup dream was over.
The Penwaig host Beaumaris Town in the Bob Owen Memorial Shield semi-finals this Saturday, then the following Friday (April 27) take on Gwalchmai in the Gwynedd Safeflue Shield Final at Porthmadog.