Holywell Town 4 - 2 Glan Conwy

Holywell Town 4-2 Glan Conwy
Mawddach Challenge Cup – Round 1

Holywell Town faced Glan Conwy in the first round of the Mawddach Challenge Cup and despite the wet and miserable conditions; both teams made it a great game and should be complimented for their performances.
Town could not have asked for a worst start as the visitors took the lead as early as the first minute. A lapse of concentration allowed Chris King to open the scoring for Glan Conwy. Town settled down and began to play their normal game, which has seen them rack up an impressive 14 game unbeaten run, and on 14 minutes, a great cross in by Ian Griffiths found Steve Thomas free in the penalty area, but his volley went wide of Paul Roberts’ goal.

A minute later, Town could have been further behind. A great through ball by Sam Sinkinson put King through on goal, Danny Stanton did well to save at the strikers feet. The save had even more importance to it a few minutes later as Ian Griffiths equalised for the Wellmen. Town were back in it and Griffiths was proving to be a thorn in Glan Conwy’s side. A foul on Griffiths gave Town a free kick just outside the box and up stepped Debutant Josh Roberts to take the kick but his free kick hit the wall and went out for a free kick. Town then won a penalty as Griffiths was tripped in the area by Chris Beardsmore, but Steve Thomas was unable to convert the penalty.

Chris King then had a shot saved well by Danny Stanton before Josh Roberts had a shot go inches wide. With barely a few minutes remaining of the first half, Glan Conwy should have taken the lead. A cross into the box from the left saw King in acres of room, but he miskicked his shot and Stanton was able to knock it ou for a corner. From the resulting corner, Town were once again saved by Stanton, who managed to get a fingertip to Kyle Luffman’s shot to knock the ball onto the underside of the bar, and John Shepherd was able to knock the ball up field to safety.

With the teams locked at 1-1 at the break, the teams came out for the second half and the conditions had worsened but luckily, the football didn’t. Steve Thomas, who was getting more into the game, crossed the ball into the box and Ian Griffiths saw his glancing header pushed out for a corner by Paul Roberts in Glan’s goal. A few minutes later, Josh Roberts put over a great cross but Marc Gunther saw his header go wide of the target. Griffiths then passed the ball to Danny Sullivan and his shot flew inches wide with the keeper beaten.

Danny Stanton was then called into action, saving well from Josh Pierce-Jones before Town took a deserved lead. Steve Thomas ran into the box and his cross was tapped in by Ian Griffiths to claim his second of the game. Glan Conwy nearly levelled the scores a few minutes later as Pierce-Jones had a shot go inches wide. Griffiths completed his hatrick a few minutes later to give Town a two goal cushion, beating the defender to shoot the ball into the bottom corner past Roberts in Glan’s goal.

Glan Conwy looked to get back into the game and Eric Wright had a good overhead effort go inches over Stanton’s bar. Ian Griffiths was taken off to a rousing reception with 5 minutes or so remaining, and substitute Matty Roberts then passed the ball through towards Graeme Williams, but he was unable to get to the ball in what would have been a good goal scoring opportunity. The visitors pulled one back on 89 minutes, Eric Wright seeing his shot take a deflection off Ashley Durham to beat Stanton. Tony Roebuck was unlucky to see Paul Roberts dive to knock his curling shot out of a corner before any fears of a nervy last few minutes for Town were soon forgotten as Steve Thomas made up for the earlier penalty miss by skipping the challenges of a couple of defenders, and chipped the ball over the advancing Roberts from a narrow angle to give town a 4-2 lead.

It was a good game given the conditions and Holywell Town’s winning run continues. Town now travel to Llandudno Junction in the next round, and that game will be played in early January.