Holywell Town 0 - 2 Caerau Ely

Holywell Town 0-2 Caerau Ely
Holywell Town entertained Cardiff based Caerau Ely in the 3rd round of the Welsh Cup and the excellent cup run came to an end as the visitors won by 2 goals to nil.

Holywell Town were given a scare as early as the 4th minute as Caerau’s Curtis Mathews broke clear and was through on goal with only Danny Stanton to beat. Stanton came out to narrow the angles and it worked as Caerau’s striker placed the ball the wrong side of the post. Town then went close as Marc Gunther shot wide from a great Graeme Williams pass across the goal area.

Town were dealt a blow on 10 minutes as Steve Thomas pulled up with his hamstring and was replaced by Tom Carney. Caerau adapted well to the playing surface and were passing the ball around quite well and had a couple of half chances which went wide or saved by Stanton. On 15 minutes, Ashley Durham made a great headed clearance from a Caerau corner with Keyon Reffell waiting at the far post to head the ball into an empty net.

Midway through the first half, Town went close as Marc Gunther saw his shot which was heading goal wards deflected out for a corner by Gareth Willis. From the resulting corner, the ball fell to Barry Calder and his powerful shot was again deflected out for a corner which Caerau then cleared.

The visitors took the lead on 36 minutes through Keyon Reffell. The ball was swung over into the box and a slight miss kick saw the ball fell for Reffell, who controlled the ball before shooting low past Stanton. It was a disappointing goal to concede, especially given the fact that the Wellmen were beginning to get into the game. The goal took the wind out of Town’s sails and a few minuntes before the break disaster struck as Caerau got a 2nd. Dafydd Jones picked up the ball and ran into the box from the right and his shot beat Stanton to give them a two goal cushion going in at the break.

Town needed an early second half goal and as the fine rain began to fall on Halkyn Road, they went out in their quest to get back into the game. Unfortuantely for Town, it was Caerau who took control of the game and 2 minutes into the half, Stanton saved well to gather the ball with Tyrrell Webbe lurking ready to pounce on any loose balls. A few minutes later, Webbe took a free kick and guided the ball into the box and Dean Powell’s glancing header was just inches wide. Webbe again was in the thick of the action a few minutes later as he shot wide of Stanton’s goal. Stanton then slipped on the slippery surface when coming out to collect the ball and Reffell picked up the ball and slipped past him, but his shot was cleared to safety by Tom Povey.

Ian Griffiths and Tony Roebuck were doing everything they could to try to get Town back into the game, and Griffiths was left frustrated a couple of times by some dubious off side decisions by the linesman. Everything that Town threw at them, Caerau cleared and Caerau should have increased their lead when Alex Blake’s shot was saved brilliantly by Stanton. Town were now desperate for a goal to make it an interesting last quarter of an hour and very nearly got it through John Haseldin. Ian Griffiths passed the ball out to the left to Gunther who beat his man and crossed the ball toards the far post where Haseldin was stood but his effort went over the bar after being challenged by Anthony Thomas in goal for Caerau.

A couple of half chances fell to Griffiths and Danny Sullivan which didn’t trouble the Caerau keeper before Caerau’s Abraham Cordle should have wrapped the game up but he shot over the bar infront of an open goal.

As the referee blew for time, it was a disappointing result for Holywell Town who knew they could and should have done better but as the fans left Halkyn Road, it was Caerau’s name that was still in the hat for the next round, and Town must now get the result out of their system as soon as possible and redeem themselves at Llanberis next Saturday.