Holywell Town 3-1 Llandudno Junction

After last week's excellent game against Aberystwyth Town, the Wellmen faced another big game this afternoon as we welcomed Llandudno Junction to Halkyn Road for the Cookson Cup Semi Final, as Town aimed to retain the trophy they won last season.

The game started well for the Wellmen as Luke Tyson found some space on the right and fired in a shot which went wide, before Tyson was involved in the next attack as he fed the ball to Tony Roebuck but his shot also went past the post and the score remained goalless.

Llandudno Junction then came back into the game with Dean Seager looking dangerous up front, but their first real effort on goal came courtesy of a wicked deflection off Jack D'arcy, before Seager hit a shot which flew over Mike Platt's crossbar. A few minutes later Town took the lead. Tyson ran down the right and beat his marker before crossing the ball into the box, the ball was headed by Tom McElmeel to Roebuck who headed home into an empty net to give the Wellmen the lead. Town thought they had doubled their lead a few minutes later as Matty Harvey's looping header found the back of the net but referee Nick Pratt spotted that Harvey has pushed his marker in getting his head to the ball.

Luke Tyson then had another shot go wide before Seager hit a shot just wide for the visitors. Junction's best effort of the half came soon afterwards as Seager again shot at goal and Mike Platt done well to get one hand on the ball to save the visitors equalising, and the follow up shot by Bryan Roberts went well wide of the target. The final two efforts of the half fell to the Wellmen as Phil Lloyd saw his shot saved well by Owen and Tom McElmeel's shot went wide of the post.

The second half was only 5 minutes or so old when Town doubled their advantage. A great move up field saw Lloyd take a shot but was deflected off a Junction player and the ball fell to Paul Williams, who controlled the ball well before shooting at goal and despite teh keeper getting a touch, the ball ended up in the net despite the Junction players claiming Williams was offside. Junction however pulled on back shortly afterwards when Seager took a free kick from a dangerous position and the ball seemed to go through the Town wall and Platt got a touch to the ball but ended up in the net to give the visitors a glimmer of hope.

Midway through the half, Phil LLoyd beat his marker and saw the advancing Owen come off this line, and Lloyd's cheeky chip beat everyone bar the far post. Bryan Roberts then had a good shot saved by Platt before Junction were awarded a penalty as Jack D'Arcy had been adjudged by the referee to have touched the ball. Dean Seager stepped up to take the spot kick and his kick was saved brilliantly by Platt who guessed the right way and dived to his left to save the ball, and kept the score as 2-1 to the Wellmen.

A couple of minutes later, a great run by Paul Williams towards goal saw him brought down by Dan Roberts on the edge of the box. Tom McElmeel stepped up to take it and his excellent cross found the top corner with Gwydion Owen well beaten. Despite both teams having a couple of chances, no team could add to the scoreline and the game ended 3-1 to the Wellmen, and we now face Llanrug United in a repeat of last season's Cookson Cup Final in March.

The penalty save by Platt was definitely a big moment in the game to keep the Wellmen in the lead, and Tom McElmeel's free kick will be spoken about in the club for months. It was a great performance and in the end, Town were glad of the victory and a place in the final against Llanrug United in a repeat of last season's Cookson Cup Final.