Holywell Town 3-1 Conwy Borough

Conwy Borough were the visitors to Halkyn Road, who’s manager Jason Aldcroft left the club earlier in the week and Paul Braithwaite was put in temporary charge. It was the FAW’s Fair Play Day where both sides promoted the Fair Play initiative, and both sides wore Fair Play stickers on their shirts and both teams had a picture taken with the FAW Fair Play Banner before the game.

The game kicked off after a minutes silence for long time supporter Joe Chadwick who sadly passed away last week, and the first chance of the game fell to Conwy’s Jamie Parker who shot over John Rushton’s goal. A few minutes later, Sam Jones got his head to a Matty Harvey cross, but the ball went into the air, and Jones was unaware but it fell perfectly for him but he was too slow to connect to fire the ball goalwards.

Parker had a shot blocked before he had another effort blocked by defender Matty Harvey before he burst through again and he managed to get his shot in on goal despite Steve Thomas’ challenge, but Rushton parried the ball out for a corner. Ryan Davidson then had a shot from outside the area which the keeper saved then Conwy nearly broke the deadlock as Joe Chaplin had a shot which was saved but Paul D Williams was on hand to head the rebound out for a corner.

Lee Healey then got into a dangerous position and his low cross into the area was a little too hard and eluded the onrushing Sam Jones. The Wellmen were then forced to make a substitution as Brady McGilloway had picked up a knock, and he was replaced by Graeme Williams. After only a couple of minutes on the pitch, Williams brought a good save from Scott Williams before another good effort off Parker saw his shot across the face of the goal and was just inches wide of Rushton’s goal post.

With time running out in the first half, Town nearly scored as a great Free Kick into the box by Lee Healey saw Ryan Davidson flick the ball on towards Matty Harvey, but somehow the keeper managed to keep hold of the ball after it ricocheted back and forth off a couple of players before he could gather to safety. The referee blew for half time and Town knew they would have to play better in the second half to get the important first goal.

The second half was barely a few minutes old when The Wellmen took the lead. A great through ball by Sam Jones saw Lee Healey in on goal, and he slotted the ball past the advancing Williams to make it 1-0 for Town. The goal lifted Town and they attacked looking for more goals, Graeme Williams bursting through before his cross was cleared for a corner. Shortly later, another good move by the Wellmen saw a great ball in from Sam Jones to Healey, and his cross was met by Graeme Williams, but his shot came back out off the post and fell to Jones but his effort went wide of the goalkeepers post.

A few minutes later, the Wellmen had doubled their lead. The dangerous Healey broke down the left and cut inside, beating his marker, then his shot flew in at the near post with Williams beaten. Healey very nearly completed his hat trick a few minutes later, Graeme Williams cross from the right and found Healey in space, and his effort flew across the goal and inches wide of Williams’ far post.

Sam Jones put in a cross where Healey had an effort on goal which was saved by Williams with Town’s Graeme Williams ready to pounce if he spilt the ball. Conwy Borough then had a free kick in a dangerous position, but Parker’s effort was tamely hit and Rushton easily saved. A few minutes later, Healey was desperately unlucky not to get his third of the game as his fierce volley hit the cross bar and came back out before being cleared by the Conwy defender.

As the game entered the 80th minute, Conwy were given a lifeline and pulled the score back to 2-1. An error in the Wellmen’s defence saw the ball fall to Joe Chaplin and he ran into the box and his effort beat the advancing Rushton to make it 2-1. With 10 minutes still to go, and the visitors back in the game, any nerves that the Wellmen were going to throw away the game were quashed a couple of minutes later as Graeme Williams got his first goal of the season to regain Town’s two goal cushion. After good build up play down the right, the ball into the box found Gareth Sudlow, who was appeared to be fouled but the ball fell to Williams who controlled the ball before firing home.

The goal settled the result and Town looked for another goal with the minutes ticking away, but Town had to settle for the 3-1 scoreline. It was a much better performance in the second half from the Wellmen, and no doubt Big Joe would have been happy looking down on the victory.