JD Welsh Cup Round Up: Second Round

There was plenty of action across Wales today as the JD Welsh Cup second round was played out with every team involved well aware they were just 90 minutes away from potentially money-spinning ties against the big boys of Welsh Football in round three.

One of the many smaller teams drawn against challenging opposition was Brickfield Rangers who faced solid mid table Huws Gray Alliance side Ruthin Town.

Brickfield went close to an upset in the first half as an excellent 45 minutes saw them take a 1-0 lead. The game opened with both sides clearly up for the cup, but it was Brickfield who went on top with the likes of 18 year-old Connah’s Quay Nomads loanee Conor Harwood showing good strength against Ruthin’s hardened defence.

And Harwood would reap the rewards of Brickfield’s good start as on 17 minutes he scored for the home side, tapping the ball across the line from close range after a chip effort beat keeper Dylan Jones.

Brickfield would end up rueing some of the chances that followed, as Dale Davies missed an open goal after a splitting move from Simon Sedgwick’s side who went in at half time with every reason to believe they were going to pull off an upset.

But their hopes were dashed, as two goals in two minutes gave Ruthin the advantage. After Llyr Morris converted a 55th minute penalty, Garmon Hafal followed up with a low strike from around 10 yards to put the second tier side in control.

Ruthin did well to hold onto their lead and restricted Brickfield for much of the remainder of the game only to concede in dramatic circumstances.

With 93 minutes played and just seconds of the game to go, Nomads loanee Joe Sullivan found himself with the ball just seven yards from the Ruthin goal and hit a low shot into the bottom left corner of the net to force extra time at the death.

Despite their never say die attitude keeping them in the game, it wasn’t to be for Brickfield who were eventually downed 4-2 with a second goal from Llyr Morris on 119 minutes coming after Osian Davies reestablished Ruthin’s lead on 100 minutes.

https://twitter.com/BrickfieldRFC/status/926850870372896768

Elsewhere in North Wales there was no fairytale for Penley, one of the lowest ranked side left in the competition, as they felt the full force of Porthmadog who ran out 10-0 victors.

Saltney Town were also denied a cup run in the Broughton derby as goals from George Peers, Blake Robinson and a Harvey Ellis brace saw a youthful Airbus side win 4-0.

In a round of few upsets in the Northern regions, Spar Mid Wales league side Llanrhaedr bucked the trend with an impressive 2-1 victory at Caersws’ Recreation Ground.

Well done @LlanrhaeadrYMFC great performance today, we showed them who wanted it more! I will bring my cushion for when im fit. #nextround

— Daniel Graham (@666DSG) November 4, 2017

In South Wales Ammanford of the Welsh Football League Two downed division rivals Llantwit Major in a game that went down to penalties with Ammanford captain Rhys Fisher scoring the vital spot kick to send his through to the third round.

Division Two’s STM Sports were revisited by bogey side and South Wales Alliance Premier Division outfit Penydarren, who beat STM having already knocked them out of the FAW Trophy this season.

They ran out 2-1 winners to become the lowest ranked team in the hat for round three.

Full time result Penydarren 2 – 1 @stmsportsafc #thingsputright #14outof14

— Penydarren BGC (@PenydarrenFC) November 4, 2017

There was disappointment at Welsh Football League One Ton Pentre, as League Three side Panteg beat the Bulldogs 2-1 in their own ground to heap further woe on the Valley side who sit bottom of their league with no wins on the board.

Check out the full list of today’s JD Welsh Cup Round Two ties over on Y Clwb Pel Droed’s Twitter.