Llanrug United 2-5 Greenfield – Flintshire side cruise their way to FAW Trophy semi-finals
Greenfield booked their place in the FAW Trophy semi-final, with a composed performance away at Llanrug United.
It was a tough week for Greenfield which included the changing rooms vandalised and facilities stolen, but the side battled through adversity and responded in a professional way.
The home side started brightly and had the chance to take the lead in the first five minutes. Marvin Pritchard played in Luke Phillips who took a touch too many and his tame effort was saved by Danny Stanton.
The ball found its way to Joni Sadler who audaciously tried to lob the goalkeeper from 25 yards but Stanton brilliantly tipped it over the bar.
The opening goal came on the 27th-minute mark when a sloppy back pass from Gethin Phillips saw Greenfield strike Sam Jones intercept and he was brought down by Llanrug goalkeeper Dylan Roberts and the penalty was given.
Danny Calvert stepped up to convert the first of his three goals from dead-ball situations. Ten minutes later, the
crowd would have had a sense of déjà vu, sloppy defending from Llanrug following high pressure from Sion McHugh who was breaking everything up in midfield.
The defence hesitated and Sam Jones again intercepted and was taken down by Dylan Roberts. The referee
awarded the penalty and Calvert converted the spot-kick comfortably.
Greenfield were comfortable going into half-time 2-0 up. Llanrug tried to change things for the second half and
brought on Alan Mark Owen and David Noel Williams replacing Luke Phillips and Jonathan
Sadler.
The away side began the second stanza comfortable in possession, intricate passing in midfield and an opening came for Sam Jones but Roberts comfortably saved.
Llanrug upped the tempo and in the 55th minute Alan Mark Owen played a brilliant ball that found Gavin Jones
who finished well but the lineswoman lifted the flag and the goal was disallowed.
It was almost three as Greenfield try to increase their lead less than five minutes later, Leon Hughes and Tom Carney played their way through the Llanrug defence, Hughes’ effort was saved but Sam Jones was on hand to slot in the third.
Llanrug tried to change the tactics by bringing the much more physical Owen on up front and this paid off in the 66th minute a ball played into the box by Llion Jones was not dealt with by the Greenfield defence and Owen
produced a fantastic volley straight into the top corner and the home side had hope again.
That hope was quickly extinguished after Connor Hughes gained the ball from 30 yards out after
more sloppy play from the Llanrug’s midfield and easily rounded a defender and coolly finished from just inside the box.
In the 80th minute when Calvert completed his hat-trick and produced the best goal of the game. Sion Phillips broke up an attack from the away side but the referee gave a free kick and from 25 yards out Calvert found the top corner to cap off a brilliant display by Greenfield and put them 5-1 up.
Llanrug pulled back a consolation goal with Marvin Pritchard finishing a Matthew Phillips cross from close range but it was Greenfield’s day and they stormed into the semi-finals.
