Llay Welfare came out as comfortable winners as they defeated Blaenau Ffestiniog 4-1 at Cae Clyd in the Ardal North West.
An own goal from Dean Bryan put Blaenau in front but that would be the only thing they would be able to cheer.
Jack Mountford and Liam Hughes scored in the first half to give Mike Gadie’s side something to build on. Jonathan Taylor netted early in the second half before Thomas Wells scored three minutes from time.
Blaenau sit 13th meanwhile Llay shoot up to 10th.
Michael Gadie’s men came flying out of the box and dominated the opening play in a sun-drenched Cae Clyd with numerous efforts in the first ten minutes.
The first chance of the match fell to Llay’s Jack Edwards when he headed narrowly over the crossbar from a corner kick with only two minutes on the clock.
George Finlay beat the offside trap but struck his effort wide of the upright before Thomas Wells capitalised on some sloppy defending from the hosts to hit a shot on the swivel against the base of the post.
A twenty-yard drive from Liam Hughes curled wide of Cian Williams’ goal with Blaenau’s backline being kept busy in the opening stages.
However, it was Blaenau who broke the deadlock against the run of play. After fourteen minutes of play, Joseph Dukes-Morgan’s low shot from the corner of the eighteen-yard box took a deflection off Dean Bryan to trickle over the line to make it 1-0.
Dukes-Morgan had an opportunity to add to Blaenau’s tally from the restart when he broke down the left wing but placed his shot wide of the far upright.
Welfare were a danger on the break and it didn’t take them long to net the equaliser as Jack Mountford powerfully put the ball in the back of the net from the edge of the box midway through the half.
Llay could’ve doubled their lead when Liam Hughes’ goalbound effort was brilliantly hacked off the line by Blaenau with the follow-up shot rattling the crossbar in a let of for the hosts.
Down the other end, Blaenau’s Jack Diamond drove into the box and half-volleyed a golden opportunity across the face of the goal which was begging to be tucked in by one of his teammates but wasn’t.
A link-up between Dukes-Morgan and Gethin Edwards saw their chance not capitalised on in the box with five minutes left of the half to play.
On the halftime whistle, Llay doubled their advantage. A low cross on the right by Bryan picked out Hughes who had the easy task of turning the ball into the net from close range.
Despite trailing, Blaenau came out strong at the start of the second half as they looked to get back into the game.
The ball was in the net after only a minute of play when Gethin Roberts’ quick counter-attack on the left saw him blast the ball into the side of the net from the edge of the box but was denied due to a late offside flag.
Instead, it was Llay who went further ahead when a spectacular 25-yard freekick from substitute Jonathon Taylor was rocketed into the top right-hand corner to take the match to 3-1.
Blaenau were getting frustrated with decisions and with Llay now full of confidence it was mostly one-way traffic from Welfare for the rest of the half.
A cross found Hughes who placed his shot wide of the post before Bryan’s goalbound effort was saved strongly by Cian Williams with his feet to force a corner.
Good work by Blaenau’s Finlay allowed Iolo Thomas to see his shot on target take a deflection and allowed Charles Williams to collect.
Looking to put the game to bed, Llay’s Jonathon Taylor put his chance from three yards wide of the post after a delivery from the left.
Five minutes from time, it was 4-1 when a clumsy backpass to Williams was pounced on by Thomas Wells who had the easy task to notch the ball into an empty net and secure the points for the visitors.
Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateurs: 1. Cian ap Carwyn Williams, 2. Iolo Thomas, 3. Morgan Slater (15. David Owen 85′), 4. Sion Hughes, 5. Huw Parry, 6. Jack Diamond (16. Oliver Dukes-Morgan 45′), 7. Iwan Griffiths, 8. Gethin Edwards (17. Bedwyr Jones 70′), 9. Gethin Roberts (14. Bryn Humphreys 71′), 10. Sion Roberts, 11. Joseph Dukes-Morgan.
Subs not used: 12. David Jones, 13. Sebastian Owen.
Yellow Cards: Huw Parry, Sion Roberts
Llay Welfare: 1. Charles Williams, 2. Dean Bryan (21. Matthew Davies 90’), 3. Aled Roberts, 4. Jack Edwards, 5 Ryan Merrill (16. Luke Taylor 73’), 6. Michael Wright, 7. George Finlay (20. Jonathon Taylor 45’), 8. Thomas Wells, 9. Ryan Goodband, 10. Liam Hughes, 11. Jack Mountford (14. Jared Taylor 73’)
Yellow Cards: Dean Bryan, Michael Wright, Ryan Goodband
Goals: Thomas Wells 87’, Liam Hughes 45’, Jack Mountford 26’, Jonathon Taylor 51’.
Own Goals: Dean Bryan 14’.
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