Colwyn Bay came out on top in a five-goal thriller with Prestatyn Town at the Four Crosses Construction Arena in the Cymru North.
Captain Tom McCready got things going with a fantastic free kick from range. Jamie Reed levelled just before halftime. McCready got his second of the evning from the spot after Sam Jones was taken down in the area. Robbie Parry came on to make it three late on before Ruane made it 3-2 in the last few minutes.
The first chance of the evening fell to Prestatyn as Ruane headed from close range. Colwyn Bay keeper Andy Coughlin was up to the task and saved well.
Colwyn Bay’s first real effort on goal came after 17 minutes when Mitch Bryant found space in the box and got a shot away. It didn’t trouble the Prestatyn keeper.
The deadlock was broken when Bay captain McCready fired in from a free-kick. He won the free kick himself after some powerful running drew a foul. He placed the ball down, picked a spot, and scored brilliantly.
Prestatyn were back in it at the stroke of halftime after Colwyn Bay failed to clear a long ball up field. The defender’s header landed straight at Jamie Reed’s feet. He took a touch and slotted the ball into the far-left corner. Andy Coughlin did not move in the Bay net.
A few minutes played of the second half and Reed had a great opportunity to bag his second. Put through on goal he had all the time in the world to finish but Reed hit it straight at Coughlin and the chance was gone.
Ten minutes into the second half and the visitors had a glorious chance to go ahead. Ryan Kehoe put a brilliant ball in from the right-hand flank, Ashley Ruane met it but saw his header go wide of the mark.
Just past the 60-minute mark, the home side won a penalty. Great play from Sam Jones drew a foul from the defender leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot. McCready stepped up and fired it down the middle to make it 2-1 to Colwyn Bay.
Sam Jones was in yet again with 15 to play but the Prestatyn goalie made himself big and saved well to deny Jones.
Prestatyn were let off the hook yet again not long after when McCready’s free kick looked to be heading into the keeper’s grasp, unexpectedly the keeper dropped the ball. It looked like it had crossed the line, the home supporters were cheering but the referee and his assistant said no. It remained 2-1.
A manic few minutes continued as Bryant missed a big chance. The ball was pulled back to him in the box, the goal was wide open, but his effort went way over the bar.
Prestatyn nearly levelled with six to play when a ball was flashed across the box from the right-hand side. Substitute Spridgeon just couldn’t stretch far enough to get something on the ball.
With the 90 minutes up the home side made it three. Sam Jones yet again making a fantastic run to stretch the Prestatyn defence, he saw his teammate Robbie Parry free in the box, he played it across to Parry who slotted the ball home to send the home crowd wild.
Straight down the other end the visitors pulled a goal back. Lazy defending from Colwyn Bay gave Kehoe an opportunity to stab at the ball from close range. The ball rolled past keeper Coughlin to make it a tense last few seconds.
A constant theme occurred yet again in the dying seconds. Sam Jones finding himself one on one with the goalkeeper yet again. Hollyoak stood strong and forced the ball out for a corner.
Prestatyn pumped the ball forward in the last few minutes before time ran out and the referee called a holt to the action in what was a frantic last few minutes and an overall brilliant game of football.
Colwyn Bay: Andy Coughlin, Joe Williams, Cai Owen, Lewis Sirrell, Sam Downey, Sam Jones, Tom McCready©, Mitch Bryant, Sion Edwards (59’), James Ellison, James Kirby
Subs: George Mannion, Robbie Parry, Danny Edwards, Jack Higgins, Tom Creamer (59’)
Goals: McCready 31’ 64’, Parry 90’
Yellow cards: Owen, Bryant, Edwards
Prestatyn Town: Stephen Hollyoak, Wesley Baynes, Dominic Elsey-McHugh, Ian Kearney,Matthew Woodward(73’),Brandon Burrows, Paul Johnson(64’), Kai Wallis, Ashley Ruane, Ryan Kehoe, Jamie Reed
Subs: Thomas Rowlands, Charlie Mann(64’), Samuel Spridgeon (64’),Jacob Wise(73’),Malachi McCann
Goals: Reed 45’, Kehoe 90+2’
Yellow cards: Baynes, Woodward, Wallis
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