Welsh Cup Round 2
Saturday 9th November 2013
Holywell Town 3-0 Penycae

Holywell Town welcomed Cymru Alliance side Penycae to Halkyn Road for the 2nd Round tie in the Welsh Cup and both teams went into the game in great form, shown by the respective leagues giving the October Manager of the month awards to Town’s John Haseldin and Penycae’s Simon Sedgewick.

The game started brightly and the first real chance came Holywell Town’s way. Tom McElmeel played a great ball through for Paul Williams to chase, but Penycae’s Goalkeeper Ashley Moore was quick off his line to smoother the ball at the feet of Williams. A few minutes later, Steve Thomas found himself in space but his shot was saved by Moore.
The Wellmen took the lead on 12 minutes through the inform Sam Jones. McElmeel fed the ball through midfield and the ball felt to Jones’ feet as he stood back to goal, he turned at pace and beat his marker with ease to run on towards goal and hit a fierce shot which gave the keeper no chance to give the home side the lead.

Penycae tried to get back into the game and the next few chances fell their way. Mark Orme fouled a Penycae player not far outside the area. They floated the free kick into the box but Graham Boylan partly cleared the ball out the shot back in towards goal was easily saved by Town’s Danny Stanton. Penycae shortly after thought they had equalised. The visitor’s Tim Manwel’s header beat Stanton, but the linesman saw a push on Graham Boylan as he rose to head the ball goalwards and the goal was disallowed.

Town won a free kick a few minutes later, and Sam Jones lofted an inch perfect ball into the box, but Mark Orme saw his header cleared by the defence. Dafydd Griffith was then fouled Penycae’s Ian Davies and Paul Mazerella’s Free Kick went wide of the post. Penycae has another chance shortly after as a dangerous cross in by Dan Drazdauskas but Dafydd Griffith was on hand to head the ball out for a corner. Town’s Sam Jones then had a shot go inches wide then Tony Roebuck had a shot but it was straight at Roberts inbetween the sticks for Pen y Cae. Steve Thomas, who was having a great game on the left put in a great cross but it was just a little to far in front of the onruxhing Boylan.

The hosts then took the lead on the stroke of half time. Sam Jones put in a good cross to the far post, and the ball was headed back across the face of the goal by McElmeel, despite the prescence of a couple of defenders, Town’s Graham Boylan was on hand to poke the ball home to double the Town’s lead at half time.

With the second half only a few minutes old, Town added a third. Paul Williams chased after the ball on the right and defender Tim Manuel was first to it and he passed the ball back to the goalkeeper. Unfortuantely for him, it took a small bobble just as the goalkeeper was about the kick it and it trickled past him into the empty net. Town had to defend for a short period of time after the 3rd as Penycae looked for a way back. The closest they came was a Ian Oliver Davies effort which hit the cross bar.

Penycae’s Graham Dyment was then lucky to stay on the field after a bad tackle on Sam Roberts before the visitors Drazdauskas then had an effort go over the bar. Sam Jones then went on a strong run and beat a couple of defenders, but his shot flew inches wide of the far post with the keeper beaten. A few minutes later, Sam was involved in the next Town attack, a strong run in from the right, he saw Graeme Williams free and passed the ball across to him, but Williams’ shot was saved.

The referee blew for full time and Town were worthy winners and fully deserved their place in the next round of the Welsh Cup. It was one of the best performances by the Wellmen this season and all eyes now turn to the draw for the 3rd round where the Welsh Premier teams enter the competition.