Welsh Blood Service League Cup holders Mold Alexandra suffered a first round exit as Holywell Town ran out narrow 1-0 victors at Alyn Park on Saturday.
The only goal of the match arrived with just 11 minutes on the clock as Danny Andrews’ corner was fumbled in by Mold goalkeeper Mike Crossley, seeing the ball trickle over the line.
The Alex had their fair share of chances to keep their defence of the trophy alive, but a tremendous defensive display from the Wellmen was enough to see Johnny Haseldin’s progress.
Last season’s Northern section finalists Llandudno were also knocked out at the first hurdle as current JD Cymru North leaders Airbus UK Broughton secured a 3-1 home win on Saturday.
Llandudno missed the chance to go ahead when Mark Cadwallader’s 34th-minute penalty was saved by Keighan Jones, before Airbus found the breakthrough seven minutes later courtesy of George Peers.
Harvey Bennett quickly found an equaliser for the Seasiders, but Sam Baker restored the hosts’ lead on the stroke of half-time.
Airbus wrapped up the tie midway through the second half as teenager Dan Collins scored his first goal of the season to give Mark Allen’s side their tenth consecutive win in all competitions.
2022/23 Northern champions Colwyn Bay began their cup campaign with a penalty shootout win away at Flint Mountain on Saturday.
Mountain took the lead in the 22nd minute thanks to Rowan Whelan’s header, but Bay levelled four minutes before half-time as Lloyd Marsh-Hughes found the net with a clinical finish via the post. A goalless second half then meant the tie went to spot kicks.
Mountain led after John Danby saved Bay’s first penalty from Ryan Kehoe, but consecutive misses for the hosts from Ben Lawrence and Mike Hayes turned the shootout around and allow Jamie Cumming to convert the winning spot kick for the Seagulls.
Dave Forbes starred on his Gresford Athletic debut as the Colliers defeated Denbigh Town 3-0 at The Rock.
Forbes set up Charlie Mann in the 17th minute to give the home side an early advantage before Haci Ozlu doubled the lead just three minutes later.
Forbes then found the net himself for Gresford’s third goal in first half stoppage time as the 36-year-old rounded Josh Wilmot and slotted home.
Sunday’s only WBS League Cup fixture saw Ruthin Town return to winning ways with a 3-0 home win against Guilsfield.
An emphatic first half display saw Llyr Morris set up Josh Evans for the opening goal before Morris bagged a brace to round off a convincing performance from Dave Evans’ men.
Llay Miners Welfare stunned Buckley Town with a 2-1 comeback victory at The Globe on Friday night.
Competition debutants Welfare fell behind when Dan Holland put the Bucks ahead in the 34th minute, but Phil Hudson’s side drew level just four minutes later through Chris Hibbert.
Hibbert’s goal sparked the visitors into life and in first half stoppage time they scored what proved to be the winner as Ruben Lima came back to haunt his former club with a composed finish.
Penrhyncoch secured their third successive victory in all competitions with a 1-0 home win against Prestatyn Town.
The decisive moment at Cae Baker came after just 16 minutes as Cameron Allen neatly finished into the back of the net from Dan Owen’s cross. Prestatyn had a host of chances in the second half, but were unable to find a way back into the match as they suffered their fourth consecutive loss.
Bangor 1876 needed a penalty shootout to progress from their Round One tie away to Caersws on Saturday.
The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes as Bangor talisman Corrig McGonigle cancelled out Josh Atley’s opener for the Bluebirds in the first half.
Both sides scored their first two penalties each, but Caersws blinked first as Dillon Browne missed his side’s third spot kick. Harry Galeotti then gave Bangor the advantage before Tom Clarke fired in the winning penalty to give Mike Johnston’s side a place in the next round.
Last season’s Southern section finalists Llanelli Town suffered a first round exit after a penalty shootout loss to Newport City on Saturday.
The Steelmen, featuring in the competition for the first time, took the lead just after the half hour mark thanks to Calum Bateman’s smart finish but Llanelli were level seven minutes later through Danny Williams.
A goalless second half meant a shootout was needed to decide a victor, where Sean Cronin and Joe Lloyd both missed for Llanelli to allow Ethan Wynne to score Newport’s fourth and winning penalty.
Penrhiwceiber Rangers staged a thrilling stoppage time comeback to triumph 4-3 at home to Baglan Dragons on Saturday.
Dylan Edwards’ 11th-minute opener for the Dragons was cancelled out by Jack Thomas’ strike, but the visitors resorted their lead through Paolo Marenghi on the stroke of half-time before Edwards completed his brace in the 53rd minute.
However, Rangers’ epic comeback begun when Joe Jenkins instantly halved the deficit before Dean Brown looked to have sent the tie to a penalty shootout when he equalised in the second minute of stoppage time.
But there was to be one more twist as substitute Conor Thomas found the winner two minutes later as Rangers earned their first victory in all competitions this season.
Trethomas Bluebirds suffered their first loss of the season as Tom McLean’s early strike gave Caerau Ely a 1-0 win at the CCB Centre on Friday night.
The decisive moment arrived with just eight minutes on the clock as an unmarked McLean met Jac Davies’ cross at the back post and fired a superb volley beyond Jacob Steven to book the Young Guns’ place in the next round.
Drew Caple’s brace inspired Taffs Well to a 3-2 comeback victory away to nine-man Cwmbran Celtic on Saturday.
An early red card for Celtic’s Jamie Pring was punished by the Wellmen as Finley Hayman scored the opening goal, but Celtic stunned their visitors to turn the game around by half-time thanks to two clinical finishes from Alex Bonthron and Tom Meechan.
However, the numerical advantage eventually became a key difference as Caple’s double restored the Wellmen’s lead in the first 17 minutes of the second half. Celtic’s frustration continued to show as Bonthron was sent off in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Ammanford booked their place in Round Two with a penalty shootout win over Llantwit Major at The Rec on Friday night.
The Major got off to a flying start when Joel Woodington put them ahead inside the first minute, but the home side eventually got back on level terms just before the hour mark when Rhys Davies smartly finished beyond Ryley Allen to send the tie to spot kicks.
Remarkably, Major missed their first three penalties and Ammanford their first two before the deadlock was finally broken thanks to the hosts’ Jon Invernizzi. After Adam Morgan also scored, the Major blazed over the bar to crash out.
Pontypridd United reached Round Two with a narrow 2-1 victory away to Goytre United on Friday night.
After a goalless first 78 minutes, finishes from Cole Mace and Dan Griffiths in the space of two minutes gave the Dragons a late two-goal lead. Goyt halved the deficit through Dan Simmonds in the 89th minute to set up a nervy finish, but Ponty were able to hold on to progress on their debut in the competition.
Carmarthen Town made it six matches unbeaten in all competitions as Noah Daley’s late goal earned a 1-0 victory at 10-man Afan Lido on Friday.
Lido’s Travis James was sent off for a second bookable offence six minutes into the second half, with Carmarthen eventually capitalising on their man advantage in the 80th minute when Daley headed home beyond Ben Haines.
Trefelin’s impressive start to the campaign continued as they came from behind to beat Cambrian United 3-1 at Ynys Park on Saturday.
Abdul Ibrahim put the Cam Army in front after just 16 minutes played, but quickfire goals towards the end of the first half from Roan Piper and Connor Goldsworthy turned the tie on its head.
Tref sealed victory nine minutes into the second half when Lee Trundle set up 17-year-old Keane Whitmore, who scored his first senior goal for the club.
Round One results in full:
Northern section
Buckley Town 1-2 Llay Miners Welfare
Airbus UK Broughton 3-1 Llandudno
Caersws 1-1 Bangor 1876 (4-5 on penalties)
Flint Mountain 1-1 Colwyn Bay (3-4 on penalties)
Gresford Athletic 3-0 Denbigh Town
Mold Alexandra 0-1 Holywell Town
Penrhyncoch 1-0 Prestatyn Town
Ruthin Town 3-0 Guilsfield
Southern section
Afan Lido 0-1 Carmarthen Town
Ammanford 1-1 Llantwit Major (2-0 on penalties)
Goytre United 1-2 Pontypridd United
Trethomas Bluebirds 0-1 Caerau Ely
Cwmbran Celtic 2-3 Taffs Well
Newport City 1-1 Llanelli Town (4-2 on penalties)
Penrhiwceiber Rangers 4-3 Baglan Dragons
Trefelin 3-1 Cambrian United
