Plenty of goals, penalty shootouts and upsets – there was no shortage of entertainment in Round Two of the FAW Welsh Cup.
Blaen-y-Maes are the only tier five side to reach Round Three of this season’s competition following their 5-2 home win over fourth tier Ely Rangers on Saturday.
The Swansea Senior League outfit raced into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 15 minutes as Jordan Brophy, Jake Norman and Nicky Price all found the net. Ollie Price pulled a goal back for Rangers, but Brandon Slade restored Blaen-y-Maes’ three-goal advantage before the break.
Price grabbed his second and Blaen-y-Maes’ fifth of the afternoon late in the day, and while Richard Greaves netted for the visitors in the 90th minute – and then missed a penalty – Kyle Barrett’s side were long safe of their place in the next round.
Fourth tier Llangennech caused an upset as they knocked out Novira Cymru South side Pontardawe Town on penalties following a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes at Llangennech Park.
Ryan Owens gave the West Wales Premier League club the lead in the 31st minute, only for Liam Samuel to equalise for Ponty a minute later. It remained level for the remainder of the game, before Llangennech triumphed 4-2 in the shootout to spark wild scenes of celebration.
The other side to enjoy victory against opponents two divisions above them were fourth tier Coedpoeth United who defeated Guilsfield on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw.
The North East Wales Division One side led 2-0 on home turf at half-time thanks to goals from Mike Taylor and Cal Roberts, and while Jake O’Donnell pulled a goal back for Guilsfield early in the second half, Coedpoeth restored their two-goal advantage thanks to Rob Reynolds.
Guilsfield temporarily staved off the upset as late goals from Jake Cook and O’Donnell sent the tie to a shootout, but after both sides had scored their first eight spot-kicks, Luke Peters converted for Coedpoeth and Jack Jones missed for Guilsfield as the second tier side crashed out.
A seven-goal thriller saw another tier four side progress as Rockspur emerged as 4-3 winners away at third tier Evans & Williams.
The West Wales Premier League outfit led 3-0 at half-time thanks to a brace from Sam Lewis and Calem Rees’ finish, but Evans & Williams threatened a comeback after the break as goals from Kieran Burder and captain Steffan Vincent reduced the deficit to just one.
Rockspur substitute Dan Williams scored in the 83rd minute – just four minutes after coming off the bench – to ultimately seal his side’s place in Round Three, despite a late Evans & Williams goal from Vincent.
FAW Welsh Cup
Discover all of the results from Round Two
Pontarddulais Town were the final fourth tier side to beat higher division opposition as they won 3-1 at home against Ardal South West side Goytre United.
Three of the goals came in an eight-minute period midway through the first half, as Goytre’s Keane Watts cancelled out Iestyn Rees’ opener for Pontarddulais, only for captain Lewis Rocke to quickly restore the hosts’ advantage. 17-year-old substitute Elis Thomas sealed victory for the West Wales Premier League side six minutes after coming off the bench in the second half.
Cup holders Caernarfon Town triumphed 3-1 away at Flint Town United, in what was a repeat of last season’s FAW Welsh Cup Final.
It was a frantic start at the Essity Stadium as Tunde Owolabi finished from close range to give Flint the lead after just five minutes, before Harry Charsley headed in an equaliser for Caernarfon just two minutes later.
The contest remained level until midway through the second half when Zack Clarke put the Cofis ahead for the first time from close range, while Sion Bradley sealed victory from the penalty spot soon after.
The New Saints left it late to win the only other all-Novira Cymru Premier tie of the round, as they triumphed 2-1 away at Airbus UK Broughton on Friday.
Danny Davies volleyed home from Ben Clark’s corner to give TNS the lead inside just 12 minutes, but Airbus levelled midway through the second half thanks to a stunning free-kick from captain Jordan Evans.
A penalty shootout was on the horizon at the Hollingsworth Group Stadium, but the 10-time cup winners snatched victory in the 88th minute when substitute Dan Williams saw his deflected strike beat Louis Fallon in the Airbus goal.
There was late drama at The Globe as Colwyn Bay goalkeeper Mark Halstead scored a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw with Buckley Town before the Seagulls went on to triumph on penalties.
The Bucks were moments away from completing an upset as goals from Connor Littler and Dylan Proctor turned the game around after Jack Kenny’s early opener for Bay. However, in the 94th minute, Halstead went forward to help his side find a leveller and he met Nathan Peate’s header down before expertly firing past Bryn Owen from close range to force penalties.
Both teams were level at 3-3 in the shootout after four efforts each, before Halstead’s heroic afternoon continued as he saved from Aled Bellis to allow Seagulls captain Lewis Sirrell to convert his side’s winning spot-kick.
Holywell Town also narrowly avoided a cup shock as they triumphed on penalties against third tier Llay Welfare following a 3-3 draw in normal time.
Llay twice led in the tie, with Ieuan Jones-Wellstead’s early opener cancelled out by Dominic McGiveron before Jonathan Collo’s strike was followed by Sam Baker’s equaliser. Fabrizio Murtas looked to have won it for Holywell, only for Collo’s late equaliser to send the tie to spot-kicks.
There was only one miss in the shootout as Llay’s Josh Phillips saw his effort saved by Alex Swindell, allowing Owen Davies to score the winning effort for the Wellmen.
Fifth tier FC Cwmaman put up a resilient performance in a 4-2 home defeat to top-flight Ammanford, in what was the biggest gap in league positions between opponents in the second round.
Callum Shirt’s first Ammanford goal had the visitors ahead at the break, but Cwmaman levelled midway through the second half courtesy of Adam Karakus. Goals from Joe Hopkins and Joe Case saw Ammanford go back in front, but the hosts refused to give in as Karakus netted again to set up a nervy ending before Jonathan Evans ultimately sealed the Ammanford win in stoppage time.
Luke Bowen scored a hat-trick as Briton Ferry Llansawel reached Round Three with a 5-0 derby win over Afan United at The Renewable Centre Stadium on Friday night.
This was the highest attended match of the second round, with 1,158 fans watching on as Ferry found the breakthrough against their fourth tier opponents inside just 13 minutes thanks to Joe Lloyd’s sensational strike from distance. Corey Hurford finished off a slick team move to double the advantage before half-time, before Bowen completed a 16-minute hat-trick in the second period.
Newtown were the biggest winners of Round Two as they triumphed 7-0 over fellow Novira Cymru North side Llanuwchllyn at Latham Park.
Sean Griffiths and Jamie Hyne scored in the opening 13 minutes as the Robins quickly took control of the tie, before Gareth Evans added a third goal just before half-time. Hyne scored again early in the second half, while Llanuwchllyn’s woes were increased as Dale Davies was sent off for two bookable offences in the space of three minutes.
Ollie Sharp scored inside a minute of coming off the bench to make it 5-0, Hyne completed his hat-trick soon after and Hanoch Boakye completed the scoring in the closing stages.
Caerau Ely’s Tim Parker also picked up the match ball as his hat-trick helped the Young Guns secure an emphatic 6-0 home win over Llanelli Town on Friday night.
Two of Parker’s goals came in the first half after captain Tom McLean opened the scoring from the penalty spot, before the striker completed his treble soon after the break. Josh Graham and George Sheppard also got in on the act as Llanelli’s miserable campaign continued. It proved to be Terry Boyle’s final game in charge of the Reds as he resigned on Sunday.
Perhaps the most remarkable tie of the round came at the LHP Stadium, where Newport City staged a stunning comeback and scored a 92nd-minute winner in a 5-4 victory against Carmarthen Town.
Carmarthen appeared to be cruising into Round Three as they led 4-1 after 68 minutes, with Mason Thomas-Jones netting a hat-trick for the Old Gold following Luke Cummings’ opener.
However, Sam Johnson emerged as the Newport City as he bagged a hat-trick of his own in the space of nine minutes to stun the hosts and level the tie. The forward then grabbed the winner in stoppage time to complete a quite incredible comeback.
