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Cup defence ends in seven goal encounter
Rhostyllen 4 - 3 Druids
Cefn Druids’ defence of the NEWFA Cup ended at the first hurdle as a predominantly young Ancients side were edged out by Rhostyllen.
A brace from Kevin Day, together withe a goal from Nathan Rennie, was not enough as Druids fell to the odd goal in seven at Vicarage Hill.
Druids started brightly as both Ieuan Jones and Jordan Williams fired wide in the opening ten minutes before taking the lead in the 14th minute.
Day was able to run on to a through ball and he was able to slot it under the advancing goalkeeper and find the back of the net.
Rhostyllen thought they had equalised four minutes later but the headed effort was ruled out for offside.
The hosts came close to levelling but headed wide at the near post from a cross from the left.
At the other end Alex Buxton was able to beat Rhostyllen’s goalkeeper to the ball. His first touch was too heavy, however, which took him away from goal, allowing both ‘keeper and defence to recover.
Rhostyllen came close again to equalising in the 25th minute but a header from a corner was headed off the line.
Parity was restored, though, a minute later when Druids gave the ball away inside their own penalty area. The ball was played back to the edge of the area and the shot went in off the post, leaving Dave Williams in the Druids goal with no chance.
Jones almosot restored Druids’ lead in the 28th minute when he beat the ‘keeper to the ball, but his chipped shot drifted wide of the far post.
Druids had shouts for a penalty turned down in the 36th minute when Jones’ shot was blocked by the ‘keeper’s legs and the shot on the rebound appeared to be blocked by a defender’s arm. The referee waved away the appeals.
Druids continued to look for a second before the break and Hari Gould was just beaten to the ball by a home defender after his goalkeeper flapped at a free-kick.
But it was Rhostyllen who took the lead in the 48th minute when a free-kick was played into the Druids box, and the attempted block could only be diverted into his own net by Dylan Thompson.
That lead only lasted three minutes as a poor clearance led to Day being played through on goal and, for the second time, slotted the ball under the ‘keeper’s body and into the bottom corner.
However, three minutes after that the hosts were back in front when a cross from the left was headed home past Williams.
Rhostyllen doubled their advantage in the 65th minute when a pull back from the goal line was run on to and the first time effort found the roof of the net.
Druids got back into the game with 13 minutes to go when Rennie, who had only been on the pitch for 70 seconds, was released down the left. His cross deceived everyone and found the far top corner of the net.
However Rhostyllen’s senior experience told and they were able to hold the lead to progress to the next round.
Cefn Druids: Dave Williams, Aaron Roberts, Harri Lucas-Jones, Hari Gould, Dylan Thompson, Chad Humphreys (Ben Dawson 72), Jordan Williams (Nathan Rennie 76), James Hill, Kevin Day, Alex Buxton (Alix Godfrey 72), Ieuan Jones. Substitutes not used: Edward Ellwood, Tom Colley.
