The Saints beat visiting CPD Llanilar FC 6-0 in ‘The Central Wales Cup’
Goal scorers were Matty Tong(4), Chris Preece and Jack Biggs.
Match report courtesy of Stuart Townsend –
Hay St Mary’s 6 Llanilar 0
Forest Road: Central Wales Challenge Cup Second Round
The draw for the second round of this competition provided several interesting ties as teams from the Spar Mid Wales League met opposition from three of the four feeder league. There was no club representing the Mid Wales League (South) in this season’s Central Wales Challenge as none of the four non-reserve teams decided against entering. The teams competing this afternoon were looking to win and have the opportunity of gaining a plum draw in the third round against a Spar Mid Wales League First Division club or possibly one of the region’s three Cymru Alliance representatives. Hay St Mary’s reached the final of this competition back in the 2007/08 season, as a Mid Wales League (South) club, before falling to Newtown Reserves at Rhayader Town’s Weirglodd ground. The Saints came into this afternoon’s cup tie in third place in the Spar Mid Wales League Second Division table following a 3-1 home success over Newbridge last Friday evening to stretch their unbeaten record to four matches. Llanilar found themselves in mid-table in the Cambrian Tyres Aberystwyth League First Division and the Castle Hill Park club’s last outing was some three weeks ago when they lost 2-1 at Builth Wells Reserves in the Emrys Morgan Cup second round. Although the pitch looked in good condition from the touchline, on a crisp and at times bright afternoon, the surface was heavy in some places and would cut-up as the 90 minutes progressed.
The Saints broke the deadlock in the opening stages when Chris Preece headed home an eighth minute corner at the far post before Tam Landon went close with a 25 yard drive in the 16th minute. Matty Tong doubled the host’s lead when he turned neatly in the Llanilar penalty area before finding the back of the net and the young striker increased his own personal tally just a minute later. The visitors were finding it tough against higher-graded opposition and on a heavy surface in places before seeing Hay St Mary’s midfielder strike an upright from nearly 30 yards out in the 31st minute. The Ceredigion outfit had a rare sight of the home goal three minutes later when a visiting forward ran on to a through ball but Jordan Bailey made an important save to keep the opposition out. Tong headed over from a 39th minute cross into the penalty area before Biggs clipped the top of the Llanilar crossbar from 20 yards before the interval. The experienced midfielder then increased the lead in the opening minute of the second-half when the visitor’s failed to clear a deep free-kick into their own penalty area. Tong completed his hat-trick on the hour mark from close range when the ball was squeezed into his path amongst a crowded goal mouth. Steve Jones saw a 25 yard drive just clear the target after the Ceredigion club’s defence only partially cleared a 69th minute corner before the visitors beat the Hay St Mary’s offside trap but a Llanilar forward fired over Bailey’s goal when he found himself in the clear. Tong completed the scoring with three minutes remaining when he dinked a through ball over the advancing custodian, after striking the inside of an upright only seconds earlier, to hand his team a long trip to Tywyn/Bryncrug in the next round.
Man of the match Matty Tong.
Goal scorer Matty Tong
Goal scorer Jack Biggs
Midfielder Will Goodwin
Midfielder Callum Maddy