Football

Convincing win by five-star Pwllheli

Welsh Cup Second Qualifying Round

Pwllheli 5 Bodedern United 1

PWLLHELI netted five times as they swept aside a capable Bodedern Athletic side en route to reaching the Welsh Cup first round last weekend, writes Keith Evans.
They led 3-0 at half-time in this second round qualifier, and manager Dylan Williams’ youngsters - nine of the 14-strong squad were under 20 - maintained that elevated standard after the resumption.
The Sgorio television cameras from S4C were there to record the occasion and Pwllheli certainly responded to the exposure by achieving their best performance and result of their campaign so far.
Bodedern, still including the nucleus of their Cymru Alliance squad from a few seasons ago, had arrived with an enviable reputation and an early threat by Billy Evans was ended by home keeper Aaron Smith’s brave save at the forward’s feet.
Pwllheli got the inspirational opening goal on 12 minutes from Chris Griffiths, whose right-footed free-kick swept from 30 yards range over on the left to beat Bodedern’s Gareth OJ Roberts at the far post.
Griffiths repeated the feat from another set-piece on 20 minutes to double the hosts’ lead, this time the ball entering the back of Bodedern’s net at the near post.
When Bodedern counter-attacked, Chris Bennett forced Smith to grab the ball near the line but, as Pwllheli resumed normal service as the attacking force, they grabbed the crucial third goal on 37 minutes.
Danny Rylance was the scorer, executing a superb lob from 30 yards over the keeper after having latched onto Mark Jones’ through-ball that had split the defence.
Bodedern showed more determination early in the second half without creating any chances, but Pwllheli stayed in charge and Ben Chippendale made the score 4-0 on 55 minutes with a 20 yards’ volley from the left after a Gareth Jones Evans assist.
There was still fight in Bodedern, despite the ominous scoreline, and Danny Hughes snapped up their reply from close-range on 70 minutes, from a corner, after Smith turned away Billy Evans’ strong header.
It was game over at 5-1 for Pwllheli on 75 minutes, when a delightful move along the right-wing culminated in Mark Jones sweeping a strong volley from 20 yards that again found Bodedern’s bulging net.
• Pwllheli returned empty-handed from their Welsh Alliance Bank Holiday Monday excursion to Gwalchmai, where they ultimately fell foul of the home team’s only goal by James Burgess on 56 minutes.
Acutely short of players, Dylan Williams had only 13 to list for this fixture, including himself for the first time - and the team manager found the net late on only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside.
Striker Danny Rylance worked tirelessly in search of any openings, while Gareth Jones Evans almost made it in the dying minutes, with an attempted lob that was cut out by Gwalchmai’s goalkeeper.
Apart from the home team’s solitary strike, the game lacked clear-cut chances for both sides, although in the first half Pwllheli had to rely on keeper Aaron Smith to make a couple of important saves.

Pictured above: Mark Brynley Jones with the ball during Pwllheli’s Welsh Cup win. Pic: Dewi Wyn.