BUCKLEY TOWN 4
LLANGOLLEN TOWN 1
THEY may have suffered a heavy loss at Cymru Alliance high-flyers Buckley, but at least Llangollen Town have the satisfaction of edging the aggregate against their title-chasing opponents!
In only their second game at Cymru Alliance level, Gareth Lloyd’s side romped to a 4-0 victory, but the Bucks exacted their revenge as both sides returned from an unscheduled mid-winter break.
In what was Buckley’s first home game in two months, the early stages saw a few tame efforts on goal by both sides but nothing to really test either goalkeeper.
Colin Quirk tried a speculative long-range shot that just dipped over the Llangollen bar and at the other end Danny Owen had a chance for Llan, but ex-Denbigh number one Jamie Hulse raced out to block the attempt.
The first goal was likely to prove crucial and it was Buckley who took the lead on 20 minutes.
Quirk fed Neil Wynne wide on the left and he raced into the penalty area to coolly drill the ball across goalkeeper Adam McGee for a far corner finish.
Soon after, Wynne was looking for another as he turned his man only to see his shot palmed away by McGee.
After half-an-hour the Bucks doubled their lead and it was Wynne again who scored.
He raced down the left to cut into the penalty area before blasting the ball into the roof of the net, giving McGee no chance.
Although Buckley continued to create chances, so too did Llangollen and just on half-time Simon Hulse went close to pulling a goal back.
Llan did manage to give themselves some hope of forging a second-half comeback in the gloom as Paul Griffiths steered the ball home after a scramble.
Minutes later and it was nearly two-apiece after Simon Smith had an attempt to level, but Jamie Hulse was equal to his shot in the Bucks’ goal.
Two minutes later Hulse made a superb save as he tipped a header around the post.
Llangollen continued their purple patch and with 20 minutes remaining Danny Owen had a goal disallowed for offside as the visitors piled on the pressure.
The next goal was not long in coming - but unfortunately for Llangollen it went to Buckley.
Joey Desormeaux carried the ball from halfway to the edge of the Llangollen area before his shot clipped the bar.
Aaron Aby, while attempting to clear the rebound, slammed the ball past his own keeper McGee to extend Buckley’s lead to 3-1.
That goal knocked the stuffing out of Llangollen and with two minutes to go, a great run and cross from substitute Liam Caddick was turned into his own net by Paul Griffiths.