HAWARDEN RANGERS 4

CORWEN 1

AT last, Corwen players will have the chance to relax.

The games came thick and fast to conclude the Wrexham Area League Premier Division season for the lads from War Memorial Park.

Just two days after their 4-2 win over Lex Glyndwr, Corwen were on their travels again, this time to the Gladstone Playing fields to take on Hawarden Rangers.

This meant that Corwen started and finished their league campaign against the same team.

It was a roasting day and the hosts were hot out of traps.

A quick move cut through the Corwen defence and it ended with a great shot from captain Lewis Cunliffe, whose effort struck the bar.

In the 21st minute, Hawarden had a great opportunity to break the deadlock as they were awarded a penalty kick.

Cunliffe was given the responsibility of taking it, but Corwen keeper Nathan Roberts' antics on the line must have done enough to put the midfielder off and he put the ball wide of the post.

Eleven minutes before the break and Scott Evans spotted Hawarden keeper Conner Spencer Wilson off his line.

Evans tried to lift the ball over him from distance, but in doing so he lifted the ball over the bar as well.

The deadlock was eventually broken in the 63rd minute.

Terry Pughe ran down the wing and crossed to Cunliffe, who made up for his earlier penalty miss by poking the ball home.

If that wasn't bad enough for Corwen, Rangers then doubled their advantage three minutes later.

They hosts cut through the Corwen defence and Craig Stewart sent the ball home.

Goalkeeper Wilson nearly gifted Corwen a way back into the game, as his clearance went straight to James Evans, but the striker could only send his quickly-taken shot narrowly wide of the post.

Iorwerth Jones went in search of his third goal in as many days as he took on Tim McCarthy, but his low shot saved by Wilson.

The result was put beyond doubt when Hawarden made it 3-0 in the 80th minute.

Pughe’s initial shot was pounced on by Nathan Roberts, who unfortunately spilled the ball, enabling the striker to find the back of the net with the easiest of finishes.

The hosts made it four-nil just two minutes later courtesy of a shot from distance by Dominic Auty.

Corwen did gain a consolation goal with Scott Evans hitting a cracking free kick, which curled beautifully around the wall and it went in via the post.

The final whistle brought a disappointing end to manager Danny Jellicoe’s final season in charge, however he will be pleased with his team securing a top-thee finish, Corwen’s best finish in this division since winning it almost two decades ago.