RHUDDLAN TOWN claimed an FAW Welsh Cup upset as they defeated St Asaph City 3-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Roe Park Meadows.

Rhuddlan, ranked a division below St Asaph, which itself is the second smallest city in Wales, had initially taken the lead.

Ryan Potts had cancelled out Ellis Blench’s opener before taking the lead on the hour mark. Player-manager Jamie Brewerton however took the game to penalties with a late strike.

The visitors began brightly but the first opportunity fell to the hosts as Brett Fitzsimons was tumbled on the edge of the box after seven minutes of play with Lee Jones placing the resulting freekick wide of the upright.

Both sides were playing some tidy football on the deck, finding their men well and cancelling each other out in the opening quarter of an hour.

Rhuddlan’s Joshua Parry headed a corner wide prior to Mathew Beach firing an opportunity over the crossbar from a freekick on the edge of the 18-yard box.

The home side opened the scoring when Blench linked up with Fitzsimons who played the ball out to Corey Brewerton on the wing who delivered a perfect ball back to Blench for 1-0.

Minutes before the interval, Rhuddlan got their reward. The influential Ryan Potts struck home with a powerful low drive from around ten yards out to make it 1-1 at the break.

The start of the second half saw City come out strongly as they forced a series of early corner kicks with Jones firing a volley from range over the woodwork.

Rhuddlan rode through the pressure however and came close to going ahead when Potts did well to force and error at the back and attempted to lob Beattie in the City net but his attempt bounced narrowly wide of the gaping net.

Just after the hour mark, Town went 2-1 ahead. A brilliant looping header from Potts following a superb move down the right by Mathew Rees left Beattie well beaten with a shock on the cards looming.

The equaliser came on the 81st minute as substitute Jackson Brewerton collected Dan Williams’ ball to spectacularly lob Curzon who was rushing off his line to take the game to 2-2.

The game finished level and went straight to penalties which Rhuddlan won 3-1 on.

Other FAW Welsh Cup results from Saturday involving North Wales clubs were: Amlwch Town 4-0 Pentraeth, Gaerwen 1-4 Glantraeth, Llanerchymedd 2-2 Aberffraw (Llan win on pens), Bangor 1876 8-2 Menai Tigers, Bodorgan 0-11 Bodedern Athletic, Cefni 2-4 Caergybi, Blaenau Amateurs 0-3 Meliden, Caerwys 3-5 Llanelwy Athletic, Castell Alun Colts 1-2 Brickfield Rangers, Coedpoeth United 1-4 Queen’s Park, Llanberis 4-2 Llanrug United, Halkyn & Flint Mountain 2-4 Connah’s Quay Town, Greenfield 1-4 Rhydymwyn, Hawarden Rangers 4-2 Mynydd Isa Spartans, Mountain Rangers 1-3 Nefyn United, New Brighton Villa 1-3 Chirk AAA, Penmaenmawr Phoenix 3-5 Llandyrnog United, Penrhyndeudraeth 3-1 Talysarn Celts, Penycae 4-2 Lex XI, Prestatyn Sports 3-1 NFA, Pwllheli 2-2 Llanystumdwy (7-6 on pens), Rhos Aelwyd 2-0 Cefn Mawr Rangers, Ruabon Rovers 2-7 Saltney Town, St Asaph City 2-2 Rhuddlan Town (1-3 on pens) and Y Felinheli 4-0 Mynydd Llandegai

Round two draw for North Wales clubs is as follows: Porthmadog v Nefyn United, Llanberis v Nantlle Vale, Penrhyndeudraeth v Dolgellau, Llanuwchllyn v Pwllheli,Y Felinheli v Waunfawr, Amlwch Town v Llanrwst United, Meliden v Rhydymwyn, Brickfield Rangers v Saltney Town, Bro Cernyw v Llanfairfechan Town, CPD Y Rhyl 1879 v Prestatyn Sports, Chirk AAA v Rhos Aelwyd, Caergybi v Llangoed & District, Denbigh Town v Rhuddlan Town, Corwen v Rhostyllen, CPD Y Fali v Bodedern Athletic, Llandyrnog United v Llansannan, FC Queens Park v Cefn Albion, Llandudno Albion v Glantraeth, Llysfaen v Llanelwy, Llay Welfare v Hawarden Rangers, Llanerch Y Medd v Bangor 1876, Mold Alexandra v Connahs Quay Town and Penycae v Brymbo