Hawarden take honours in North v South play-off!

The Wales Veterans’ Football Association were delighted to host this historic event for veterans’ football in Wales with the inaugural ‘North vs South’ play-off final at Latham Park in Newtown.....

Hawarden Rangers are the current North East Wales Veterans’ o35s Premier League holders whilst Llanelli Town lifted the Wales Veterans’ FA o40s Premier League title and the fixture, which was sometime in the planning, certainly lived up to its billing.

Despite losing Trundle, Rangel and Curtis to injury earlier in the week, Llanelli had the better of the early exchanges, moving the ball crisply and stretching the Hawarden back-line. On 15 minutes Llanelli earned a penalty, but Bartley’s attempt was brilliantly tipped away by keeper, Roberts. Minutes later Bartley made amends, when he chested a cross beyond the full back and slid the ball under the on-rushing Roberts. The ‘Reds’ continued to dominate but they failed to extend their lead with several corners proving fruitless and when Bartley was put through by the busy Britton, he was adjudged narrowly offside. Inevitably, and against the run of play, a cross from Hawarden’s right was met by dangerous striker, Dawson, who headed home the equaliser in Hawarden’s first foray forward. The game now became more open, Bartley again adjudged offside when bearing down on goal and then cleared the crossbar when a free-kick was awarded 25 yards out. At the other end, Hawarden winger, Phillips saw his effort tipped away by Llanelli gloveman, Gwilt, but from the resultant corner, King-Magee, powered home at the far post to give his team a 2-1 half-time lead.

The North Walians were more composed after the break and with their opponents still slightly shell-shocked, they should have extended their lead, Reynolds missing a gilt-edged chance when well-placed. An end to end duel then ensued and there were some heated exchanges, but with the contest never boiled over due to strong officiating by referee Williams and his assistants. Llanelli got back on terms, when Evans slotted home and minutes later they could have taken the lead when the same player crashed a shot against the cross-bar and then a fine effort from Keddle was tipped onto the post by the acrobatic Roberts.

The stifling conditions and Newtown’s immense 3G pitch were taking their toll and as both sides visibly tired, the passing became less precise and mistakes more frequent and when Dawson was fouled in the Llanelli penalty, the same player put his team back in front. Llanelli pressed and Thomas should have brought the teams level again, but Dawson put the game beyond Llanelli when he completed his hat-trick with another spot-kick, minutes from time.

Hawarden captain, Henderson, collected the inaugural North v South Challenge trophy from FAW Vice-president and long-time supporter of veterans’ football, Mark Adams. The fixture, which was sometime in the planning, certainly lived up to its billing and show-cased the very best of veterans’ football in the country in an encounter of the highest order, and in doing so, help to develop the veterans football community throughout Wales.

Congratulations to the following Hawarden Rangers players who were selected by manager, John Cannon....
Ryan Roberts (GK)
Will Collins
Elliot Slade
Chris Williams
Nick Henderson
Matthew Philips
Lee King Magee
Jamie Reed
Ant Williams
Lee Reynolds
Ed Hope
Stephen Hopkins
Richard Evans
Alan Dawson
Sam Pugh
Paul Wilcockson
Steve Hughes
Jamie Brailsford
Dom Auty

Congratulations also to the following Llanelli Town players who were selected by manager, Alun Williams...
Gwilt (GK)
Alun Williams
Chris Holloway
Carl Thomas (C)
Lee Hudgell
Sean Jones
Leon Thomas
Leon Britton
Chris O’Sullivan
James Evans
Damian Daniel
Steven Devonald
Paul Keddle
Kevin Bartley

Special thanks to Newtown FC, our sponsor, Jon Ross, from WorkwearSupermarket.com, Dave Fawkes from the North East Wales Football Association who have helped us stage this fixture and special guest, FAW Vice president, Mark Adams.