Tivyside | Archive | 2003 | April | 22
From the Tivyside Advertiser, first published Tuesday 22nd Apr 2003.
IT was double cup joy for Aberaeron after they lifted the league cup on Easter Monday - just three days after winning the prestigious Emrys Morgan trophy.
Fine weather and a large number of spectators turned up at Cae Sgwar for the flagship and traditional Easter Monday League Cup final.
Some were predicting an easy win for the home town club whose record this season in cup competitions has been remarkable but underdogs New Quay from the Second Division had other ideas and were really up for the occasion on the day and gave a gallant display to restrict their near neighbours to 3-1.
The first 15 minutes were very evenly poised with both teams testing each other and getting the feel of the very hard conditions underfoot. Aberaeron gradually got into their rhythm and the pressure began to tell with the ball finding the net on 17 minutes but this was disallowed due to a foul on the keeper.
Man of the match Llyr Evans, the Quay keeper, then pulled off a number of important saves from Costello and Jonnion Evans following good work by Mathew Maclean.
Gwyndaf Evans then headed over the bar on 25 minutes with the goal at his mercy, the same player should have netted two minutes later when the ball hit the outside of an upright.
With 15 minutes of the first half remaining Evans burst into the box and his shot was deflected into the net by a Quay player for the first goal of the game. Not to be disheartened, the more inexperienced New Quay raised their game and on the stroke of half time were rewarded when Gareth Thomas volleyed home past Jason Jones for the equaliser.
The match was evenly matched at that stage with Aberaeron still putting pressure on the Quay defence and a number of Evans saves notably from Costello and Maclean free kicks kept his side in the game.
Following sustained pressure Ollie Sillett broke the deadlock scoring for Aeron on 55 minutes following a mistake by Thomas. The home town team then had two disallowed goals due to offside decisions and their defence managed to keep the New Quay attackers at bay. With three minutes of the exciting game remaining substitute Kevin Jones found himself free on the edge of the area and made no mistake to win the game and the second cup of the weekend for Aberaeron where celebrations will certainly continue well into the night.
Credit, however, must be given to the young New Quay players for giving their all in a very sporting contest well refereed by Brian Williams.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008