Airbus Broughton UK and Penybont, league leaders in the second tier of Welsh football, focus on JD Sports Welsh Cup action this weekend.
The Wingmakers, top of the Huws Gray Alliance with a 100 per cent record after 10 matches, travel to play Welsh National League Penycae, while Bridgend-based Penybont make the trip to Panteg.
Airbus earned their 10th Alliance victory thanks to goals from Bradly McGilloway (13 mins) and Leo Riley (52) against Penrhyncoch.
Manager Steve O’Shaughnessy was presented with the manager of the month award before the 2-0 Airbus win at the Hollingsworth Group Stadium.
Airbus have added an extra attacking option to their team by signing Joe Chaplin from Porthmadog.
The former Cardiff Met University striker, aged 25, is a key signing in Airbus Broughton’s bid for promotion and a return to the Welsh Premier League.
Sam Roden, Olli Dalton and Liam Walsh have all been in good form for unbeaten Penybont, whose top of the table clash with Haverfordwest County was postponed last weekend.
The West Walians could not travel to Penybont because of weather conditions caused by Storm Callum.
County are one point behind leaders Penybont, whose manager Rhys Griffiths, is and one ahead of third-placed Cwmbran Celtic.
Haverfordwest have been drawn against Cardiff-based STM Sports away. County had landed seven successive home ties in cup competitions, but now make the trip to Llanrumney.
Flint Town United play village team Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant at the Powys club’s original stadium, the Recreation Field.
Llanrhaeadr are playing their league games at Llansantffraid, but are heading home in the cup.
That is one of two all Huws Gray Alliance ties in the Welsh Cup first round, along with Conwy Borough v Rhyl.
Ambitious South Wales club Briton Ferry Llansawel, who play Caerau Ely at home (2pm), are keen on a long cup run.
Manager Carl Shaw told FAW.cymru: “A cup run is massive for me.
“If we can get past the early stages, hopefully have a nice North Wales trip to get the boys together on the bus and a night away would works wonders for the rest of the season.”
Ferry’s squad includes former Spurs, Swansea City, Newport County, Neath, Afan Lido and Carmarthen player Ian Hillier and 6ft 4ins centre-back Lee Bevan, who captained Llanelli to the Welsh League title and promotion last season.
“Our aim is to make sure we’re in the Championship next season,” says Shaw. “Long-term, we hope to get into the JD Welsh Premier League.”
Ferry have applied for a tier one domestic licence, a requirement for promotion to the top-flight, but Shaw explained that there is still much to do.
“We’re probably quite a bit away from the JD Welsh Premier League,” he says. “It’s a massive step-up. Off the pitch we still have a lot of work to do, but I know our committee are working hard behind the scenes. The change in this club since I came here nine years ago is fantastic. The hardest thing will be on the pitch rather than off it.”
JD Welsh Cup first round:
Briton Ferry Llansawel v Caerau Ely
Cambrian & Clydach BGC v Port Talbot Town
Cwmamman United v Dinas Powys
Cwmbran Celtic v Ammanford
Cwmbran Town v Afan Lido
Garden Village v Blaenrhondda
Llandrindod Wells v Aberbargoed Buds
Llanidloes Town v Pontypridd Town
Panteg v Penybont
Penlan Club v Goytre United
Pontyclun v Llantwit Major
Radnor Valley v Goytre FC
STM Sports v Haverfordwest County
Sully Sports v Brecon Corries
Ton Pentre v Pencoed Athletic
Trefelin BGC v Swansea University
Treharris Athletic Western v Cornelly United
Undy Athletic v Monmouth Town
West End v Caldicot Town
Ynysddu Welfare v Taffs Well
Bangor City v Mold Alexandra
Berriew v Penrhyncoch
Buckley Town v Brymbo FC
Caersws v Holywell Town
Cefn Albion v Dolgellau Athletic
Coedpoeth United v Ruthin Town
Conwy Borough v Rhyl FC
CPD Pwllheli v CPD Porthmadog
Denbigh Town v Holyhead Town
Gresford Athletic v Brickfield Rangers
Guilsfield v Rhostyllen
Hawarden Rangers v Llanfair United
Holyhead Hotspur v Corwen
Llandudno Albion v St Asaph City
Llandudno Amateurs v Dyffryn Nantlle Vale
Llangefni Town v Borth United
Llanrhaeadr Ym Mochnant v Flint Town United
Llay Welfare v Rhydymwyn
Penycae v Airbus UK Broughton
Prestatyn Town v New Brighton Villa
Huws Gray Alliance
In the Huws Gray Alliance, there was a high scoring draw at Holyhead Hotspur where the home side shared six goals with Buckley Town.
Buckley led after three minutes through a Phil Molyneux goal and Josh Jones doubled their advantage before John Littlemore reduced the deficit before half-time.
Four minutes into the second half Luke McGivern drew Hotspur level only for Adam Edan to restore Buckley’s advantage on 70 minutes.
Two minutes from time Mark Evans scored the Hotspur equaliser for a share of the points.
Hotspur have signed Aron Hughes Jones from Flint Town United. Aron is from Caernarfon and came through the ranks of Wrexham’s youth system.
He is a tricky player with the ball when attacking the opposition and can operate centrally or as a winger. He possesses great technical ability and has a good eye for goal.
Manager Darren Garmey said: “Aron is hungry to come and play as opportunities were limited at Flint. He trained really well on Monday and will come straight into the squad for the Welsh Cup game against Corwen on Saturday. I would like to thank Flint Town for making the transfer go through swiftly.”
There was another high scoring game at Denbigh Town where Guilsfield won 4-3. Mark Roberts gave Denbigh the lead after 15 minutes with Steve Blenkinsop scoring to make it 1-1 at the break.
Guilsfield were 4-1 to the good after 80 minutes thanks to goals from Adam Jenkins, Jack Harris and a Miles Todd own goal, while Denbigh bounced back with a double from Tony Davies.
Gresford Athletic took a fifth minute lead at home to Prestatyn Town through Simon Smith with Sam Molyneux doubling their advantage seven minutes before the break.
Returning manager Neil Gibson fired up Prestatyn at half-time and they dominated the second half, but could only find the net once through Ollie Buckley as Gresford hung on for their fifth win of season
Conwy Borough and Porthmadog drew 2-2. Conwy were a goal to the good at half-time thanks to a goal from player of the month Gerwyn Jones before Porth turned the tables in the second half thanks to a double from Gruff John Williams.
Corrig McConigle fired an equaliser for Borough during injury time.
An Osian Davies own goal five minutes before the break gave Llanrhaeadr YM the lead at Ruthin Town. Llyr Morris equalised for Ruthin from the penalty spot after 60 minutes only for Tom Bailey to net Llan’s winner four minutes later.
WELSH LEAGUE DIVISION ONE 2018-2019
| POS | NAME | P | W | D | L | F | A | PTS | |
| 1 | Penybont | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 7 | 19 | |
| 2 | Haverfordwest County | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 4 | 18 | |
| 3 | Cwmbran Celtic | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 8 | 17 | |
| 4 | Cambrian & Clydach Vale BGC | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 14 | |
| 5 | Cwmamman United | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 13 | |
| 6 | Undy Athletic | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 10 | 11 | |
| 7 | Afan Lido | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 11 | |
| 8 | Briton Ferry Llansawel | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 10 | |
| 9 | Llantwit Major | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 9 | |
| 10 | Goytre United | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 9 | |
| 11 | Ammanford | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 7 | |
| 12 | Goytre | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 7 | |
| 13 | Port Talbot Town | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 5 | |
| 14 | Ton Pentre | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 5 | |
| 15 | Taffs Well | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 4 | |
| 16 | Pontypridd Town | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 3 |
HUWS GRAY ALLIANCE 2018-19
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Airbus Broughton | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 23 | 30 | |
| 2 | Flint Town United | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 9 | 13 | 18 | |
| 3 | Buckley Town | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 17 | |
| 4 | Porthmadog | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 17 | |
| 5 | Bangor City | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 16 | |
| 6 | Conwy Borough | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 15 | |
| 7 | Gresford Athletic | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 17 | -1 | 15 | |
| 8 | Guilsfield | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 20 | -5 | 15 | |
| 9 | Llanrhaeadr YM | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 21 | -10 | 15 | |
| 10 | Ruthin Town | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 13 | |
| 11 | Rhyl | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 18 | -4 | 13 | |
| 12 | Penrhyncoch | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 11 | |
| 13 | Denbigh Town | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 10 | |
| 14 | Holywell Town | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 21 | -10 | 8 | |
| 15 | Holyhead Hotspur | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 5 | |