Untitled

The 2010 Final played at

The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham AFC on Tuesday 4th May

AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON

0-3

BUCKLEY TOWN

Wynne (35), Hayes (65), Caddick (67)

Buckley Town returned to the Racecourse after an absence of three seasons and did what comes naturally to them in this Cup Competition - they won!! The Bucks now stand alone as the team who have won this Competition more than any other side, this being their sixth victory in NEWFA Challenge Cup Finals, amazingly all these victories have come inside the last ten years. Manager Gareth Thomas was delighted after being a losing Finalist last year when he was in charge of the ill-fated Mynydd Isa team. Buckley were the first to settle and Stuart Hayes almost opened the scoring after just six minutes with a curling effort from 30 yards that clipped the cross-bar with the keeper beaten. Then just five minutes later, Referee John Swindley awarded a penalty to Buckley after Hayes was felled just inside the box. Up stepped Colin Quirk to strike it towards the bottom corner, but Airbus keeper Ashley Crossthwaite guessed correctly and produced a fine save low to his right to push the ball to safety. On 17 minutes Crossthwaite was again called upon to rescue his side, this time after the lively Liam Caddick had skipped past two defenders down the right to set up Joe Desormeaux, who thought he had scored from just four yards, but this time Crossthwaite saved low to his left. Airbus began to play some neat Football but without really threatening the Buckley goal, and George Cowell will be disappointed that his free-kick from just outside the box didn't test the keeper after 33 minutes. Two minutes later a ball over the top of the Airbus defenders from Colin Quirk set up Neil Wynne, who just beat the offside trap to control and smash home off the underside of the cross-bar to give Buckley a deserved lead. They almost increased this just before half time with Caddick's shot from the right, but again Crossthwaite saved.

The second half began with Airbus denying Buckley as much space as they had in the first, and they began to press forward themselves. On the hour, a long ball out of defence was chased down by Airbus' Damien Wilkins, the Buckley keeper Jamie Hulse sprinted off his line and palmed the ball away from Wilkins, but unfortunately he had stepped out of his area. Mr. Swindley had no choice but to award the free-kick and a straight red card to Hulse. The goal hero for Buckley took over the keepers jersey. Many thought this would be the turning point of the game, and in a strange way it was. But not because Airbus had a numerical advantage, it just seemed to give Buckley even more freedom for their midfield to press forward and support Hayes up front. Just five minutes later Hayes cut in from the left and struck home into the far corner to put Buckley 2-0 up. Then after 67 minutes Mark Orme's searching ball found Caddick who finished neatly to cap his fine performance to make it 3-0. Game over.

Credit the Airbus lads for sticking to their task though, remember they had only one player in their line-up who had first team WPL experience - Jack Rowlands - as Airbus stayed loyal to the squad that had got them to this Final. Bearing in mind they ply their trade in the WNL Reserves Division and they were up against a Buckley Town team that had finished fourth in the Cymru Alliance, this was no mean feat.

Airbus UK Broughton: Ashley Crossthwaite, Dan Calvert, George Cowell, Jack Challoner, Matthew Wintle, Karl Atkinson, Jack Rowlands, Josh Parry, Gary McConnell, Damian Wilkins, Tom Povey. Subs: Niall Chalinor, Craig Mayers, Mark Heneghan.

Buckley Town: Jamie Hulse, Sam Roberts, Rees Darlington, Gareth Edwards, Mark Orme, Colin Quirk, Joe Desormeaux, John Leonard, Neil Wynne, Stuart Hayes, Liam Caddick. Subs: Barry Calder, Wes Brereton, Dean Hardstaff.

Referee: Mr. J. Swindley Assistants: Mr. B. Markham-Jones and Mr. K. Cosworth Fouth Official: Mr. A. Richards

We would like to thank Wrexham Football Club for once again granting permission to use their superb ground for this Final, it really gives all local Footballers a boost knowing that if they reach the NEWFA Challenge Cup Final it will be played at The Racecourse. Thanks also to Mr. Peris Jones (NEWFA President), and Mr. Brian Johnson (NEWFA Chairman) for presenting the trophies, and also thanks to Johnstown Youth FC for providing the ball-boys for the game. It was also great to see the Buckley Town skipper John Leonard stepping up to lift the trophy alongside Anthony Williams, who has been out of their side since September following a cruciate ligament operation, but he assures me he will be back for next season.

BUCKLEY UNITED	0-6	BALA TOWN (played at Bala)
LLAY WELFARE	5-0	ACREFAIR
ELEMENTS CEFN DRUIDS	3-5	CASTELL ALUN COLTS
THE NEW SAINTS	1-2	PENYFFORDD
RHOS AELWYD	8-1	JOHNSTOWN
CORWEN	5-0	HAWKESBURY VILLA
BRICKFIELD RANGERS	4-1	HAWARDEN RANGERS

CORWEN	2-1	BRICKFIELD RANGERS
BRYMBO	3-4	OVERTON RECREATIONAL
COEDPOETH UNITED	4-6	VENTURE COMMUNITY
HOLT NOMADS	1-4	AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON
CASTELL ALUN COLTS	4-2	LLANUWCHLLYN
CHIRK AAA	5-1	BORRAS PARK ALBION
PENYFFORDD	3-7	BALA TOWN (played at Bala)
FC CEFN	4-3	LLAY WELFARE
RHOS AELWYD (walk-over)	p-p	GWERSYLLT ATHLETIC

RHOS AELWYD	3-0	CASTELL ALUN COLTS
LEX XI	1-1 (9-8 pens)	LLANGOLLEN TOWN
RUTHIN TOWN	2-3	FC CEFN
AIRBUS UK	2-1	VENTURE COMMUNITY
BALA TOWN	2-1	OVERTON RECREATIONAL
CHIRK AAA	5-0	MOLD ALEXANDRA
GRESFORD ATHLETIC	0-3	BUCKLEY TOWN
PENYCAE	0-2	CORWEN

BALA TOWN	0-3	AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON
FC CEFN	1-4	LEX XI
CHIRK AAA	3-0	RHOS AELWYD
BUCKLEY TOWN	6-1	CORWEN