Denbigh are through to the Semi-Finals of the Dragon Signs FAW Trophy after a much deserved away win over South Walian opposition from the Newport area. Two second half goals from Paul Fleming including a penalty and a late Harvey Bennett goal secured the win after a battling performance on an uneven pitch with a swirling wind making playing conditions difficult to master.

Pill AFC play in the Tier 4 Gwent Premier League having only lost one league game this season and had caused a major upset in the Welsh Cup earlier in the season by beating Cymru Premier League side Cardiff Met University 2-1 at their Pills Harrier Sports Club ground. Tier 3 side Denbigh were looking to avoid such a giant killing result in this potential banana skin of a game.

Backed by a large contingent of vociferous Denbigh supporters who had made the long trek to the Newport area, Denbigh started the game on the front foot with captain Paul Fleming glancing his header just wide of the post in the first minute after a pinpoint cross from Nathan Brown.

Shortly after Jake Walker sent an overhead pass into the path of Brown who unleashed a powerful first time volley which shaved the post and bounced away for a goal kick. Walker then saw his header from Craig Pritchard’s cross fall straight into the arms of Pill’s keeper Adam Cueto.
With Denbigh piling on the pressure Cueto was once again to Pill’s rescue as he saved well from Jason Foulkes’ first time volley.

Town’s Craig Pritchard was proving to be so influential in midfield and he created a chance for himself on 33 minutes by weaving his way into Pill’s penalty area only for the uneven pitch meaning the ball bobbled just as he was about to shoot from close range and the ball sailed high over the crossbar . Minutes later he fizzed a low ball across the Pill goal, but Denbigh’s attackers could not get on the end of the cross.

A frustrating first half finished goalless despite Town having most of possession and creating all the chances with Pill’s forays on Town’s Aaron Jones’ goal being kept to long distance attempts.

The second half continued in the same vein with Pritchard and Brown linking well to set Walker up for a volley on the far post, but his effort went inches wide. When Town won a free kick the impressive central back Dan Parry-Jones went forward for Brown’s kick. Another exquisite cross reached came to him on the volley, but his attempt went too high of the goal.

The relentless pressure had to tell, and the Town’s first goal came on 60 minutes when Fleming latched onto a loose ball in the penalty area and blasted a low drive away from the despairing dive from Cueto ( see photo) .

Six minutes later it was 2-0 as Pritchard was brought down in the penalty area and referee Schofield had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot. Fleming coolly stepped up to send Cueto the wrong way and give Town a two goal lead.

The game swung Denbigh’s way even further on 70 minutes when Pill’s substitute Robert Millar who’d only been on the pitch for five minutes was awarded a straight red card after an altercation with Town’s Jason Foulkes with Foulkes seeing a yellow card for the incident.

Manager Dewi Llion Jones then brought on Sam Haddon, Harvey Bennett and Jacob Edwards for the hardworking Jason Foulkes, Jake Walker and Nathan Brown as Denbigh looked to play out the game with a two goal lead and an extra man. A few minutes later and another substitution saw the dependable Sion Jones replaced by Craig Rogers.

The rapid changes in a short time unsettled Denbigh and they allowed Pill to pull a goal back with Leo Ross chipping over Aaron Jones and a despairing Rogers being unable to stop the ball crossing the goal line .

With the score 2-1 and with five minutes remaining the hosts piled on the pressure for the equaliser. Their long throw ins from Gary Colbourne created problems in Town’s penalty area but some staunch defending from Keiron Roberts, Billy Holmes and Ben Lockley helped protect the lead.

As Denbigh relieved pressure on their goal, the ball was played to the left wing for Jacob Edwards to control and head to the corner flag, seemingly to play for time. Instead, he broke inside and laid a deft ball into the path of 16 year old Harvey Bennett who has just been called up for the Wales Schools Under 18s squad. The youngster has an edge of maturity about him and calmly slotted the ball home from 10 yards to give Town a deserved 3-1 lead.

Minutes later it was game over and Denbigh were through to the Semi Final – the only North Walian team left in the competition.

The Semi Final is due to take place on Saturday 18th March with the draw being made over the next few days