Cymru Alliance weekly round-up

By Phil Jones Cymru Alliance correspondent

Llandudno management pair James Cornish and Grant Montgomery receive October manager of the month awards from Bob Paton

The day's top match in the Cymru Alliance was between second placed Llandudno and leaders Llangefni Town and, as anticipated with it being badged at the day's draw banker, that is exactly what happened.

After a cat and mouse start, it was almost a case of neither side wanted to make a mistake, but rest assured the quality if football was excellent.

It is clear Buckley Town have at last turned the corner and they accounted for high-flying Flint Town United. It was not vintage Buckley by any means, but most of the neutrals would agree that they deserved their success although it was a long time coming and for so long it looked as if it was going to end in stalemate.

Buckley, to their credit, had the lion's share of the play and only the paintwork denied them on four separate occasions, with Colin Quirk and Neil Wynne sharing the hard luck stories.

It was not one-way traffic by any means, with Shaun Beck forcing new Buckley keeper Joe Makaruk into making a text book save. In the closing period, however, Buckley got the breakthrough they deserved and Quirk netted with a fine goal from distance.

All the good work that had been achieved by Buckley seemed as if it was going to go down the drain when Paul Williams beat Makaruk from close range but it was ruled out for an earlier infringement committed by Steffan Halewood.

The weekend's top performers without doubt though were Llangollen Town who really did provide their visitors Denbigh Town with a fine lesson in finishing.

Llan finished a very even first half with their noses in front after Paul Griffiths scored with a close range headed goal from an Aaron Aby corner and it went in with the help of the under-side of the bar.

Richard Evans helps Penrhyncoch to healthy win over Caernarfon

Denbigh unfortunately collapsed like a pack of cards, Simon Smith scored a splendid solo effort and then followed a bizarre third goal from keeper Adam McGhee which bounced once and sailed over the head of the Denbigh keeper Arwel Hughes.

The visitors then collapsed and Darren Hignett, Matt Holmes and Smith added further goals before Tommy Mutton fired a lone consolation goal to make the scoreline 6-1.

Caernarfon Town failed once more to make the impact they are more than capable of achieving and were beaten 4-2 in their own back yard by Penrhyncoch.

It was The Canaries who were first to show when John Rowley broke the deadlock in the 18th minute with a dipping shot from distance. The visitors were gifted an equaliser in the 21st minute, however, when Tony Jones ghosted in unmarked to fire home.

Dan James then gave Penrhyn the lead, bundling the ball over the line following a goalmouth scramble.

Worse was to come for Caernarfon as the game was over as a contest by the break when Richard Evans and Jones had them on the rack and 4-1 down.

Just when they thought things could not get any worse, they did, and Chris Parry was given his marching orders for elbowing James Morris. The Canaries did manage to reduce the arrears with a Kyle Jamid cross for Rowley to beat Llyr Hughes with a close range header. There was time for even more drama when the visitors had Sion Jones also shown a red card.

The Mold Alex versus Llanfairpwll encounter was one of true grit. The visitors were first to show and they had a good penalty shout turned down in the 10th minute following a challenge committed by Craig Roberts.

Immediately after that incident they should have gone ahead, but a weak effort from Steve Smith missed the target.

It was a fast and furious start and then it was Mold's turn to press. They managed to break the deadlock and Owain Roberts converted from close range after being set up by Dave Gleave following a Terry Pughe corner.

Llanfair managed to get back on level terms midway through the opening half and this time a Roberts challenge on Arwyn Owen was penalised and Iwan Williams converted the resulting penalty.

Alex were able to regain their lead five minutes later when Owain Roberts doubled his personal tally heading home a pin-point Pughe cross. The second half clearly belonged to the visitors, with Mold not at the races in the latter stages despite two good efforts apiece from Gary Burns and Dave Gleave.

Mold's offside trap failed to capture Kevin Fraser who broke from deep and crossed for Iwan Williams to level. Some fine probing and the Mold defence 'absent without leave' enabled Williams to complete his hat-trick and allow his side to travel back home with maximum points.

Ruthin Town secured their third consecutive league victory beating Holyhead Hotspur 2-1. Kevin Garland scored with a glancing header to break the deadlock on the stroke of half-time and an assist from Tryfan Prosser in the 70th minute enabled him to double his personal tally. A response from Spurs Gareth Caughter was too little too late.

The Gresford Athletic game against Bethesda got switched, but this game was obviously doomed as the Bethesda pitch was waterlogged and in the end the match was postponed.

LEX XI had a rare away win to boost morale. They clinched a 3-1 victory on the road at Berriew. Alun Williams opened the LEX account with a close range tap-in after efforts by Joey Garner and Keiran Duckett had been blocked.

Will Thomas put Berriew back on level terms, but there no way back after Mike Griffiths restored the LEX lead and Sean Dodd converted a 61st minute penalty following a handball incident.