Report

Last Saturday it was back to cup action as Aztecs made the short trip to Abergele to play Pentre Athletic under 16s in the Semi Final of the League Cup first leg.

Without Jeven, Connah, Ben and the long absentee Alex only 15 players were up for selection.  James G was drafted in at right back while Jake JD led the line.

Both sides played it cagey in the opening few minutes but the early chances fell to the diamonds but Jordan B & Jake failed to convert.  The first goal came in unusual circumstances on 6 mins. Aztecs had a corner and the ball was cleared to a Pentre striker who was just lurking on the half way line after having a drink from the bench.  Aztec defenders did not pick this up and the striker raced clear to stroke the ball past Christian to give the hosts the lead.  Aztecs knuckled down and it was no surprise that the equaliser came on 11 mins.  Jordan B raced down the left wing and picked out Jake just inside the area and his crisp left foot volley found the net.  It was all Aztecs now and Jordan B had another shot saved a minute later as Pentre looked stretched at the back.

On 20 mins Jordan B again looped a header just over and after the best move of the game down the right by Chris, James and Gaz; Jake fired straight at the keeper.  No more goals were added and it was still 1-1 at the half.

HT 1-1

Diamonds came out fired up and after 44 mins Jordan B struck a post following great work down the left hand side.  Aztecs then took the lead on 47 mins and what a goal it was. A free kick was awarded some 25 yards out and Jake struck a tremendous drive right into the top corner of the net with the keeper nowhere to be seen.  Jake could have had his hatrick 6 mins later but his weak shot was saved.  Then on 55 mins came a controversial decision as Jordan weaved into the box and brought down clearly by a Pentre defender but the ref waved play on.  On 64 mins it looked like the game was over when Jake played a lovely ball in and skipper Jordan headed in for a third.  Then came a mad 3 minute spell which turned the game on its head.  Firstly Aztecs got caught too far up-field and Pentre broke away, as the ball ran back to keeper Christian he spilled the ball to his right and a Pentre striker tapped into an empty net.  Josh replaced the struggling James G and while Aztecs were reorganising at the back Pentre scored again to make it 3-3.  Then just when the Aztecs bench were left scratching their heads Pentre broke up-field again and although the first effort was saved well the ball fell kindly for a Pentre player and he made no mistake lobbing the ball into the net.

Then the game changed again as on 70 mins Jake found centre back Lewis who found himself deep inside the Pentre half, he managed to dribble the ball to the by-line and find a perfect cross to Jordan B whose scuffed shot found the net.  A minute later the away side nearly took the lead again but the bar denied a powerful Jordan free kick from 25 yards.

Pentre almost snatched a late winner but they hit the post and the entertaining match finished 4-4.

FT 4-4

MoM Jamie J

Manager Jonathan had mixed feelings about the result and said “We were sloppy defensively today and to give away a 3-1 lead was just not like us. I think we thought the game was won at that point and took our foot off the pedal and conceded some very poor goals”. He continued “The positive was we fought back straight away and managed to grab a good equaliser and it sets up the second leg perfectly”.