HOLYHEAD Hotspur manager Darren Garmey lauded his side after they secured a superb 2-1 Huws Gray Cup first round victory at Flint Town United.

The Holy Islanders knocked out the current holders of the competition to continue their recent resurgence, and they travel to Penrhyncoch on Saturday looking to secure a third win in succession (2.30pm).

Garmey, said: “I was proud of the ways the players stuck at it throughout the whole game.

“We need to keep it going and take it to our next game, a league fixture at long distance at Penrhyncoch this coming Saturday.”

The Silkmen made an imposing start to proceedings and almost went ahead on two occasions, but Rees Brown hacked an effort off the line and Carl Jones produced a smart stop after ten minutes.

Gradually the visitors began to see more of the ball and carved out a good opening on 35 minutes when pacey forward Jamie McDaid latched on to a Cory Jones through ball to slot home the opening goal of the tie.

McDaid nearly added to his tally immediately after when he fired over after a fine individual run, but Garmey’s men did double their advantage in first half stoppage time when Alex Jones produced a powerful header from a Dean Garmey corner for Spurs’ second.

After the break saw Niall McGuinness’ men come out with a renewed sense of purpose in a bid to get back in the contest, with former Holyhead star Damian Ketley and Mark Cadwallder going close in quick succession during a dominant spell to open the second period.

The away side were looking dangerous on the break and Luke McGivern wasted a golden chance for a third when he scuffed his attempt after more good work from McDaid, and a nervy ending to proceedings was ensured when Cadwallader reduced the arrears in added time.

Spurs’ rearguard held firm in the closing stages in the face of some stern pressure to cause a major upset and progress to the quarter-final stage.