Flint TOWN UNITED have every reason to feel aggrieved at their exit from the Welsh Cup.
The Cymru Alliance side played some excellent football against their lofty visitors and appeared to have a perfectly good goal go unnoticed by a linesman.
Paul Williams’s superb strike from 25-yards early in the first half was met by a combination of Bangor goalkeeper Paul Smith’s left hand and the foot of the post.
The ball appeared to squirm past Smith and over the Citizens’ goal line, but the official and referee Huw Jones were adamant the ball hadn’t crossed the line.
Paul Davies’s side were also up in arms as captain Shaun Beck was blatantly pushed in the back by Michael Johnson, but Jones waved play on amid penalty protests.
They say things come in three’s and Flint striker Alan Dawson was penalised for a push as team-mates Johnson and Smith collided on the edge of the penalty area, the former Buckley man watching in horror as the referee blew for a foul after he rolled the ball into the empty City net.
And Flint were made to pay with a third of the game gone as Peter Hoy scored with a bullet header from a corner.
Flint decided to stick to their usual 3-5-2 formation and this seemed to work early on as they dominated the game from the centre of the pitch.
Mike Thelwell, John Hill, and substitute Paul Davies, on for the injured Stewart Carroll, used the extra midfield body to good effect.
Beck, with 15 goals to his name already this season, worked hard to carve out an opening for himself, although his decision to round Smith instead of shooting saw the chance snuffed out.
Dawson then saw his effort ruled out after the referee spotted a push, and this proved to be the end of Johnson’s afternoon as he left the field looking groggy shortly after he had escaped a penalty appeal for pushing Beck in the back.
Bangor had their first chance of the game after 15 minutes as Dave Morley’s header flashed wide of Alan Jones’ goal.
The main moment of controversy came next as Smith scrambled the ball back into play after it had crossed the goal line.
Having soaked up the pressure, Nev Powell’s Bangor were starting to look dangerous on the counter-attack and they were soon questioning the referee’s over zealous whistle blowing.
Marc Limbert’s corner kick was met by the head of Chris Sharp and he planted the ball firmly past the Flint goalkeeper. Sharp and the Bangor fans celebrated in style, but Jones, who looked to have awarded the goal, was in fact blowing for a foul against the City hitman.
Former Wrexham attacker Jamie Reed was the next Bangor player to have an effort on goal, but his effort hit a Flint defender and went out for a corner.
Within three minutes however, Powell’s men had their noses in front, Limbert’s in swinging corner found Hoy and his header hit the back of the net.
After the interval, Flint’s expected push for an equaliser failed to materialise initially as Bangor showed their defensive expertise, and this proved to be the base on which to push forward.
Captain Limbert saw his brilliant volley from a Hoy long throw flash inches over the Flint bar, before Reed twice went close with neat flicks.
Bangor substitute Ashley Stott could have put the game beyond doubt with 15 minutes to go, but he somehow fired over from eight yards after good work from Reed and Sharp.
Flint’s Simon Thelwell forced Smith into action, his well struck volley expertly tipped round the foot of the post as time ran out for the hosts.
And Flint manager Paul Davies was left cursing a number of refereeing decisions.
“I can’t knock the endeavour and 100 per cent commitment,” he said. “On another day it could have been us, I thought we had a perfectly good goal chalked off.
“I’ve just spoken to the television crew and they are saying it was over the line. That would have swung the game and put us 1-0 up.
“How the linesman has not spotted the goal for one thing and the push in the back is beyond me and they have had the rub of the green this time.
Bangor manager Nev Powell was understandably pleased to have come away with a victory and a place in the fourth round.
“It was a job well done,” he admitted. “We expected a battle and got a battle, it was a good Flint team, the best in the Cymru Alliance on a difficult pitch.
“Thankfully we are in the hat and that is all that mattered really. They came at us, it is the biggest crowd they have had in years and they put us under pressure.”
Cup ties certainly bring out the best in Mark McGregor’s Gap Connah’s Quay as they saw off Flintshire rivals Airbus 3-2 after extra-time.
Having seen off Bala Town by the same score to reach the last four of the League Cup on Tuesday, McGregor and his men booked a place in the fourth round of the prestigious Welsh Cup where they have been drawn away at Welsh League Division One side Afan Lido.
The game was a typical derby affair on a difficult Deeside Stadium pitch, which Nomads adapted better to early on.
Striker Andy Olsen, who has yet to reap the rewards for some good displays this season, broke the deadlock three minutes before the break for the home side.
A catalogue of errors handed Olsen the chance to open the scoring in a scrappy opening half. Matty Woodward, Mark Allen, and Rhys Roberts all contrived to allow the Nomads hitman to score, although there was more than a hint of offside about the goal.
Roberts made amends for his part in the Nomads opener with a neat header from Gio Feliciello’s corner to level the tie just after the hour.
There was a moment of refereeing controversy as Ashley Williams was adjudged to have felled Nomads’ Mike Hayes, although the home side thought the decision had been given against them when the whistle was blown.
Incensed by the decision, Airbus manager Craig Harrison was red-carded and sent to the stands for telling referee Andy Harms exactly what he thought.
And to make matters worse for the Wingmakers, Tom Baker converted the spot kick.
With time running out, Airbus had a goal for offside ruled out, although it appeared that Ryan Edwards had come from an onside position before crossing for Marc Lloyd-Williams to score.
But Airbus did force extra-time with Feliciello netting a superb free-kick with two minutes left.
The additional 30 minutes did little for the quality of the game as both teams tired, but Olsen proved to be the home hero as he evaded marker Danny Desormeaux and headed past Kristian Rogers with two minutes left on the clock.
McGregor was delighted to have progressed in the cup and reasonably happy with drawing Afan Lido in the next round.
“It was brilliant to win,” he declared. “The team spirit is excellent at the moment and all the lads dug deep with losing Andy Alston, Jamie Petrie, and Sam McNutt through injury.
“Players were out of position, but we showed our unity.”
On the draw, McGregor joked: “They could draw us in the Isle of Man or France next time!
“Seriously, it will be a tough trip, they are doing well and will be up for the game.”
Airbus manager Harrison was far from impressed with the occasion. He said: “We were awful in the first half, it is the worst we have played this season.
“We played better in the second half, but the decisions made by the two linesman and the referee were awful.
“I will hold my hands up and accept that I shouldn’t have said what I did, but I will not let this go, the decisions were not good enough.
“Saying that, good luck to Connah’s Quay, they have a good draw and I hope they can get as far as possible.”
Lido secured their home fixture with Nomads by beating Caerau Ely 2-1.
Rhydymwyn’s dreams were ended as they came unstuck 3-1 at Tomi Morgan’s Porthmadog.
It was always going to be a difficult tie for the Welsh Alliance side without Dafydd Griffiths, Mark Gunther, Tom McElmeel, and captain Johnny Haseldine.
Joint manager Craig Moffatt was keen to let it be known that the league is Rhyd’s priority this season, although struggling Porthmadog were there for the taking.
The Welsh Premier League side got their noses in front midway through the first half as Jack Jones fired home.
A further blow was dealt to Rhyd as Porthmadog scored a crucial goal on the stroke of half-time through Marc Evans.
Rhyd continued to search for a way back into the game and they halved the lead with 12 minutes remaining through Jay Hughes, but Porthmadog broke forward and Paul Roberts sealed the tie with two minutes left.
Porthmadog’s reward for beating Rhydymwyn is a tough trip to Prestatyn Town who beat Cardiff Bay Harlequins 3-0.
There is one Welsh Alliance side in round four of the competition as Llandudno Junction saw off Llangollen Town from the Welsh National League to book a home tie against TNS.
James Hobson opened the scoring and Darren Jones netted a second, but Mark Lunt quickly pulled a goal back for Llangollen.
But hopes of a Llan comeback were ended two minutes before the end as Matt Hughes struck a third for Junction.
Bala Town were forced to bide their time for a winner at home to Llanrug United.
Mark Harris picked up the ball 25-yards from goal and fired into the top right corner of the net.
Bala’s reward for the victory is a home encounter with struggling Welsh Premier League side Caersws, who saw off the challenge of visiting Coedpoeth United 4-1.
The home side opened the scoring on 27 minutes through Matthew Prosser, and Coedpoeth’s hopes of a cup upset took another blow as Lee Jenkins made it 2-0.
Things got worse for Coedpoeth on the hour mark as Scott Williams all but secured Caersws’s place in the last 16. United rallied and they got a consolation as Steve Davies netted on 68 minutes.
Any slim hopes of a comeback were extinguished just five minutes later as Mark Griffiths restored the three goal advantage.
A sad day for Coedpoeth was completed two minutes later as Dion Jones was dismissed.
TNS had a relatively comfortable afternoon as they beat Cambrian and Clydach Vale 2-0.
Midfielder John McKenna followed up his brace earlier in the week with the opener after just nine minutes and on-loan Wrexham striker Steve Abbott doubled the lead a minute into the second half.
Cymru Alliance outfit Holyhead Hotspurs cruised into the next round of the competition as they thumped home side Llangeinor 6-1.
Wales U-19 international Kenleight Owen started the ball rolling before Dean Garmey struck twice to make it 3-0.
Llangeinor pulled a goal back, but it proved to be in vain as a Matthew Bivers own goal, former Airbus midfielder Gareth Caughter, and Mel McGuinness wrapped up the win.
Hotspurs now have the chance to cause a big upset as they head to Welsh Premier giants Llanelli in the next round.
Andy Legg’s men defeated Carmarthen Town 3-1, Rhys Griffiths grabbing a hat-trick.
Pontardawe Town’s reward for beating Llandudno Town 2-0 is a trip to Welsh Premier champions Rhyl.
Two goals at either end of the 90 minutes ended Llandudno’s hopes of a fourth round tie, while Rhyl were made to work hard against 10-man Bridgend Town.
Marc Connolly scored the opening Rhyl goal, although Gianluca Paladini levelled from the penalty spot.
Matty Williams restored the Lilywhites’ advantage, but Bridgend refused to lie down and Vinnie Wattleworth made it 2-2.
Chances went begging at both ends, but it was Rhyl who came out on top as player/manager Greg Strong made it 3-2 with a header and Chris Williams sealed the success in injury time.
Port Talbot have been given a tricky trip to Aberystwyth Town in the next round as both teams sealed away successes.
Talbot overcame Caldicot Town 3-0, while Aber saw off Haverfordwest County 2-1 with goals from Luke Sherbon and Graham Evans.
Aberaman booked their away day at Bangor with a 2-0 triumph over Ely Rangers. All ties are to be played on Saturday, January 30.