Cymru Alliance Round-Up: Below-par Airbus march on with 14th successive league win

Despite producing a generally lacklustre performance in Saturday's early kick-off, the Wingmakers persevered and netted twice late in the game to clinch the win.

Wingmakers assistant manager Andy Thomas felt his side's superior fitness levels ultimately proved decisive against the league's basement club.

He said: "Holyhead made it really tough for us in the way they set up for the game.

"At one point they had all 11 players jut outside their own 18 yard box and closed down any attacking space for us.

"We passed up some decent early chances, but we worked them hard and knew they'd tire as the game wore on.

"We were far from at our best but we kept going and showed more energy and better finishing late on to take the points."

Lewis Buckley spurned a great early chance to open the scoring when he fired over the target with only keeper Dan Williams to beat.

At the other end, a corner nearly produced a goal for the visitors with the ball cleared off the line.

Asa Hamilton fired wide and Steve Tomassen sent a shot well over the bar as the first half ended in stalemate.

After the break, Buckley fired straight at Williams, who then produced a diving save to keep out Curtis Strong effort from range.

Hamilton headed wide from a Strong cross and Williams made another excellent save to deny Kristian Platt before the breakthrough finally arrived on 77 minutes.

Strong made good inroads down the byline before cutting the ball back for Hamilton who drew a reflex save from Williams, before Leo Riley drove home the rebound from just outside the box.

Substitute Joe Chaplin pounced in the final minute to net the hosts second to wrap up victory.

Below-par Flint Town United were 'not at the races' in their 3-0 defeat at Guilsfield, according to manager Niall McGuinness.

After suffering only their second league defeat of the season, the Silkmen were handed a wake-up call as Guilsfield romped home with three second half goals.

After a subdued first half, Stuart Rogers netted the opener soon after the restart when he fired beyond Flint keeper Aaron Joes from 18 yards.

The visitors then had strong claims for a penalty turned down when Guislfield Callum Bromley appeared to handle inside the box.

And Flint's woes were compounded in the 79th minute when a swift Guils counter attack culminated in George Clifton poking home from close range.

It was 3-0 a minute later when a through-ball split the Flint defence wide open and Adam Jenkins raced onto the pass before sending a fine finish into the top corner.

The result saw the visitors slip to third in the table, with McGuinness admitting his side were second best in mid-Wales.

He said: "It was definitely one of those days for us, where we never really got going.

"The pitch was heavy and we never fully got to grips with it like Guilsfield did.

"It wasn't for a lack of effort, but we definitely showed a lack of quality. Unlike us, Guilsfield took their chances well and were worthy winners in the end.

"It's important that we regroup now and prepare properly for the Welsh Cup net weekend."

Gresford Athletic boss Steve Halliwell believes that a lack of firepower is costing his side points this term.

A 1-1 home draw against Penrhyncoch ended Gresford's three-game's losing streak, though they remain mired in 11th place after an indifferent campaign to date.

Penrhyn led at the break thanks to a Sion James goal with Jake Eyre restoring parity from the penalty spot on 54 minutes after he was brought down by visiting keeper Leigh Jenkins.

The hosts then exerted more control over the game, with Eyre going closest to a second when he rattled the crossbar with a powerful strike late on.

Reacting to the result, Halliwell was left frustrated at his side's failure to conjure a winner in the contest against a struggling Roosters side.

He said: "I felt we deserved more from the game.

"After falling behind in the first half we said to the lads at half-time that we needed a vast improvement from them to stop this downward spiral we've been on recently.

"We were much better after that, but it was game in which we really should have taken all three points.

"The pitch was heavy and it probably brought our playing style down a notch or two, but we should be good enough to adapt to that.

"As has been the case for most of this season, we're creating plenty of chances without converting them.

"That's frustrating and we may have to look at bringing in at least one other forward to give us more options up top."

John Haseldin believes that a 4-1 reverse at Porthmadog was unduly harsh on his Holywell Town players.

Holywell fell behind after just three minutes when Julian Williams converted at close range from Sion Williams' cross.

But the visitors rallied and drew level courtesy of Steve Lewis' 15th minute penalty after the Wellmen striker was felled by Porth midfielder Ceri James.

Porth quickly set about trying to restore their lead and, after seeing several attempts on goal thwarted, they succeeded on the stroke of half-time when Julian Williams' headed home from a corner.

A more evenly-contested second half yielded chances for both sides, but it was the hosts who proved more clinical as Shaun Cavanagh slotted past Wellmen keeper Mike Platt to make it 3-1 on 84 minutes.

The hosts then added the gloss to the scoreline late on when Jay Gibbs gathered possession 35 yards out and hit a looping effort which sailed over Platt and into the net.

Haseldin said: "I thought it was a harsh scoreline. The lads worked hard and played well in spells.

"We were still in the game at 2-1 but got punished with a couple of goals late in the game as we tried to push onBetter days are around the corner I'm sure.

"People don't want to hear hard luck stories after the match, all they care about is results.

"But when you're struggling near the bottom of the league, things don't tend to go for you as much and half chances and some decisions from the officals don't always go your way.

"I can't be overly critical of the players, because they gave it everything for 90 minutes and on another day might have come away with something.

"I'm sure that better days are around the corner, we've just got to keep working hard and believing in ourselves."

Buckley Town's losing streak stretched to four games as they were beaten 2-0 at Denbigh Town.

After a winless November, Dan Moore's side began December in similarly disappointing fashion with a result that saw them slip to ninth in the table.

The hosts were in control of the game from the outset and took a 38th minute lead when Jordan Barrow bent a free-kick around the Buckley wall and beyond keeper Joe Makaruk.

The visitors chased an equaliser and went close when Aaron Williams low shot from the edge of the box drew a smart save from Denbigh stopper Gwydion Owen.

With half-time imminent, Denbigh doubled their lead when Makaruk did well to deny Sam Jones from 10 yards out, but the ball rebounded off the crossbar and fell at the feet of Pat Hinchcliffe who fired home from close range.

The visitors' fruitless pursuit of a goal continued after the break, with Denbigh edging the better of the half despite Moore making a triple substitution on 75 minutes in an attempt to swing the game's momentum.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher made a losing start as Bangor City manager as his side were beaten 2-1 at Rhyl on Friday night.

Ruthin Town came from two goals down to clinch a 3-2 home win over struggling Conwy Borough, while Prestatyn Town's revival continued with a 5-2 hammering of Llanrhaeadr.