cpdffestiniogfc.co.uk

Saturday 23rd May 2009
Tarian Eryri Shield Final – @ Porthmadog

Bodedern Athletic 3 v 0 Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateurs

BLAENAU AMATEURS 0 BODEDERN 3.
The Amateurs season ended with a disappointing finale as they were deservedly beaten by Bodedern in the final of the Eryri Shield at Porthmadog. This was only the second time for the Amateurs to reach the final of the event the last was in the 1999/00 sesaon when as this time they ended being the losing finalists beaten by Pwllheli. On Saturday they never got going as an unit with too many passes going astray and over the whole 90 minutes Gareth Roberts in the Bodedern goal had only one serious save to make when he diverted a Gareth Evans shot wide for a corner kick. The Quarrymen had to make further change to their line up as Keiron Ellis was suspended though Gareth Roberts was back after injury. In the first 10 or so minutes Blaenau had plenty of possession but once again that one pass too many was their downfall when an earlier shot on goal might have brought a better result. Bodedern were slowly gaining the edge with their first time tackling and through passes which had the Amateurs defence at full stretch at times. Then on 35 minutes they took the lead when a mistake by the Amateurs gave the ball away in their own half and a quick through ball found Gary Bolton who looked in an offside position but he coolly rounded Peter Jones in the Amateurs to open the scoring. That how it stood until just after the hour mark. Then Geraint Owen was helped off the field with a leg injury to be replaced by John O'Donovan and within three minutes the Anglesey side doubled their score when Gary Bolton was on hand to tap in an easy second goal after Andrew Bailey had lobbed the ball over the advancing Peter Jones. Dafydd Reynolds also went off injured for the Amateurs and their misery was completed in injury time when substitute Paul England's shot cum shot way out from the left ended up in the net over Peter Jones. It was that sort of day but full marks to the Anglesey side as they were really up to the challenge and just didn't allow the Amateurs the time and the space to play. One must not forget however what a successful season it has been for the Amateurs. They were champions of the Teejac Gwynedd League and of the 4 cups they entered they won 1 were losing finalist in another and lost the other two to the eventual winners in the semi final stages. Not a bad return from which has been a season which in the end the club had been plaqued with long term injuries to key players. Lets hope those players will be available when the new Welsh Alliance season kicks off in August. Before then the management will have time to assess the squad and possibly add to to it if need be.

Meirion Ellis