TT No.210: Mike Latham: Sat 15 March 2008: Welsh Alliance League.  Llandudno Junction 4-3 Conwy United.   Attendance: 140 (h/c); No admission or programme; FGIF Match Rating: 4* 

 

 

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A faulty headlamp which can’t be replaced until Monday put paid to an intended trip to the SJC tie at Bathgate and left me scrambling around for a game at a new ground that I could get home from on sidelights before the light faded.

 

I then intended to visit Harraby Catholic Club for their Northern Alliance game against top-of-the-table Walker Central, but their secretary kindly returned my call and said that the game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

 

So to the Welsh Alliance, a league with which I have grown familiar in the last year or so.  The early kick-off (2.30pm) appealed, so too the prospect of goals in this local derby with Llandudno Junction, having fallen to the foot of the table, up against rivals and former WPL side Conwy United, lying second behind Bethesda Athletic.

 

Llandudno Junction’s ground is a council owned facility known as the Flyover, situated two or three roundabouts off J18 of the A55.  The area was built around the railway junction that connects the Crewe-Holyhead line with that of Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog.  Known previously as Tremarl, Llandudno Junction adjoins Deganwy and is located in the county borough of Conwy, east of the walled town of Conwy with its impressive castle that is visible from the football ground.

 

Llandudno Junction was previously home to Borough United FC, who won the Welsh Cup in 1963 and competed in Europe with some distinction in the following season. Their Nant-y-Coed ground was lost to development and the present club, which can trace its roots back to Hotpoint FC, formed in 1975, have occupied the present Flyover ground since 1998, being members of the Welsh Alliance (the third tier of Welsh football) since the turn of the last century.

 

Junction boasts an impressive website and usually one of the best programmes in the league.  Sadly there were none on sale this afternoon but a club official gladly fished out a couple of back issues.  It is a most impressive publication, its 56 pages packed with statistics, match reports and adverts from local businesses and with a glossy wrap-around cover.

 

Early impressions were none too favourable when I arrived with 45 minutes still to go before kick-off.  The council will not allow parking at the ground, which lies about 400 yards from the station surrounded by a mixture of housing, a retail park and light industry. And there is no cover, just some hard standing behind a railed fence that runs behind three sides of the ground- the far side backing onto grass banking that runs up to housing.

 

There is a refreshment, dressing room and toilet block by the entrance and plenty of spare land around the main pitch for the two teams to complete their warm-ups.  The playing pitch was reasonably flat and well grassed though mottled with daisies.

 

The playing strips of the competing sides certainly made the players stand out on a dark afternoon as the threatening skies finally gave way to steady rain.  The home side had a predominantly bright yellow strip, the visitors boasted bright orange jerseys.

 

Surprisingly no effort was made to collect a gate or conduct a raffle and so the chance to boost club funds and defray the officials’ expenses was lost, especially as a headcount conducted midway through the first half revealed that around 140 people had been attracted to this local derby.

 

Junction has recently undergone a managerial change with the previous reserve team manager promoted in a bid to stave off relegation.  They certainly played with a vigour and confidence usually lacking in a team in their predicament and went into half-time with the lead, courtesy of a headed goal from a free-kick just 17 seconds before the end of normal time.

 

The second half developed into a thrilling game and a draw looked the likeliest and most fair result until the home centre-forward Ross Stevens, who had scored two superbly taken goals, was upended in the penalty area.  For some reason the Conwy ‘keeper avoided a straight red card, incurring instead a yellow, but was powerless to prevent the cool Dwyfor Williams striking home the winning goal in the first minute of added-on time.

 

The Welsh Alliance, in my experience, is well worth a visit with some scenic grounds and many a warm welcome to the traveller.  Though Junction wouldn’t be at the top of the list in either category they provided a stirring local derby that will live long in the memory. 

contributed on 15/03/08