PRESTATYN SPORTS (Gronant Playing Fields)

WELSH ALLIANCE DIVISION TWO, PRESTATYN SPORTS 5-0 PENMAENMAWR PHOENIX, ATTENDANCE: 30 (official)

After last weekends European travels I kept it closer to home this Saturday. I took the opportunity to complete visits to all of the clubs and grounds of the Welsh Alliance League. The opportunity of a 'champagne job' admittedly influenced my decision to head to Upper Gronant today.

Prestatyn Sports were formed as recently as 2013 and have enjoyed a fair amount of success in it's short history. The club won the promotion to the Vale of Clwyd & Conwy League Premier Division in its first season before going one better and winning promotion to the Welsh Alliance League as champions in 2015. The club also won an unprecedented quadruple by adding NWCFA Intermediate Cup, Premier Cup and Presidents Cup to their trophy cabinet.

In order to gain promotion to the Welsh Alliance the club left behind their Meadows home in Prestatyn, as that ground did not meet league criteria due to a lack of changing facilities and dugouts, and moved to the Gronant Playing Fields.

The ground is pretty basic but is railed behind one goal and up to halfway line, meeting the minimum standards for the Welsh Alliance. I am led to believe Prestatyn Nova and Greenfield have previously played on this ground. Whatever the ground lacks in facilities though it certainly makes up with vista, offering great views of the Irish Sea and of the Dee Estuary looking towards Point of Ayr lighthouse and Talacre Beach. There were refreshments available and a hot brew at half time was most welcome on a bitterly cold day.

The fact that the club are playing at Gronant led to them being voted out of the Welsh Alliance at the beginning of this season. Gronant does not fall into the catchment area of the league as it is in Flintshire (which is covered by the Welsh National League) and Prestatyn are a Denbighshire club. The club appealed the decision and won meaning they were reinstated to the league. Plans are in place for a suitable home back in the town but lack of funds are proving problematic. 

Penmaenmawr Phoenix were the visitors to Upper Gronant this afternoon. The opening exchanges were very scrappy with neither side able to take control. The turning point was a penalty to Sports and red card to a Phoenix defender midway through first half, for deliberately handling on the line. Ian Griffiths (33) stepped up to convert the spot kick and after that it was one way traffic and basically shooting practice for the home side. 

Goals from James Harper (50) Chris Owen (53) Mike Jones (60) and Jack McDougall (80) ensured a comfortable afternoon at 'The Fortress' for Prestatyn and luckily for Penmaenmawr some of the other finishing was poor or the scoreline could have been a hell of a lot worse! The result leaves Sports second in the table, 22 points behind leaders Glan Conwy, but they still have a whopping 10 games in hand. 

MELIDEN (The Mine)

WELSH ALLIANCE DIVISION TWO, MELIDEN 1-1 PENMAENMAWR PHOENIX, ATTENDANCE: 50

It was a relatively short journey down the A55 to Meliden (or Gallt Melyd in Welsh if you prefer) a village on the outskirts of Prestatyn. On a lovely summer's evening Meliden were taking on Penmaenmawr in a Welsh Alliance clash.

Meliden Football Club was founded in 2008, joining the Clwyd League. The club progressed through the leagues and joined the Welsh Alliance in 2012.

The club play on a railed off communal pitch in Ffordd Ty Newydd, adjacent to the local primary school. The ground is surrounded by houses but it does offer views of the limestone hill of Graig Fawr, which dominates high above the village.

As the village grew over the years around the local lead mines and limestone quarries, the football ground honours this by being christened 'The Mine'

Tonight's game was by no means a classic, but the ball bouncing around on a bone hard pitch was never going to be conducive to good football.

Captain John Terry (24) headed Meliden into the lead before Danny Williams (44) equalised for Phoenix just before the break. Neither team could break the deadlock in the second half and, as the sun faded, both teams had to settle for a point each.

CPD GAERWEN (Maes Merddyn)

WELSH ALLIANCE DIVISION TWO, CPD GAERWEN 3-4 PENMAENMAWR PHOENIX, ATTENDANCE: 31 (h/c)

Still not feeling 100% today so I, despite the kind offer of a lift to Scotland for a double header, decided to keep it local-ish.

Gaerwen's Maes Merddyn is one of the hand full of Welsh Alliance grounds I needed to visit, so I thought that will do for me. It was a dry, but very cold and windy day on the Island.

The first half gave no indication of what was to come in the second period as it was very poor overall, with neither side able to string three passes together. The wind and bobbly pitch was never going to help either. The sides went in 1-1 at break, both goals coming in the two minutes before the whistle.

Phoenix took the lead after 43 minutes when a shot came in and, as the home defence rushed out, the ball fell at the feet of Scott Williams who turned and fired home. Moments later Alan Williams equalised when his effort found it's way into the corner of the net.

In the second period both sides just went for it, playing it long, and the game, though still lacking quality, was thoroughly entertaining. Gaerwen took the lead through Shaun Morris (55) before Phoenix quickly levelled through Bryan Kilcourse(58). Gaerwen restored their advantage once more when Kieran Lewis chipped the 'keeper (74) before again being pegged back through a Peter Williams header (76).

The winner came two minutes from time when a needless penalty was conceded and although Billy Osbourne's spot kick was saved, there was nothing the 'keeper could do to stop the follow up shot.

The ground is basic, with just 3 very small bits of cover (you could get about 6 people in each) and hard standing. Fair play though, the ground does look like a lot of work has been done to it and it is very neat and tidy.

One thing though, you can get a great view of the pitch from the roadside so any hopping mingebags out there will have a field day!