RHEWL 0
LLANRHAEADR 5
VUVUZELAS swapped the South African winter for the rainy Summer League at Rhewl.
There wasn’t too much cheer for Pete Lloyd’s hosts as Aled Davies’ experienced Llanrhaeadr had too much nous for them to stroll through to the last four of the Shield.
Three goals in the first 21 minutes killed off the tie and on this form Llan will take some stopping in their quest for a first piece of silverware since their thrilling title triumph six years ago.
While possession was fairly evenly shared, Llanrhaeadr were by far the more dangerous outfit going forward.
It’s difficult not to grab goals with the attacking talents of Ian Evans, Sion Davies, Rhys Llwyd and Gareth Roberts in your line-up, but Llanrhaeadr constantly posed a threat at set pieces, with impressive centre back Llion Edwards always a willing target.
Rhewl made the better start and they should have been in front after only three minutes.
Phyl Roberts’ great drive from 20 yards forced Llanrhaeadr keeper Luc VanderBijl into a good diving stop and from the resulting corner, Chris Shone was given the freedom of the penalty box, but his powerful header failed to threaten the target.
The visitors’ first real threat saw Ian Evans play an intelligent ball into the danger zone, but Llion Edwards couldn’t control his volley from six yards.
However Llan joy came on seven minutes when Rhewl number one Jack Cooledge spilled the ball and Evans followed up to put away the rebound.
Eight minutes later it was 2-0, with Ian Evans at the double.
From Sion Davies’ excellent ball, Evans cracked the ball into the top corner with a great strike from the edge of the area.
Rhewl were creaking at this point, but they came close to pulling one back on the 20-minute mark.
Ian Williams’ free kick from distance was creeping in under the crossbar, but VanderBijl scrambled across to divert the ball over.
A minute later and Rhewl’s Shield hopes were finally over.
Gareth Roberts found himself in acres of space down the left and he coolly put the ball into the far corner for goal number three.
Youthful Rhewl never threw in the towel - and you needed a towel as the rain cascaded down.
They saw as much of the ball as Llanrhaeadr did, but apart from some telling crosses wide right from the impressive Ian Williams, they never looked likely to get back into it.
Llanrhaeadr, on the other hand, look full of goals and Evans twice eyed another hat-trick with 35-yard free kicks, but both strikes were well dealt with by Rhewl half-time substitute Bryn Jones between the sticks.
After 65 minutes Llan bagged another when good build-up play involving Matthew Mellow and Ian Evans gave Chris Williams the chance to net from six yards.
And the visitors decided to go nap with six minutes left as Sion Davies latched on to Ian Evans’ fine pass to make it five.
Sing, sing Llanrhaeadr!
Rhewl: Cooledge, D Lloyd, P Roberts, Isaac, McClean, Shone, I Williams, H Owen, Endaf Jones, E Owen, Brophy. Subs: B Jones, R B Jones, Willsdon
Llanrhaeadr: VanderBijl, G Roberts, Emyr Jones, Edwards, C Williams, H Roberts, I Evans, Howard, Davies, Llwyd, Mellor. Subs: A Williams, Armstrong, G Evans