Bangor City next for Airbus FC in Welsh Cup after beating an excellent Penybont side 2-0
Airbus opened their 2013-14 Welsh Cup campaign at the Third Round stage with this home fixture against Penybont FC. The South Wales club play in the Welsh Football League Division One, and would have been hoping to cause an upset.
There was a lively opening, with the visitors keen to impress and happy to attack early on. Steve Abbott and Ian Kearney both headed wide for Airbus after five minutes as the game went from end to end.
The breakthrough for the Wingmakers came on 17 minutes when a long-ball to the far post was turned in by Sam Hart to put Airbus 1-0 up. Despite the setback Penybont looked intent on making a real game of it and did not sit back.
Penybont were forced into an early change on 22 minutes when Nathan Renfree replaced the injured Jake Roberts. Their afternoon was about to get even tougher. Airbus were 2-0 up on 26 minutes when neat footwork from Ryan Wade in the penalty area, set up Steve Abbott for a tap-in into the right corner.
On 32 minutes, the Wingmakers’ Sam Hart picked up a booking for dissent. Generally Airbus were in full control, but Robbie Walters was proving a good outlet up front for Penybont. It remained 2-0 at the break though, with the Wingmakers looking comfortable. K:O 3.35PM
The visitors began the second-half well and when through on goal after 52 minutes, Robbie Walters drew a fine save from Airbus goalkeeper James Coates. A minute later Jonathan Hood’s chipped effort went over as, to their credit, Penybont kept pushing forward.
After an hour minutes Wade went close to extending the Airbus lead but his close-range effort rolled just wide of the near post. A minute later James Coates was forced to tip over a hooked effort from a Penybont corner, before John-Paul Budd headed wide for the away side.
With just over 20 minutes to go the Wingmakers’ new signing from Barnsley, teenage winger Tom Williams was given his Airbus debut as a substitute in place of Richie Partridge. Shortly afterwards, Glenn Rule narrowly missed finding the top corner with a great long-range strike.
Chris Budrys replaced Steve Abbott for Airbus with quarter of an hour to go, before a deflected effort from Robbie Walters clipped the top of the bar as Penybont kept on going. With 10 minutes to go Walters tried another long-range effort which didn’t go far wide.
For the final few minutes both sides made changes, with Kristian Smith replacing Matthew Jones for Penybont, and Aaron Hassall replacing Phil Bolland for Airbus. Into stoppage-time Tom Field fired over for Airbus which proved the last action of the game.
@Penybont_FC What an absolutely fantastic set of players, officials and fans. A real credit to your league. Good luck to you for the season
— Steve Ransley (@wingmakerfan) December 7, 2013
The Wingmakers were safely into the Fourth Round of the Welsh Cup, while Penybont had given a great account of themselves – playing as well, if not better, than many a Welsh Premier side who have visited the Airfield this season.
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