Damage in the Box!: BETHESDA ATHLETIC (Meurig Park)

Today was a rare chance to visit one of the few grounds I haven't "ticked" in the Cymru Alliance. I say rare because it is not very often you get a team accepting promotion to the second tier of Welsh football (let alone a team from each of the three feeder leagues, which has happened this season...Berriew and Llangollen are the others) and rare because I wouldn't go to Bethesda in their Welsh Alliance days due to their noteriety for never issuing a programme. However one of the rules in the Cymru Alliance is they have to issue, and they did today, although it was more style over substance, but in my eyes there is no such thing as a bad programme.

With the sun beating down on a lovely late summers afternoon it was to the edge of Snowdonia, and Meurig Park I headed. The football ground was very easy to find, located just off the A5 road as you head out of town. A typical welsh ground with a railed off pitch, small covered seated stand and absolutely stunning views from all angles, in this case the Ogwen Valley and, err, the slate quarry.

Bethesda took the Welsh Alliance by storm last season, winning the title by 16 points, so it will be interesting to see how they cope with the step up. The oppostion today was my local team, Flint, who are a strong outfit at this level and are always there or thereabouts in the promotion race.

It turned out to be a very enjoyable game as (the mighty) Flint secured a comfortable win. Two first half goals, the first from Shaun Beck after 15 minutes and a then stunning finish, after a mazy run, from Paul D. Williams put Flint in a strong position just before half time. Bethesda came out and had a good go second half, as Flint took their foot off the gas, and with 6 minutes to go Craig Roberts pulled a goal back for the homesters. However, any fears of that the Silkmen would squander their lead were allayed when Shaun Beck netted a third two minutes from time to seal the victory.

This result meant a very happy hopper travelling back along the A55!