Chirk AAA 0 - 0 Mynydd Isa (Chirk win 7-6 on pels)

Chirk surprisingly progressed to the semi final of the NEWFA Cup for the second successive season. The 'Colliers' were up against seventh placed Cymru Alliance side Mynydd Isa in this exciting cup tie at Holyhead Road. Chirk started the brighter of the two sides and had Isa on the back foot for the opening 20 minutes, the Chirk front two of Jones and Roberts causing the visitors problems. The first real chance of the game came on 20 minutes after Isa's Colecliffe threaded the ball through to charging defender Julian Jones whose low shot from 20 yards was a comfortable save for Valentine in goal. Both Jones and Hardstaff then went close for the visitors while Chirk forward Roberts was unlucky not to score on 35 minutes after rounding keeper Walsh to shoot into a empty net only to see Isa captain Jones get back to hook the ball off the line. Chirk keeper Valentine pulled off a stunning save on the stroke of half time pushing a 20 yard drive from Williams past his post and out for a corner. Secoond half saw both sides try to dominate, Chirk's Paul Douglas Jones stood out for the home side with Isa's John Halton also excelling. Valentine was responsible for keeping his side in the game with him dealing comfortable with everything that the opposition threw at him. He earned himself a round of applause off both sets of fans after leaping to his right to parry a vicious 15 yard high shot off Hardstaff courtesy of a Simon Hulse cross. This was then followed up with a save off Matty Roberts with the stopper getting down low to his left to save a daisy cutter. Isa continued to press and were rewarded with a penalty after Chirk Player/Manager Mike Hughes felled a forward in the area. Up stepped striker Hardstaff with the spot kick but that man Valentine saved again to keep the score level, not long after the referee blew for full time. The first period of extra time saw little action but the second period was a different story. In the 110th minute Chirk hit Isa on the break with midfielder Jones racing for the goal with only ex-Wrexham keeper Walsh to beat, Jones rounded him only for Walsh to haul him down 10 yards outside of the area which earned Walsh a straight red card. Defender Paul Murphy donned the keepers gloves and pulled off a good save straight away tipping the ball over the crossbar off a Matty Evans free-kick which was the last action of the game. In the resulting penalty shootout amazingly both teams converted their first seven kicks, with Anthony Valentine saving Hardstaffs which left Chirk needing stalwart Derek Lloyd to score to take his side through. The big man was up to it though with him coolly tucking away him spotkick seconds before he was mobbed by his joyful team mates.