Welsh Blood Service League Cup holders Airbus UK Broughton began their defence of the trophy with a 3-1 comeback win over Mold Alexandra at the Hollingsworth Group Stadium on Friday night.
Mold, who were the 2024 winners of the competition, took the lead inside just eight minutes as Owen Cordiner found space on the edge of the area to clinically curl into the bottom corner.
However, the Wingmakers were level on 27 minutes as Mason Blackwell-Jones slotted home his first goal for the club before former Mold frontman Danny Warren completed the turnaround early in the second half with a simple close range finish from Jordan Evans’ cross.
In-form George Peers sealed victory late on, heading home Sam Baker’s cross at the back post for his eighth goal of the season in all competitions.
Guilsfield were Round One’s biggest winners as Adam Knott and Sam Flory both scored twice in a comfortable 5-0 thrashing of Flint Mountain at Clos Mytton.
It looked as though the contest would be goalless at the break, but Knott and Flory both netted in first half stoppage time to leave the visitors stunned.
Iwan Matthews found the net from Callum Bromley’s cross early in the second half, before Flory completed his brace in the 58th minute. The striker then turned provider 15 minutes later as his flick-on was met by the head of Knott who grabbed a second goal of his own.
Newtown progressed to the second round thanks to a penalty shootout win over Llandudno, following a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes at the Go Goodwins Stadium.
Both sides are unbeaten so far in the JD Cymru North, and nothing could separate them as Fin Starkey-Jones’ opener for the Robins late in the first half was cancelled out after the break by Mark Cadwallader.
Teenager Aidan McCann missed Newtown’s first attempt in the shootout, but after both teams had scored twice, Ben Maher’s miss for Llandudno levelled it up. Ollie Sharp converted for Newtown, before Adam Stephens’ miss put the Robins on the brink of victory but Tomos Jones saw his effort saved by Michael Jones.
Anthony Stephens scored to send it to sudden death and after two more converted kicks for both sides, Robbie Evans netted for Newtown and Llandudno’s Iwan Cartwright missed to see the visitors prevail.
10-man Ruthin Town were also victorious on penalties, following a 1-1 draw with Gresford Athletic at Memorial Playing Fields on Friday night.
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The hosts played over an hour with 10 men after Harry Martin’s red card in the 26th minute, while they also found themselves a goal down on the half hour mark as Jake Roberts headed home Haci Ozlu’s cross. However, Josh Evans produced a superb solo goal on 73 minutes to level the contest and ultimately send it to penalties.
With the shootout sitting at 3-3 after four penalties each, Ruthin goalkeeper Dan Goldston saved Iwan Roberts’ effort to allow Matthew Robinson to step up and fire the hosts into the second round.
Rhyl 1879 were the third team in the Northern section to win on penalties as they overcame Denbigh Town from the spot after a 1-1 draw at the Hops and Barley Community Stadium.
Rhyl broke the deadlock just after the half hour mark thanks to Ben Lightfoot’s neat footwork and calm finish, but Nathan Brown brought Denbigh level from the penalty spot in first half stoppage time after Archie Jones’ foul on Ben Lockley inside the box.
Denbigh had beaten Rhyl on penalties in the Nathaniel MG Cup at the start of August, but it was the Lilywhites who were victorious this time. Alex Swindell saved Scott McHarrie’s third attempt for Denbigh, which proved to be the only miss of the whole shootout as James Farr scored the winner for the hosts.
Mark Connolly marked his first appearance in nearly six years by providing two decisive assists in Holywell Town’s 2-0 win over Penrhyncoch at Cae Baker on Saturday.
41-year-old Connolly came on as a substitute in the 69th minute and made an impact six minutes later as his low cross was steered home by Jamie Breese. The duo combined again just five minutes later as Breese latched onto Connolly’s threaded pass and slotted past the outrushing Steffan Jones.
Buckley Town ended their run of three consecutive first round exits in the Welsh Blood Service League Cup with a 2-1 victory away at Holyhead Hotspur on Saturday.
Hugh Holland met Max Moore’s cross at the back post to fire Buckley ahead on 22 minutes, but Holyhead equalised just two minutes later through Craig Whelan, who was an early substitute after replacing the injured Tomos Owen.
However, Harvey Ellis, making his first start for the Bucks, produced a sublime effort from outside the area to restore his side’s advantage just before half-time, which proved to be the decisive goal as the visitors progressed.
Caersws booked their place in Round Two with a 2-0 victory at home to Brickfield Rangers on Saturday.
Max McLaughlin fired home from a corner to give the Bluebirds the lead just before half-time, while after Brickfield substitute Kian Thomas had been shown a straight red card, Rhys Hesden sealed the win for Caersws on 79 minutes as he raced onto Iwan Smout’s long ball and prodded past Ryan Price.
Last season’s Welsh Blood Service League Cup Southern section winners Trefelin were knocked out at the first hurdle this time around as Ammanford triumphed 1-0 at Ynys Park on Saturday.
A number of key saves from Ammanford goalkeeper Luke Martin kept the game goalless before the visitors found what proved to be the only goal of the game in first half stoppage time as Dan John turned home Rhys Davies’ low cross.
Clear cut chances were hard to come by for the hosts as they searched for an equaliser in the second half and their woes were increased in stoppage time when captain Jordan Davies was shown a straight red card.
Treowen Stars survived a late scare to earn a 3-2 win away at Caerau Ely on their Welsh Blood Service League Cup debut on Friday night.
The Stars put themselves in a commanding position at half-time as goals from Macsen Evans and Callum Hodges opened up a two-goal lead, while Carter Campbell’s volley extended the advantage early in the second half.
Quickfire strikes from substitutes Joe Rees and George Sheppard gave the Young Guns hope with 10 minutes remaining, but the Stars saw out the closing stages to progress.
Debutant goalkeeper Lewis Mouland was the hero for Pontypridd United as the Dragons knocked out JD Cymru South leaders Cambrian United on penalties at USW Sports Park on Friday night.
The tie was sent to a shootout after a goalless 90 minutes and Mouland kept out Cambrian’s third penalty from Jay Woodford to hand his side the advantage.
Tom Gameson missed Ponty’s next attempt but Mouland then saved again from Tom Hillman, and despite Frazer Thomas converting for the visitors, Josh Stephens stepped up to fire the Dragons into Round Two.
There was also shootout drama at Avondale Motor Park Arena on Saturday as Carmarthen Town overcame Cwmbran Celtic after a 0-0 draw in 90 minutes.
Carmarthen debutant Keane Whitmore was sent off in the 82nd minute, but that did not aid Celtic in finding a late winner. In the shootout, Celtic goalkeeper Iwan Hooper saved Carmarthen’s first effort, but two misses from the hosts proved costly as the Old Gold scored their next four to triumph.
Llantwit Major reached Round Two for the first time as Connor Goldsworthy’s second half strike earned a 1-0 win over Trethomas Bluebirds at the CCB Centre For Sporting Excellence on Friday.
Major had the opportunity to take the lead in first half stoppage time as they were awarded a penalty, but Tom Stokes saw his effort from 12 yards saved by Bluebirds goalkeeper Suleimane Susso.
However, Stokes would make amends in the 65th minute when he set up Goldsworthy for what proved to be the decisive goal as Major won for the first time this season.
Baglan Dragons also won in the Welsh Blood Service League Cup for the first time as Artiom Legavec’s penalty secured a 1-0 victory away at Aberystwyth on Saturday.
The Dragons had been beaten their previous two Round One ties, and also lost at Park Avenue in the league earlier in August, but were victorious this time as a foul on Dylan Thomas inside the box allowed Legavec to slam home his spot kick just after the hour mark.
Two early goals proved enough to earn Newport City a 2-1 victory over Cardiff Draconians at Lydstep Park on Saturday.
Charlie Davies put the Steelmen ahead from the penalty spot inside 10 minutes after George Kabza was fouled in the box, before Mckenzie Thompson doubled the lead in the 21st minute with a composed finish.
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Harri Edwards halved the deficit for the Dracs in the 74th minute with his first goal since March, but Newport held firm to reach the second round.
Brandon Roberts’ first half strike secured progression for Afan Lido in a 1-0 win away at Ynyshir Albions on Saturday.
The Buns beat Lido 7-0 in this competition three years ago, but the visitors would get their revenge here as Roberts’ curling effort from a wide position sailed through everybody and nestled into the bottom corner on 35 minutes. The win was also Lido’s first clean sheet away from home in 2025.
Welsh Blood Service League Cup Round One results:
Northern Section
Ruthin Town 1-1 Gresford Athletic (4-3 on pens)
Airbus UK Broughton 3-1 Mold Alexandra
Caersws 2-0 Brickfield Rangers
Guilsfield 5-0 Flint Mountain
Holyhead Hotspur 1-2 Buckley Town
Llandudno 1-1 Newtown (5-6 on pens)
Penrhyncoch 0-2 Holywell Town
Rhyl 1879 1-1 Denbigh Town (5-4 on pens)
Southern Section
Caerau Ely 2-3 Treowen Stars
Pontypridd United 0-0 Cambrian United (4-3 on pens)
Trethomas Bluebirds 0-1 Llantwit Major
Cardiff Draconians 1-2 Newport City
Cwmbran Celtic 0-0 Carmarthen Town (3-4 on pens)
Trefelin 0-1 Ammanford
Ynyshir Albions 0-1 Afan Lido
Aberystwyth Town 0-1 Baglan Dragons
