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Trethomas Bluebirds secured their spot in the semi-final of the FAW Amateur Trophy after a 2-1 win over Holyhead Hotspur.

The current cup holders were relieved to have drawn the Anglesey-based side at home, when the pair clashed at the Centre for Sporting Excellence on Saturday February 17.

It was a tough game for both sides, described by Bluebirds manager Mark Dunford as “hard work”, but two Gareth Tedstone goals proved the difference for the hosts.

A late Alex Jones consolation provided a few minutes of drama, but it would have been a long 200 mile drive back for the Ardal North West side, who never really threatened.

Kick-off:

The first chance of the game fell to the visitors. A free kick was taken quickly and sent wide before it was crossed onto the head of top scorer at the club, Dylan Summers-Jones.

He got up well and his effort had Bluebirds keeper Harry Irving diving to his left, but it just skimmed wide of the post.

Irving’s opposite number Guto Hughes had a lot to do in the first-half, mainly with his feet.

It was clear early on that wasn’t his greatest strength however, after a few balls were needlessly thumped into touch.

Neither side had really settled and played their football inside the opening 15 minutes, but it was the Bluebirds who felt like they should have had a chance to take the lead following a huge penalty shout.

Winger Ethan Edwards burst into the box down the left and got on the end of a through ball, before he appeared to have been brought down.

There were massive appeals from the players and coaches, but referee Teifion Cook waved it away.

Dunford spoke to Caerphilly Observer after the game and said he thought the penalty was “nailed-on”.

It didn’t matter for too long however, as shortly after, the Bluebirds took the lead.

Another poor goal kick from Hughes was sent to the wrong side of the field and the loose ball was picked-up by Lee Baldock.

Baldock quickly played the ball down the right to Tedstone, who with one man to beat, cut inside the box onto his favoured left foot and curled his finish perfectly into the far corner.

Trethomas continued to have a lot of joy down the channels, and if anything seemed to dominate more of the ball after the goal.

However, a classic chip in behind to the lightning-quick Levi Rees turned out to be a disaster for the Bluebirds.

Charging through on goal, Rees had left his man behind and looked certain to add to his impressive goal tally this season. Moments before his strike however, he grabbed at his left hamstring and pulled-up.

He did manage to swing his right foot at it, but the ball went wide.

Dunford’s head was in his hands as Rees called for treatment, a huge blow for the Bluebirds if he is out for any length of time.

If there was one silver lining however, it was that the new signing from Tredegar Town, Jack Jones, came on in his place – and looked excellent.

Involved straight away, the 20-year-old beat his man down the right and set up Baldock. His effort went over the bar though.

Holyhead did have a couple minutes of possession before the half-time whistle, difficult with Liam Fawcett in midfield however. He didn’t stop running all afternoon.

The visitors did manage to carve out a great opportunity though, Summer-Jones down the right skipped past his man and got a shot off.

It was deflected, but only to striker Cory Williams in the middle. Williams from close range lunged at the ball, but was always leaning back. His effort sailed over the bar and the whistle went.

Second-half:

After a sunny and dry first-half, the rain was hammering down as the players re-entered the field for the second.

This appeared to slow the game down a bit. There were a few more mistimed tackles and long balls were skidding out of play.

The weather played a huge factor in the next goal, as Hotspur defender James Phillips slipped when chasing a ball in behind.

The eager Jones anticipated the mistake well, and had too much time if anything, to make his decision one-on-one with the keeper.

He opted to round Hughes, who managed to get a glove to it and send the winger wide. Jones recovered the ball though, and this time opted to square it to Tedstone in the middle.

Tedstone couldn’t miss. He grabbed his brace, and Trethomas were two goals to the good.

Hotspur manager Darren Garmey was furious after the goal, and appeared to be claiming Phillips was fouled in the build-up. Cook had heard enough, and showed Garmey a red card.

The Bluebirds looked comfortable now. Jones continued to impress down the left, he played a great ball across to Edwards who took a touch when he maybe could have hit it first time.

He tried a cute dink with the keeper in his face, but scooped it over the bar.

The visitors struggled with the ball in the second-half. There were a lot of misplaced passes to the frustration of their coaches.

Despite that though, it was only 2-0, and with ten minutes to go, a free kick down the left wasn’t dealt with by the Bluebirds.

It bounced through harmlessly enough to Irvin in the end, but a warning that one goal could quickly change the mood.

Like any good cup match, that’s exactly what happened with just minutes left in the game.

The Bluebirds had been dropping deeper looking to protect their lead, but it was a corner where the goal came from for Hotspur.

Their delivery had been good on a few occasions, this time it was put right on top of Irving who failed to clear.

In a mad scramble, the ball never actually hit the net, but Cook said it had crossed the line, and Alex Jones was the one celebrating.

After a very nervy couple of minutes for Trethomas, they just about held-on, and the referee blew for full-time. 2-1.

A huge victory for the Bluebirds, who can’t stop winning at the moment. They’re through to the semi-final where they could be drawn against league rivals Newport City, who also won their game.

Reaction

After the game, Caerphilly Observer spoke to Bluebirds manager Mark Dunford, who said: “I think when you get to this stage of the competition it’s about getting into the next round.

“We made hard work of it today I think, but that’s cup football, you’re never going to come across a side who just lie down for you.

“The quality came through in the end though.”

On the injury to Levi Rees and impact of substitute Jack Jones, Dunford said: “It’s a big shame for Levi. We hope he’s okay and we’ll assess him over the next 48 hours.

“We’ve been really pleased with Jack since he came into the camp. He’s a really good lad who has a great mentality.”