Welsh F.A. Cup
1st Qualifying Round
Saturday 10th July 2021
Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.58
Ruabon Rovers 2 Saltney Town 7, attendance 228
19’ 0-1
21’ 0-2
24’ 0-3
27’ 0-4
41’ 0-5
52’ 1-5
59’ 1-6
78’ 1-7
83’ 2-7
@ The Recreation Ground
Maes-y-Llan Lane
Ruabon
LL14 6AE
No Admission
Programme available.
I had narrowed down my choice of Welsh F.A. Cup matches today to four ties (the other options finished 6-2, 0-6 and 6-4!) but settled on this game, which was a Tier 5 versus Tier 3 clash, as North East Wales League Championship division hosted Ardal League North West.
Ruabon Rovers were formed last year, but only played their first competitive match last week, due to COVID-19 causing a shutdown of football in Wales at all levels below the top tier. It also saw football make a return to Ruabon, as the Recreation Ground has been used by previous clubs in North Wales football, although not for a number of years. The town of Ruabon is where the F.A. of Wales was formed back in 1876, and the Wynnstay Arms pub, where the meeting was held, backs on to the Recreation Ground at the goal end where the main road runs through the town. To mark their big day, the Welsh F.A. Cup (or perhaps just a replica?) was on display before kick off. The club had also done a souvenir programme (plenty of photos on Twitter), but at no time did anyone come round trying to sell any and I only saw two people with them, so I assume they were all snapped up by the ground hoppers in attendance, judging by the number of them here.
As with last week at Greenfield, there were little, or no, Covid-19 precautions in place and you just wandered in. Then again, there was little the club could do anyway, as the pitch is in a public place and accessible from at least three entrances. If the ground had been enclosed, then the 100 spectator limit currently in place in Wales would have certainly been a problem.
Their big day went rather flat in the end, although realistically they were unlikely to beat a team two levels above them. Three goals, in a six minute spell midway through the first half, saw Saltney go 0-3 up and by the break it was 0-5. Ruabon did better in the second half, as the teams shared four goals, as well as Saltney having a penalty saved when it was 1-5, giving a final score line of 2-7. I actually thought this was quite an unusual score, but a check of my records showed it’s the fourteenth time I have seen it, and for the third time in my last 20 matches.
