Tuesday evening, we welcomed Hawarden Rangers to the Hollingsworth Stadium in the 2nd round of the NEWFA Men’s Senior Challenge Cup.

Airbus made a few changes to the starting line-up against Buckley Town, with Mark Allen going for a mix of experience and youth.

Jake Eyre returned to the starting line-up for the first time in 12 months and led the line along with Oli Lanceley and Sam Baker.

Airbus got us underway in the first half and it took them 3 minutes to open the scoring.

Dan Collins found an extra yard of space and he delivered a pinpoint cross into the Hawarden box, where Eyre was waiting to head the ball in to give Airbus a 1-0 lead.

Eyre had his second of the game not long after.

Baker with a direct run allowed him to get beyond the Hawarden full back and deliver a great cross into the six-yard box for Eyre to pounce on and double Airbus’ lead.

Airbus were enjoying a lot of the ball and causing Hawarden a lot of problems with their pace and movement.

Eyre made a great run which he looked to have beaten the offside trap, but the linesman halted the No.10’s celebrations as he raised his flag for offside.

Eyre completed his hat trick 5 minutes before half time. Some great interplay between Wissett and Eyre, allowed Eyre to create space for a first-time strike, which found the top corner.

Airbus had chance to make it 4 before the half time break, but Sam Baker’s header from Lanceley’s cross was headed wide.

The referee blew his whistle for half time and the WingMakers headed into the dressing room with a 3-0 lead thanks to a Jake Eyre hat trick.

Substitution at half time for Airbus, as goal scorer Jake Eyre was replaced by Ieuan Jones-Wellstead.

Hawarden got the game underway in the second half looking to get their names on the scoresheet.

3 minutes into the second half, Airbus had their fourth. Collins involved once again with some great work to set Kaiden Cooke from the edge of the box and increase the home team’s advantage.

Just before the hour, Mark Allen introduced Academy graduates James Allen, Hugh Holland and Cam Meredith to the game in place of Cooke,
McManus and Lanceley.

After these substitutions it was another proud moment for the Club as all 11 players on the pitch had come through our Academy process.

Holland had an instant impact with his pace allowing him to get in behind the Hawarden defence. Some great play by Collins found Holland with a fantastic ball, where he drove at the visitor’s full back and deliver a teasing ball into the box, but the ball was collected comfortably by Bell.

Holland was involved in Airbus’ 5th goal, when his speed and directness opened up the opportunity for him to find Baker with the goal gaping to tap in at the back post.

Holland could have had a goal of his own, but his shot found the side netting from a tight angle.

As the final whistle blew, we had seen all different types of weather through the game, but the WingMakers cruised through to the third round.