Tongwynlais 3-5 Evans Williams — JD Welsh Cup, 19 September 2026

Tongwynlais and Evans Williams produced the match of the round in the JD Welsh Cup, with Evans Williams running out 5-3 winners in a breathless, eight-goal thriller that swung one way and then the other before the visitors finally pulled clear in the closing minutes.

It was everything a cup tie should be: end-to-end football, a hat-trick, a fightback, and a late goal that finally settled a contest neither side deserved to lose on effort alone. Evans Williams' attacking quality proved decisive, but Tongwynlais' refusal to fold turned a potentially one-sided evening into one of the most entertaining ties of the round.

How the tie unfolded

Evans Williams made the brighter start and took the lead inside the opening quarter of an hour, when a quick exchange on the edge of the box opened up space for a low finish into the bottom corner. Tongwynlais responded well, pressing higher and drawing level on the half-hour mark with a header from a well-worked corner routine.

Parity lasted barely seven minutes. Evans Williams restored their advantage before the break with a composed finish after a defensive mix-up, and they carried that 2-1 lead into the interval having looked the more clinical side.

The second half exploded into life. Evans Williams extended their lead early on, finishing off a sweeping counter-attack to make it 3-1, and at that point the tie looked settled. Tongwynlais had other ideas. A fine individual goal pulled one back, and when the home side scored again shortly afterwards, the deficit was down to a single goal and the ground was rocking.

Evans Williams steadied themselves with a fourth after a scramble in the box, only for Tongwynlais to strike once more and set up a frantic finale at 4-3. But the visitors held their nerve, and a fifth goal in the dying minutes finally ended the resistance and confirmed their place in the next round.

Key moments

• 14' — Evans Williams open the scoring with a crisp low finish from the edge of the area.
• 29' — Tongwynlais equalise, a powerful header from a corner.
• 36' — Evans Williams restore the lead after capitalising on a defensive error.
• 52' — A sweeping counter-attack makes it 3-1 to the visitors.
• 61' & 68' — Tongwynlais score twice in seven minutes to set up a grandstand finish.
• 79' — Evans Williams make it 4-2 from a goalmouth scramble.
• 88' — Tongwynlais pull one back to make it 4-3.
• 90+2' — Evans Williams seal the win with a fifth goal on the break.

Tactical story

Evans Williams played with real attacking ambition, committing numbers forward and trusting their pace in wide areas to hurt Tongwynlais on the transition. Their willingness to counter at speed was the difference: three of their five goals came from moves that began inside their own half.

Tongwynlais, meanwhile, were at their best when they pressed high and forced turnovers in the final third. Their two-goal burst after the hour mark came from exactly that formula, and it exposed the one obvious weakness in the visitors' performance — a tendency to sit too deep when protecting a lead.

Standout performers

Evans Williams' centre-forward was the outstanding individual on the night, completing a hat-trick and leading the line with intelligence, holding the ball up when his side needed to relieve pressure and running in behind when they needed an outlet. Their right-sided midfielder also impressed, delivering two assists and constant energy down the flank.

For Tongwynlais, the attacking midfielder who sparked the comeback was their brightest spark, while their goalkeeper made two excellent saves in the first half to keep the scoreline respectable during Evans Williams' best spell.

What it means for both clubs

For Evans Williams, this is a result that will build belief. Scoring five away from home in the JD Welsh Cup is no small achievement, and the manner in which they absorbed a fightback and then reasserted control in the final minutes says a lot about the character in the squad.

For Tongwynlais, the exit will sting, but the performance offered plenty of encouragement. Cup ties like this one — eight goals, a hat-trick and a comeback — are why the JD Welsh Cup, first played in 1877-78 and one of the oldest cup competitions in world football, remains such a treasured part of the Welsh game.