Bangor City and Cardiff Met will contest the Dafabet Welsh Premier League’s final European place next weekend.
Semi-final victories over Newtown and Carmarthen Town respectively leave the two finalists within 90 minutes of a place in the UEFA Europa League qualifying round.
Bangor will host next Saturday’s decider at their Bangor University stadium as highest seeds.
Cardiff Met have been the season’s surprise package having only gained promotion to the Welsh top-flight a year ago.
Bangor overcame a stubborn Newtown side, who refused to lie down after a strong start for City.
Player/manager Gary Taylor-Fletcher headed his side in front after only four minutes and that lead was doubled on 12 minutes, when Daniel Nardiello found his way through to fire past Dave Jones.
Newtown have already shown this season that they are no strangers to adversity and so it proved as the plucky Robins hit back.
On 19 minutes, Luke Boundford – leading the Newtown line in the absence of top-scorer Jason Oswell – converted a Nick Rushton cross to make it 2-1.
Daniel Nardiello spurned a chance to restore Bangor’s two goal lead after heading narrowly wide and the Citizens’ missed opportunity was punished as Newtown quickly broke upfield and unmarked Neil Mitchell was able to restore parity, all with just 26 minutes on the clock.
After Newtown’s Jamie Price had sent Connor Roberts scrambling with an ambitious 45-yard attempt in the second-half, the game was eventually settled through a well-struck set-piece.
Bangor full-back Gary Roberts would decide the game in the 73rd minute with a curling free-kick after Boundford was adjudged to have brought down City defender Anthony Miley outside the area.
In the second semi-final, Cardiff Met left it until three minutes into stoppage time to find a late winner.
A nervy opening 45-minutes at Richmond Park was brought into life when a desperate last ditch challenge from Carmarthen’s Lewis Harling disposed Met’s Eliot Evans as he had looked to pull the trigger with the goal gaping.
It took just three minutes following the restart for the stalemate to broken.
Luke Cummings’ long throw caused chaos in the Met area and Liam Griffiths was able to turn and fire Carmarthen into the lead.
A lapse in concentration then gifted the Students a route back into the game on the hour mark when Dwaine Bailey’s intended header back towards his goalkeeper dropped right into the path of Adam Roscow who hoisted the ball over a hapless Lee Idzi.
With extra-time looming, Cardiff Met’s Josh Barnett delivered the killer blow to eliminate Carmarthen.
Barnett’s free-kick was drilled in towards the Carmarthen goal and skipper Charlie Corsby’s glancing diving header at the near post found its in way in to send Cardiff Met through to next Saturday’s final.
Bangor City 3-2 Newtown
Bangor City: 1. Connor Roberts, 2. Laurence Wilson, 16. Danny Gosset, 30. Paul Connolly, 5. Anthony Miley, 6. Gary Roberts, 25. Gary Taylor-Fletcher, 8. Damian Allen, 9. Daniel Nardiello, 10. Dean Rittenberg (7. Brad Jackson 63′), 27. Henry Jones.
Newtown: 1. David Jones, 19. T.Craig Williams, 5. Kieran Mills-Evans, 6. Shane Sutton, 15. Jamie Price, 23. Alex Fletcher, 4. Ross Stephens, 18. Ryan Kershaw (2. Joe Kenton 62′), 7. Neil Mitchell (3. Steffan Edwards 84′), 9. Luke Boundford, 8. Nick Rushton.
Carmarthen 1-2 Cardiff Met
Carmarthen: 1. Lee Idzi, 12. Daniel Sheehan, 2. Luke Cummings, 5. Dave Vincent, 6. Lee Surman, 19. Dwaine Bailey (3. Craig Hanford 70′), 14. Ceri Morgan, 10. Lewis Harling, 7. Declan Carroll, 15. Liam Griffiths, 18. Liam Thomas.
Cardiff Met: 1. Will Fuller, 27. Matt Taylor, 3. Kyle McCarthy, 4. Bradley Woolridge, 5. Emlyn Lewis, 16. Josh Barnett (6. Ben Bowler 90’+3), 7. Eliot Evans (11. Jordan Lam 68′), 18. Will Evans, 9. Adam Roscrow, 10. Charlie Corsby, 39. Rhys Thomas.
Featured image courtesy of Andre Pepper/Bangor City FC/Welsh Premier League
