December 12, 2020 - 816 views
Seagulls' boss Craig Hogg has praised his team after their penalty shoot-out win against Buckley Town to reach the next round of the Nathaniel MG Cup.
"We worked out it has been 281 days with no 11 v 11 football of any form for us, so to come straight into a cup game at Buckley and be the better team for everything bar the last 10 minutes or so, says so much about the type of people we have at this club," he said.
"We had a couple of teenage lads and players having to play out of position just to do a job for us because we are down to the bare bones at the moment.
"With everything that has gone on this year, I am so pleased for so many of our players and in so many different ways.
"There were some excellent debuts, household names impacting the game, young men acting like seasoned pros and lads doing the basics extremely well for us.
"The game was a battle from start to finish on a very heavy pitch. We knew that was going to be the script going into the fixture, but I thought we came out on top in every department.
"We looked comfortable for most of it, had a big decision go against with their penalty, but the big man (Coughlin) went and saved it as he has done for us before.
"We did fade in the last 12 minutes as lack of match practice and fitness began to kick in, but that was expected and understandable.
"It went to penalties which I felt like an injustice, but the lads rallied yet again and the quality of our penalties in the shoot out was excellent.
"Young Morgan Ashworth smashed the winner into the top corner and he deserved that with his overall performance.
"To make his first senior start for us, play the way he did and then put away the winning penalty in sudden death was a fairy tale story for the kid.
"It was a privilege to be manager of this group. They gave everything for our club and got what was fully deserved I feel."
Colwyn Bay 6 - 5 Buckley Town.
Reproduced with thanks to Colwyn Bay FC.
