Gresford Athletic were forced to accept a loss at home against Llandudno on matchday 27 of the JD Cymru North on Friday night.

The game began with Llandudno trying to find an immediate lead, but James Smith made a good block in the second minute to deny an early opportunity.

Lewis Dutton then made a great save in the 13th minute to keep the score level.

However, in the 14th minute, Mark Cadwallader was in the right place in the right time and tapped it in from close range to give Llandudno the lead.

In the 16th minute, Charlie Mann tried his luck from a tight angle on the left-hand side, forcing a save from Cameron Darling in The Seasiders goal.

Haci Ozlu had a decent effort on goal in the 24th minute, but the ball went just wide of the post.

Charley Edge then came close to finding the equaliser, with his free-kick curling towards the top corner, but unfortunately it just went to the wrong side of the post.

HALF-TIME | Gresford Athletic 0-1 Llandudno

The second half started superbly for Gresford Athletic, with Haci Ozlu drilling a cross into the path of Charlie Mann in the box, who hit the ball first time to give The Colliers an equaliser in the 49th minute.

Toby Gallagher-Keenan almost found a second goal for Gresford Athletic in the 59th minute, getting on the end of Charlie Mann's cross to head the ball towards the net, but it went over the crossbar.

Charlie Mann and Charley Edge both also hit the ball from range in the 61st and 63rd minute consecutively, but both of their efforts were off-target.

Then, things turned to disaster for The Colliers, as Joe Nelson was shown a second yellow card in the 65th minute, resulting in him being sent off and leaving Gresford Athletic with 10 men.

However, in the 70th minute, Charlie Mann superbly aimed his corner towards Adam Hesp, who stayed tall and headed the ball into the back of the net to take the lead.

The celebrations were quickly ended, though, as Llandudno equalised in the 73rd minute through a Callum Stephens strike.

Then, in the 83rd minute, The Seasiders were awarded a penalty from a Charley Edge tackle and a chance to take the lead, which Mark Cadwallader grasped to earn his second goal of the game.

Gresford Athletic continued to battle hard, though, and in the 88th minute, Elliott Orton managed to find an equalising goal late into the game following a Charley Edge corner.

However, despite the superb fight shown by The Colliers, Llandudno did find the time to force one more chance and earned a last-minute winner through a rocket from substitute Adam Stephens in the 94th minute.

Gresford Athletic cannot be faulted for feeling hard done by and that their efforts were not rewarded, but will now look ahead to finish strongly in the last three games of the 2024/25 season.

FULL-TIME | Gresford Athletic 3-4 Llandudno

Gresford Athletic

Starting XI: Dutton (GK), J. Smith (Forbes - 90+5'), Hesp, Orton, Nelson, Griffiths (C), Johnson, Ozlu, Edge, Mann (T. Smith - 89'), Gallagher-Keenan (A. Smith - 89')

Goalscorers: Mann, Hesp, Orton

Yellow cards: J. Smith, Nelson, Edge

Red cards: Nelson

Subs not used: Ormrod, Bryan, Bulow, Bennett

Llandudno

Starting XI: Darling (GK), C. Stephens, Anthony Stephens (C), Nicholas, T. Stephens (Adam Stephens - 52'), Cadwallader (Williams - 90+4'), Bennett, Davies (Wood - 85'), Boss, Maher, Banning

Goalscorers: Cadwallader (x2), C. Stephens, Adam Stephens

Subs not used: Jones (GK), Roberts, Hadaway

Match Officials

Referee: Aled Williams

Assistant Referees: Richard Dolphin, Graham Hannah