LLANDUDNO avoided a significant banana skin to reach the JD Welsh Cup second round with a 3-2 victory at Holywell Town.

The JD Cymru North side emerged from a fiery affair at the Wellmen with a place in the hat after a resolute display, and Matthew Jones’ men will look to take this momentum into their next league outing at Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant on Saturday (2.30pm).

Jones, said: "It was a very exciting game with all the hallmarks of a proper cup tie. First half I thought we dealt with what they threw at us well, without really getting into our own groove.

"Second half we seemed to find our rhythm with the ball and also kept standing up to what Holywell threw at us.

"The third from Bryan (Roberts) was also a great finish and it gave us that breathing room, what happened then all seemed a bit crazy, but I was pleased that our lads stuck together and even though they scored that second, we saw the game out.

"After the Llangefni and Prestatyn games, we spoke at length about the need for us to show character, and every one of them has done that today, it was a performance we can take a lot of positives from and build from it."

Town manager Johnny Haseldin was booked after just a minute after aiming a ball in the direction of Jones, and after withstanding a heavy barrage from the home side early on Tudno went a goal to the good when Robbie Parry’s 30-yard effort found the net.

This was met by a swift response from the hosts, who levelled matters just before the break when Shaun Tuck’s superb header sailed past Shaun Pearson.

After the interval saw the visitors regain the initiative on 50 minutes when skipper Danny Hughes unleashed a powerful strike into the net, and substitute Bryan Roberts doubled their cushion with a neat finish moments following his introduction.

A melee after the goal saw Lee Thomas dismissed for the away side for a mistimed tackle, with Sam Jones and Aidan Graham also receiving their marching orders.

Despite having nine men, the home side managed to get back into the game late on through Mark Connolly that also saw Pearson sent off for dissent, but it came too late to salvage anything from a pulsating cup clash.