ARWELL JONES scored a glorious 83rd minute equaliser as the mid Wales villagers of Llansantffraid drew with Polish side Ruch Chorzow in the European Cup Winners' Cup preliminary round at Wrexham last night.
Big defender Jones applied the crucial finishing touch to a hard driven cross shot by Aneurin Thomas to send the fans from the little village population less than 1,000 near Oswestry into wild celebrations at the end of an incredible night.
The Welsh Cup holders, who won the trophy in a penalty shoot out against champions Barry Town, earn £30 per week per man, but never looked second best against the 14 times Polish champions despite falling behind in only the sixth minute.
It was a soft goal, too, with international midfielder Dariusz Gesior being left unmarked to squeeze a 15 yard header beyond goalkeeper Andy Mulliner from full back Dariusz Fornalak's long cross from the right.
In truth, Llansantffraid rarely looked like pegging that goal back against a Polish team trying to play out the match in first gear and waiting for the real action in the second leg in two weeks' time.
But Chorzow failed to learn the lesson of a near miss in the 73rd minute by Simon Abbercrombie, whose 20 yard drive was only inches off target.
And Llansantffraid finally dug out the goal their happy band of fans craved with just seven minutes left.
Ruch Chorzow boasted four internationals in their starting line up, but made the mistake of totally underestimating their hosts whose team is based on a collection of former students.
In the end, the Poles were reduced to rolling around in agony at the merest suggestion of a Welsh challenge and Llansantffraid's striker Andy Edwards was harshly booked for a full blooded challenge on the touch line which left Fornalak clutching his right ankle in apparent agony although he was soon up and running around once the free kick and the booking had been given.
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