Contract boost for Evans as Bay hit 10

FOUR goals from Lee McEvilly led the way as holders Colwyn Bay beat Blaenau Ffestiniog 10-0 to cruise into the quarter finals of the North Wales Coast FA Challenge Cup - on a night when the club rewarded Llandudno-based midfielder Gareth Evans with a new 18-month contract.
The 24-year-old joined the Bay from Llandudno 17 months ago and player-boss Jon Newby said the contract was reward for his hard work and the improvement he has made since coming to the club.
"Gaz has been exceptional," said Newby. "He has made huge strides and is playing with such confidence now that he is a major part of our future plans."
Hopefully it is an example for other local players to follow and Gareth said he was delighted to have secured his future at the club until the end of next season.
"I have always wanted to stay here so when I was offered a contract I jumped at it; it was a no brainer," he said.
"I feel my game has improved since I have been here and hopefully that will continue and the team will carry on the form we have shown in the last few weeks.
"We had a bit of wobble after Chally (Dave Challinor) left, but the last four games we are back to how we know we can play. We are looking upwards now and the aim is to try and keep our current level of performance going and see where that takes us."
Evans was one of six first choice players given a night off against Blaenau, and that gave other squad players like Liam Benson, Chris King and Andy Metcalf a rare run out, while McEvilly celebrated his first start in six games with his four-goal haul.
Midfielder Jamie McKernan (ex-Southport), who has been training with the Bay over the last few weeks but has not previously been included in a squad, got a full game and did well, while assistant boss Stuart Barlow played the second half.
Benson was particularly impressive and Newby agreed: "Liam did well and he is unlucky that he has Luke Denson ahead of him in the pecking order, otherwise he would figure more regularly."
It was also good to see Danny Meadowcroft back in the fold and playing a full game after the traumas of the last few weeks with his twin baby daughter Evie.
Blaenau made the worst possible start by conceding an own goal in the opening two minutes when keeper Peter Jones let a back pass go under his foot and into the net, and it was pretty much one way traffic after that.
Colwyn Bay were 6-0 up by half-time with Shelton Payne scoring with an angled shot in off a post after four minutes and then crossing for Lee Davey to score the third.
McEvilly headed the fourth from a Karl Noon cross before Davey scored the best goal of the game with a super header from Liam Benson's cross.
McEvilly tapped in number six after the keeper miskicked an attempted clearance to complete a miserable first half for the Welsh Alliance side.
Karl Noon added the seventh three minutes into the second half when he broke clear and rounded the keeper and McEvilly completed his hat-trick from Lee Davey's cross on 73 minutes.
Blaenau, to their credit, had a real go in the second half, with Kieron Ellis going close with a shot just over the bar, but Colwyn Bay finished strongly after Noon got his second on 81 minutes to make it 9-0.
McEvilly (twice), Barlow and Luke Denson all went close before Barlow's pass set up McEvilly for his fourth and Colwyn Bay's 10th three minutes from the end.
The Seagulls now join Bangor City, Prestatyn Town and Rhyl in the quarter-finals.
Colwyn Bay: Metcalf, Benson, King, Meadowcroft, Hughes (Barlow 45mins), John McKenna (Denson 59mins), Davey, McKernan, McEvilly, Noon, Payne (Lea 57mins). Subs not used: Hopley and Sanna.
Attendance: 138.