Promotion

I expect this will be my last (82nd!) game of the season: the play-off final between the two second placed teams in the NW and NE leagues of the Welsh third tier.

Bangor 1876 (blue) were up against Cefn Albion (stripes) at the neutral venue of Prestatyn Town's Bastion Road. I was a little surprised to find segregation in place and so accidentally found myself in the Albion end for the duration.

A fairly even first half was marked by a sending off for Cefn late on. Bangor took advantage in the second half, established a two goal lead and seemed to be coasting. Cefn were not finished though and levelled it with two late goals. Into extra time and Bangor's one man advantage showed - two further goals saw them win 4-2 and so gain promotion to the second tier for 23/24.

Earlier I'd walked along the front from Rhyl looking out for butterflies along the way. Prestatyn dunes proved quite fruitful and I saw my first Small Heath and Common Blue of the year, along with Wall, Large, Small and Green-veined White. It was interesting seeing all the coastal defence works, even if the ongoing work meant I had to divert inland a couple of times. I don't think I'd fancy living in one of the many houses just inland from the beach reliant on a combination of flood gates, dunes and coastal barriers.

It was nice to spend a bit of time in Prestatyn, which is by some significant criteria my hometown.