Other than ‘hugely disappointing', it is difficult to find another phrase which accurately better describes the season 2005-2006. So much was expected after a good campaign just 12 months previously and many thought there were healthy signs that that the great crop of players who joined the club from Darland High School all of those years ago were going to come of age. The downfall without a shadow of doubt was our home form and it took us until the end of March to collect our first home win, dire statistics at any level. In fact, only another two home wins followed. By contrast, we picked up six wins on our travels which makes better reading. Much was expected of summer signing Ian Mathias who notched the sweetest of hat-tricks pre-season against a strong Wrexham Reserve side and although he found the net on three other occasions before joining Bala via Llay Welfare. Brought in to replace Ian was Jonny Taylor and what a ‘jack-in-the box' player he proved to be. Straight out of youth soccer and barely 3 games under his belt for Ady in the Reserves he made an immediate impression notching two goals on his debut. Sammy did use him sparingly but we all have high hopes for him for the future. Cup success against Bodedern in the Welsh Cup gave us a plum tie against Porthmadog at Clappers Lane which the Welsh Premier side just shaded the tie 2-1. We suffered a hammer blow defeat against Rhos Aelwyd in the NEWFA Cup and Bala Town dumped us out of the League Cup in the semi-finals at LEX. The Reserves had their best ever season in the history of the Club but an horrendous back end to the season saw their form really dip. Although they lost their opening game in August, they went on roll which then saw them unbeaten until mid April. An appalling back end saw fatigue set in and after being so invincible, they lost four out of their last five games. The defeats saw us slip to third in the league and we lost to Division Three side Venture in the Horace Wynne Cup but were able to retain the Division One league Cup with a triumph over arch rivals Castell Alun. Off the field as a club we continue to grow from strength to strength with a very active fundraising team. The Fireworks Display, two sportsman's evening's and a Casino Evening swelled our coffers. The committee joined forces with the Legion to put on a special Christmas Luncheon for the village pensioners and a sponsored walk organised by Mark Postle raised in excess of £1,200 for the children's ward at the Maelor Hospital. The relationship with the Gresford Legion has been strengthened and we were once again made hugely welcome at this fine hostelry. Club stalwart Chas Rowland had announced earlier this year he was stepping down but even so, it didn't really sink in for most of us until the final day of the season. He has made a first class contribution to the Club over a sixteen year period. He is an out and out perfectionist and is first to admit that he doesn't suffer fools lightly. He will be a big loss to the club but it leaves the door open for Steve Harris and Mark Evans to come on board and share his duties as Secretary and Treasurer respectively. Football after all proves to be a great hobby for us all but the work of Chas, Sammy, Jamie Tennant, Slap, Brian Holmes, Ady and Sam Ainge is worthy of the very highest praise.