1878 Welsh Cup final

1878 Football Association of Wales Challenge Cup Final
Event	1877–78 Welsh Cup
Date	30 March 1878
Venue	Acton Park, Wrexham
Referee	J.W. Thomas (Stoke)
Attendance	1,500
	1879 →

Last updated August 08, 2025

The 1878 Welsh Cup Final, was the first in the competition. It was contested by Wrexham and Druids at the Acton Park, Wrexham.^[1]

Route to the final

^[1]

Wrexham


Round	Opposition	Score	Location
1st	Civil Service (Wrexham) (H)	3-1	The Racecourse, Wrexham
2nd	Oswestry United (H)	1-1	The Racecourse, Wrexham
2nd	Oswestry United (A)	2-0	Cricket Field, Oswestry
3rd	Gwersyllt Foresters (A)	8-0	Stansty Park, Wrexham
SF	Bye

Druids


Round	Opposition	Score	Location
1st	Newtown (A)	1-1
1st	Newtown (H)	4-0	Plas Madoc
2nd	Rhosllanerchrugog (H)	3-0	Plas Madoc
3rd	Newtown White Stars (H)	1-1	Plas Madoc
	Newtown White Stars (A)	1-1
	Newtown White Stars (N)	3-0	Cricket Field, Oswestry
SF	Bangor (N)	0-0	The Racecourse, Wrexham
SF	Bangor (N)	1-0	Rhyl

Final

The final of the inaugural Welsh Cup tournament was played at Acton Park, Wrexham on 30 March 1878 between Wrexham and Druids of Ruabon. The pitch was donated by Sir R. A. Cunliffe, and was a roped off portion of land measuring 120 yards by 76. Entrance was gained via Rhosnessney Lodge^[2] with sixpence being charged for admission.^[1] The match was a cliffhanger, with no score until the Wrexham forwards charged the Druids' defenders to take the ball over the line to win the game in the final minute, with James Davies being credited with the goal.^[3]^[4]

30 March 1878
16:00

Wrexham	1 – 0	Druids
James Davies 90'

Acton Park, Wrexham

Attendance: 1,500

Referee: Mr J.W. Thomas (Stoke)

Wrexham^[5]

Druids


GK		Edward Phennah
RB		Charles Murless
LB		T. W. Davies
RH		E. Evans, sen.
CH		Edwin Alfred Cross
LH		Alfred Davies
OR		Charles Edwards
IR		James Davies
CF		John Price
IL		Henry Loxham
OL		E. Evans


GK		E. Roberts
RB		Jack Powell
LB		Llewelyn Kenrick
CH		H. Morris
CH		William Williams
OR		Edward Bowen
IR		Charles Ketley
CF		George Frederick Thompson
CF		Dr. Daniel Grey
IL		E. Vaughan
OL		John Jones

Assistant referees:

Mr J.M. Morris (Shrewsbury)
Mr T. Hingle (Darwen)

References

1 2 3 "THE WELSH CHALLENGE CUP - Wrexham Guardian - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales.
↑ "Welsh Newspapers Online Advertising 23 March 1878 Wrexham Guardian - Welsh Newspapers Online". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
↑ "1877 Welsh Cup Action". The Story of Welsh Football: 1877-1879. www.wrexham.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
↑ Davies, Gareth; Garland, Ian (1991). Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players. Bridge Books. p. 38. ISBN 1-872424-11-2.
↑ "Welsh Football Association Challenge Cup". The Cambrian: 6. 5 April 1878. gives Wrexham's colours as blue and red jerseys and stockings

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[:0-1] 1 2 3 "THE WELSH CHALLENGE CUP - Wrexham Guardian - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales.

[2] "Welsh Newspapers Online Advertising 23 March 1878 Wrexham Guardian - Welsh Newspapers Online". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 2017-12-20.

[3] "1877 Welsh Cup Action". The Story of Welsh Football: 1877-1879. www.wrexham.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2010.

[Whos_Who-4] Davies, Gareth; Garland, Ian (1991). Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players. Bridge Books. p. 38. ISBN 1-872424-11-2.

[5] "Welsh Football Association Challenge Cup". The Cambrian: 6. 5 April 1878. gives Wrexham's colours as blue and red jerseys and stockings

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Welsh Cup
Seasons	1877–78 1878–79 1879–80 1880–81 1881–82 1882–83 1883–84 1884–85 1885–86 1886–87 1887–88 1888–89 1889–90 1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 ~~2020–21~~ 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26
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Association footballportal Sportsportal Walesportal List of finals

v t e Wrexham A.F.C. matches
Welsh Cup Finals	1878 1879 1883 1890 1891 1893 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1902 1903 1905 1909 1910 1911 1914 1915 1920 1921 1924 1925 1931 1932 1933 1950 1957 1958 1960 1962 1965 1967 1971 1972 1975 1978 1979 1983 1984 1986 1988 1990 1991 1995
Football League Trophy Final	2005
FA Trophy Finals	2013 2015 2022
Play-off finals	1989 Fourth Division 2013 Conference Premier
Other matches	Wrexham 2–1 Arsenal (1992)