Carmarthen
Town 0
Rhyl FC 4 (Moran 13’ 58’ 84’ McGinn 87’)
With top scorer
Andy Moran claiming his Cup Final hatrick and substitute Chris
McGinn netting a late effort with virtually his first touch of
the ball there was no fairy tale ending to Carmarthen town’s
disappointing season as League Champions Rhyl made it a League
and Cup double running out 4-0 winners of the Loosemore’s
of Cardiff Challenge Cup at Newtown on Monday.
Carmarthen Town
coach Mark Aizlewood commented:
“Between
the two boxes we matched them. The difference was that we gave
them free headers and free kicks. They didn’t make those
mistakes.
“Spirit
wise and effort wise we couldn’t fault the lads.
“Rhyl
have Andy Moran. He scored a hatrick and today is the quietest
I’ve seen him.
Town had their
fair share of the early possession but having conceded a number
of free kicks in dangerous positions Mark Limbart was able to provide
a steady supply of testing crosses to his forward line.
With the quarter
hour approaching Jamie Breweton’s long throw-in was flicked
on by the towering Tim Edwards and the predatory Moran hit home
at the back post to give Rhyl an early lead.
Paul Reid anchored
Town’s midfield. Lawrence Davies and Michael Hayward combined
well to press the table toppers and with De Vulgt’s snap
shot turned behind at the expense of a corner the Champions were
not getting things all their own way as Town enjoyed their best
period either side of the break.
Rhyl’s
Gary Powell was influential and Moran was always an option but
on the stroke of half time Town had a golden opportunity to level
the score. Burke, who had carried the ball into the corner forced
his way up the line, saw his tightly angled shot rebounded off
the keeper but Dale Price fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
Following the
restart Pennock’s long clearance found Owen Thomas whose
cross to Reid was spread wide to Davies but De Vulgt’s acrobatic
shot went straight into Paul Smith’s arms.
Despite a little
niggle the game was open and Moran showed why he is the League’s
top scorer. Limbert released Steve Walters down the right and with
the pressure mounting Town conceded a free kick and Limbert’s
effort was headed behind. From the resulting corner Moran once
again stabbed home a ‘flick on’ for his second to give
Rhyl a comfortable cushion just before the hour.
Play became a
little scrappy but there was plenty to entertain the large holiday
crowd. Davies moved up front and made some strong runs for Town
and Moran’s clever back heel to Limbert just after the hour
saw the mid fielder’s perfectly flighted ball bring the best
out of Pennock.
With about ten
minutes remaining Town substituted Pennock but Rob Thomas had barely
pulled on the gloves before Moran struck again with a hatrick header
to wrap it up for Rhyl.
McGinn replaced
Moran and when the ball was fed into the box the striker, with
his back to goal, turned and netted to make it four. A memorable
weekend for the Lilywhites but a decidedly forgettable season for
the Richmond Park outfit.
CARMARTHEN: Pennock
(R.Thomas 78'), de Vulgt, Hayward (S.Davies 62'), W.Price, Barnhouse,
York, O.Thomas, L.Davies, Burke, D.Price (Jones 54'), Reid.
RHYL: Smith,
Brewerton, M.Powell, Atherton, Edwards, Walters (Adamson 82'),
Wilson, Limbert, Moran (Jackson 84'), G.Powell (McGinn 60'), Graves.
01.05.04
Carmarthen Town 1 Bangor City 4
With several
key players rested or on the bench in preparation for Monday’s
Cup Final it was a young Town team that took on Bangor City and
despite a distinct end of season atmosphere Town’s young
custodian, Rob Thomas, relished his opportunity to understudy the
in-form Tony Pennock.
As early as the
fifth minute the young keeper did well to save Alan Goodall’s
well-struck free kick and with Paul Roberts orchestrating the Bangor
attack the visitors dominated and it was again Thomas who denied
the towering Les Davies and shortly after Kenny Burgess to keep
Town on an equal footing at the half hour mark.
RSU sponsored
Carmarthen Town threatened on the break through Rhys Jones, Steffan
Davies and Lawrence Davies but conceded a number of free kicks
in dangerous areas. The visitors capitalised with a well-struck
Steve Hitchin free kick that found Paul Roberts who headed home
to give the Citizens a deserved lead with four minutes of the half
remaining.
Predictably Bangor
extended the lead eight minutes into the second half when Kenny
Burgess converted his own individual run to make it 2-0. Substitutions
gave Town’s attack a little more bite but Bangor all but
wrapped it up with eleven minutes to go when a weak clearance fall
to Mark Connelly for the substitute to make it three.
Michael Hayward
deserved some reward from his string of well placed crosses into
the box and when his through ball tempted Phil Preistley out of
his area Nicky Burke pulled one back when he caught the keeper
in possession with the open goal at his mercy.
Late on Frank
Mottram headed home Bangor’s fourth to record a comfortable
win for the visitors but with nothing at stake there was little
to celebrate.
For the Richmond
Park outfit the final whistle brought to an end a luckless season
and with Tony Pennock presented with the Supporter’s Player
of the Year Award it was ironic that on the final day of the season
it was both of Town’s custodian’s that took the plaudits.
A reflection perhaps on Town’s tortuous League campaign.
Carmarthen Town:
R Thomas, Evans (O Thomas 48’), Hayward, De Vulgt, Barnhouse,
W Price, S Davies (D Price 56’), L Davies, Jones, Fayers
(Burke 56’), Moore.
24.04.04
Cwmbran Town 3 Carmarthen Town 1
Two breakaway
goals in the final fifteen minutes gave Cwmbran a flattering score-line
as the hosts claimed all three points to continue their push for
a top eight finish and a place in next season's FAW Premier Cup
competition. Having dominated possession for long periods in the
second half Carmarthen Town paid the penalty of not turning possession
into goals.
With player manager
Andrew York unavailable due to injury Town’s defence was
put under early pressure as Cwmbran surged forward from the whistle.
With Town finding it difficult to clear the hosts struck early
as a weak headed clearance, under pressure from Kiad Mohamed, fell
kindly to Chris Summers who opened the scoring with his 100th.
goal for Cwmbran with five minutes gone.
Mohamed continued
to expose Town with his strong running but having been rocked by
the early goal the visitors regained their composure as the quarter
hour approached.
Dale Price and
Owen Thomas enjoyed some success down the right and with Nick Burke
and Lawrence Davies beginning to make their presence felt amongst
the Cwmbran defenders the game became a more even affair.
With five minutes
of the half remaining Town deservedly levelled the score with a
stunning effort. Nick Burke, who was industrious all afternoon,
picked up the ball 25-yards out and struck an unstoppable curling
effort into the top right hand corner of Gareth Wesson’s
goal.
The second half
saw Town enjoy the lion’s share of possession as they penned
Cwmbran in their half for long periods. Michael Hayward made several
penetrating runs down the left and Mark Evans enjoyed some success
down the right.
With Burke fighting
for every scrap of possession it was only desperate defending by
the hosts that kept Town out on the hour. But despite plenty of
possession Town failed to make the breakthrough and ultimately
cost Town dearly.
Cwmbran manager
Brian Coyne introduced Kristian Hanbury and Kyle Allcock on 67
minutes and the changes proved influential as Cwmbran regained
the lead on 76 minutes thanks to a couple of Kristians.
Allock’s
unchallenged run down the left saw the substitute offload to Kristian
James who’s superb cross found Hanbury who glanced home his
first goal in Cwmbran colours.
Town came back
strongly as Hayward switched to the right to link with Evans only
to see Burke’s final effort go inches wide.
Cwmbran’s
third was almost a carbon copy of Hanbury's effort. Another superb
cross from James at waist height was met with a diving header by
Crows captain Rhodri Jones to clinch all three points for the hosts
and left Town pondering their unenviable record of not having gained
an away win this season.
Sidelined manager
Andrew York said: “It was especially disappointing as
we had plenty of possession, most probably more than in most games
this season.
“After
a bit of a shaky opening period we played well and created plenty.
We just didn’t find the net and in the end we paid the
penalty.
Carmarthen: Pennock,
Evans, Hayward, De Vulgt (Reid 85’), Barnhouse, W Price,
Thomas (Rossiter 90’), L Davies, Burke, D Price, Moore (S.
Davies 79’).
17.04.04
Carmarthen Town 1 TNS 4
A brace of second
half goals by ‘super sub’ Steve Beck adding to a scrambled
effort by Scott Roscoe and a first half strike by Mike Wild saw
Championship contenders Total Network Solutions produce one of
their better displays for some time to run out comfortable 4-1
victors over Carmarthen Town last Saturday.
Whilst the result
kept alive the Llansantffraid based outfit’s championship
aspirations, it was the news from Jenner Park that Barry Town had
gone down by the slenderest of margins to NEWI Cefn Druids that
brought some cheer to Town fans as Premier League football was
secured for next season.
Despite the disappointing
result Manager Andrew York was pleased that Town was now finally
safe.
“We were
out played and out manoeuvred today. We looked jaded and I don’t
think we were really in the game but our position in the League
is now secure.
“Obviously
I would have liked to have done it ourselves. We came close in
the last two games but conceded late in both games.
“Now that
we’re safe we can think of the cup final. I have a few injury
worries at the moment and my priority now is to get everyone fully
fit and geared up for the final.
Having dominated
the opening quarter of the game TNS eventually took the lead after
24 minutes when Wilde latched on to Ruscoe's through ball to strike
past Town keeper Tony Pennock to give the visitors a deserved lead.
Wilde, who was
well served by Nicky Ward and John Toner, spurned several good
chances to extend the Saint’s lead and with Pennock saving
a 20-yard drive from Steve Evans just before the break the Championship
challengers only had a narrow advantage to show for their efforts
at the break.
It was a different
Town side that started the second half as the hosts took the game
to the visitors. Town pressure forced Chris Taylor to head over
his own crossbar and, from the resulting corner, Adam Moore equalised
in the 53rd minute when he managed to shoot past Richard Acton
to level the score.
With the cheers
of the home supporters still reverberating around the ground TNS
broke back immediately to regain the initiative with Roscoe needing
three attempts to put the ball past the defiant Pennock in the
home goal as a defensive clearance rebounded off Barry Hogan on
the edge of the Carmarthen area and looped towards the underside
of Pennock's crossbar.
But with Pennock
managing to claw the ball away and save Ruscoe's first effort,
the Saints' midfielder somehow hooked the ball into the net at
the second attempt as he tumbled over the goal line.
With both sides
trying to gain the upper hand T.N.S. introduced Beck and his impact
on the game was immediate.
A poor clearance
by the Town defence enabled the substitute to half volley the ball
into the Carmarthen net from the edge of the box with his first
touch of the game on 73 minutes and when he was allowed to stride
through the Town defence six minutes later he shot past the despairing
Pennock to make it four.
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