Adroddiadau Awst / Medi 01 / August / September01 Reports..............

22/09/01

CARMARTHEN TOWN 2 ABERYSTWYTH TOWN 1

Carmarthen Town had to survive an anxious final 15 minutes when Aberystwyth Town, trailing 2-0 at half time, put themselves back in the game in the 71 minute following a superb strike by former Celtic and Ipswich striker Stuart Slater.

Aberystwth manager Frank Greegan had a full strength squad on view this afternoon and with Tomi Morgan forced to make four changes due to injury and suspension it looked as if the Aber bogie would strike again. As it turned out Town fans needed have worried as Aber were very disappointing and  in a disjointed first half it was Town that had most of the play but neither goalkeeper was really troubled.

Town took the lead in the 43rd. minute when one of Town's young reserve players, midfielder Luke Fayers, delivered a well judged cross into the penalty area and Ryan Nicholls beat the young Aberystwyth keeper Steve Benbow with a glancing header.

 On the stroke of half time Carmarthen increased the lead. Nicholls' cross from out on the left was met by Sion Meredith whose close range header at the far post gave Benbow little chance.

 Aberystwyth were far more creative in the second half and came into the game more. Wing back Frankie Bennett, the former Southampton player, was a constant thorn in Town's defence with some fine breaks down the right.

 The game was given a little excitement when Aber dragged themselves back into the game in the 71st. minute. Stuart Slater struck a fine shot through a crowded defence beyond Robert Fitzgerald's reach to pull one back and give Aber a glimmer of hope. They continued to pressurise and Glyndwr Hughes had a few runs on goal but it was Town that could have made the game safe when Ryan Nicholls created two excellent chances for himself in the final 10 minutes.

 There was little to indicate that this was a West Wales derby game. Coupe for Aberystwyth was particularly physical in his play but generally there seemed little spirit in the Aber camp. Town's young replacements did well and Tomi will be delighted to take all three points with his depleted squad.

 A disappointing game but a great three points for Town given the circumstances. Crowd 604.

Carmarthen - Fitzgerald, Meredith, L. Jones, Thomas, O'Brien, Barnhouse, Evans, Hicks, Nicholls, Chapple, Fayers, Subs: Evans. R, Thomas J, Morgan T.

Aberystwyth - Benbow, Bennett, Drysdale, Coupe, Finley, Barrow, Lewis, Morgan, Hughes, Hunt, Slater. Subs : Gregson, Allen, Garner.

Carmarthen boss heaps praise on debutants

Sunday 23rd September 2001

Carmarthen Town boss Tomi Morgan singled out debutants Tim Hicks and Luke Fayers for special praise after his side's 2-1 League of Wales win against Aberystwyth Town on Saturday.

"I am delighted with the squad's performance in what was always going to be a difficult game," he said.

“I was particularly pleased with the performance of Hicks and Fayers, who made their league debuts and competed well against a very experienced Aberystwyth side.”

The young duo were only playing due to the unavailability of the injured Dean Johnston, Wyn Thomas, Wayne Jones and Chris Summers and the suspended Dean Rossiter.

Another youngster, Jody Thomas, was also introduced late on and he, too, played his part in a win that took his side into the top half of the table. “They knew what was expected of them and they did everything I could have asked of them,” said Morgan.

“Fayers in midfield played with confidence and provided the cross for Ryan Nicholls' goal. Hicks up front worked his socks off and showed maturity against a very physical Aberystwyth defence.

“Jody Thomas, when he came on late in the game, fitted in well when we were under a little pressure."

Hicks, Fayers and Thomas are all products of Carmarthen Town's youth team and, with 16-year-old Craig Thomas making his debut against Newtown recently, highlight the club's commitment to not only developing young talent but having the confidence to give them opportunities at senior level.

Goals from Nicholls and Meredith were enough to earn Carmarthen their first win since the opening game of the season, while Stuart Slater's second-half strike proved to be a consolation for the visitors.

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 11/09/01

CARMARTHEN TOWN 2 LLANELLI AFC 1

 

Town remain on top of the Group E table with a hard earned win over local rivals Llanelli. A clinical 80th. minute strike by Ryan Nicholls, who had just come on as a substitute, gave Town the points in this competitive  game.

 

The Reds started very brightly and had the better of the first half looking very sharp with some crisp, accurate passing and good attacking moves. But with both sides managing to hit the post it was Bennett in Town's goal that was the busier of the two keepers in the first period.

 

The second half saw Town get there act together somewhat. They retained possession better and didn't give the ball away so easily as they had in the first half. 20 minutes after the break Llanelli attacked down the right. The initial low shot on goal by Nicky Burke was parried by Bennett, who was at full stretch, but Jamie Murray was on hand to net the rebound to give Llanelli a deserved lead.

 

Town began to play with more purpose. Sion Meredith came on for Craig Evans to give Town some added pace and with Ryan Nicholls replacing Rossiter there was more creativity in Town's play.

 

Tim Hicks scored Town's equaliser on 78 minutes netting when Llanelli failed to clear in front of goal following good work by Summers. It was Chris Summers' solo effort once again two minutes later that set up the Nicholls to hit Town's winner.

 

Llanelli created enough chances to have taken all three points but with Carmarthen coming back strongly in the second half the substitutions gave Town the edge and there was nothing that could stop Nicholls' shot rocketing into the far top corner of the net to give Town a late victory.

 

Llanelli looked a well-organised sharp outfit and deserved to have taken something out of the game. If tonight's form is anything to go by we'll certainly have a good derby fixture on Boxing Day.

 

Crowd 238 Referee : Mark Whitby.

 

Carmarthen Town : Bennet, Rossiter (Nicholls), Jones (Fayers), Thomas, O'Neil, Barnhouse, Evans (Meredith), Chapple, L. Jones, Hicks & Summers.

 

Llanelli AFC : Davies, Fry, Battista, Thomas, John, Wharton, Hill, Harris, Burke, Murray & Twose. Subs : Bonen, Palmer.

 

25/08/01

NEWTOWN AFC 1 CARMARTHEN TOWN 0

 

After being outplayed in the first half Carmarthen Town more than matched Newtown in the second half and could well have snatched a share of the points.

 

Newton dominance in the first half could have produced a substantial lead at half time. With Justin Wickham very prominent down the right creating problems for the 'Town' but some superb defending, with centre back Wyn Thomas outstanding, kept Newtown's lead at half time to a solitary goal.

 

The second half saw a change of fortunes with Town showing far more creativeness and initiative with Ryan Nicholls making some fine breaks down the right to provide plenty of opportunities to equalise.

 

Despite Newtown's first half superiority Robert Fitzgerald was rarely troubled though Newtown did go close when Steve Edwards' shot from 20 yards flew past the post and on two occasions Chris Adamson also went close with a header and a snap shot from close range. With Dean Johnston and Craig Evans missing Town were clearly finding it difficult to find any cohesion in mid field.

 

Newtown inevitably took the lead in the 38 minute when Town's defence failed to clear a long ball into the box. As the ball ran loose Wickham got behind the defence to claim the ball and lob over Fitzgerald.

 

The second half saw a change in Town's fortunes and Mark Jones in Newtown's goal found himself under pressure. On two occasions his goal was lucky to survive when crosses were mishandled but after some frantic action in the Newtown goalmouth the ball was finally cleared.

 

Carmarthen continued to dominate and after they failed to capitalise on Nicholls' openings and the referee waving play on when Tim Hicks was being pulled back by a Newtown defender in the box the result was clearly not going Town's way. In fact the 'Robins' could well have sealed matters in the dying moments of the match when Fitzgerald made a fantastic save from substitute Steve McCormic.

Tomi will be disappointed with Town's first half display but more satisfied with his team's second half commitment and application. Clearly With some sharper finishing in front of goal Town could well have taken a deserved share of the points.

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