UWCH CYNGHRAIR CYMRU WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE

Adroddiadau / Reports 2009 - 2010
Chwefror / February

06.02.10 Carmarthen Town 1 Welshpool Town 1

Despite retaining an unbeaten tag for 2010 this was a disappointed result for Town as they looked to book top-flight football in next season’s restructured League.

Without top scorer Tm Hicks and the influential Neil Smothers the experienced Danny Thomas and wing-man Sacha Walters returned to the starting line-up as Town started brightly.

Early on a Chris Thomas’ set piece was tipped over by visiting keeper Dave Maguire and Nathan Cotterrall proved to be a menace down the left but, unfortunately, without an end result before the visitors’ appeal for a spot kick on the ten-minute mark, after Mark Griffiths went down in the box, fell on deaf ears.

But Town eventually made the breakthrough they had threatened six minutes before the break. Sean Cronin nodding down a Sacha Walters flag kick for Danny Thomas to net the lose ball.

Following the resumption Town increased the pressure. But with the Welshpool defence standing strong they gradually gained in confidence and on 65 minutes the mid-Wales Lilies were level. A cleverly worked free kick saw Steffan Edwards beating keeper Neil Thomas from the edge of the box.

Deryn Brace sent on his subs in an effort to galvanise his team. Mattie Davies saw literally his second touch of the ball cleared off the line and a Dale Griffiths header from the last corner of the game flew inches over the bar.

But it was the visitors who probably came closest to finding a late winner when Griffiths was released on the half way line and it took a fine save from Thomas to ensure that Town had something to show for their efforts following a frustrating afternoon.

Town’s stuttering season continues and with the campaign entering a vital period manager Deryn Brace will be disappointed that his side had not capitalised fully against a side near the bottom of the league.

Town: N Thomas, R Hughes, Hanford, Palmer (Griffiths 67'), Cronin, C Thomas, D Thomas (Davies 75'), Walters (Pritchard 55'), Fowler, C Hughes, Cotterrall.

Welshpool: Maguire, Windsor, Boardman, Peate, Pritchard, Hughes, Ramsey, Griffiths, Cronshaw (Price 65'), Edwards. Subs not used: Jenkins, Williams.

Attendance: 273 Referee: Mark Whitby

13.02.10 Prestatyn Town 0 Carmarthen Town 0

Having dominated throughout with a fired up performance Town will be disappointed not to have taken a deserved full quota of points at Bastion Gardens. A man of the match performance from home keeper Jon Hill-Dunt together with an extraordinary penalty decision from referee Mark Petch and some wayward finishing all conspired to keep Town out after the visitors had produced a very determined and positive display.

“Today I thought we got the majority of things right apart from the score line. Obviously we are disappointed not to have taken all three points from a game where we were totally dominant”.

“Their keeper made some crucial saves as he did earlier on in the season at out place and the penalty decision is one that’s gone against us. It was a penalty. We can moan and groan but there is nothing we can do about it. Apart from the keeper I thought all their players were second best to ours. I think its just unfortunate that we didn’t come away with the win that we richly deserved”.

“Defensively I think we looked strong, we’re starting to look a little bit more ruthless. In the last five games we’ve conceded two goals and kept three clean sheets”.

“We’ll take a lot of pluses from today. I felt it was our best all round performance of the season, I would love to have said in a victory, but unfortunately our finishing let us down. Today we were consistent for ninety minutes. It was pleasing the way the boys approached the game and manufactured the game. It will be a very good point providing we take three points in the next game against Caersws”.

But it was Town keeper Neil Thomas who was first in action when a slick move between Michael Parker, Neil Gibson and Andy Moran put Steve Rogers free on goal with Thomas winning the one-on-one well with only seven minutes gone.

Moran then volleyed wide of the mark from a Gibson header and having weathered the host’s bright start Town began to dominate. Neil Smothers saw his goal bound shot blocked at point blank range after great work by Danny Thomas out on the right had provided for the influential midfielder. Town looked committed and dominant as they retained possession and won the second ball count.

As the break approached defender Dale Griffiths, who was decisive throughout with his intelligent play, put his header just wide of the upright after Chris Thomas had returned a cleared ball back into the box. Then on the stroke of half time Mark Pritchard’s low cross across goal just needed a final touch before Tim Hicks volleyed over with the last action of a goalless half.

Following the break Nathan Cotterrall replaced the injured Craig Hughes on the flank with Pritchard creating a front line with Hicks.

Steve Hoult’s firm strike was well held by Thomas, before a slip by Smothers let danger man Rogers through the middle before a crucial well-timed covering tackle from Dyfan Pierce rescued the situation.

Town regained the initiative and a strong weaving run by Richard Hughes from inside his own half opened up the Seasider’s defence only for the sharp Hill-Dunt to deny the defender.

Then on the hour with Town corralling the hosts Cotterrall’s on target header was blocked by a defender’s arm. With the assistant clearly signalling a penalty and Town claiming the spot kick Mr. Petch over ruled his assistant and waved play on.

Thomas somehow managed to head Paul Fowler’s cross from the right the wrong side of the upright before drilling a corner ball into the side netting. Such was Town’s domination that with twenty minutes remaining Prestatyn had their first corner of the game but were restricted to Mike Parker and Ian Griffiths hitting decent efforts from distance.

With the game in the final quarter Cotterrall and Pierce continued to raid the left and with the wingman’s weighted cross controlled by Hicks, Thomas blasted over when well placed. Having produced a performance of quality and commitment Town always looked the most likely to score but were denied a late winner when Hill-Dunt somehow switched direction to get his hand to a goal bound deflected shot. Such was Town’s day.

More Deryn comments...

Prestatyn: Hill-Dunt, Jones, Lewis, Hayes, O'Neill, Rogers (Hannen 69'), Parker, Gibson, Moran, Griffiths, Hoult (Evans 77') Subs not used: A Williams, S Williams.

Town: N Thomas, R Hughes, Pierce, Griffiths, Smothers, C Thomas, D Thomas, Hicks, Fowler, C Hughes (Cotterrall 46'), Pritchard. Subs not used: Morris, Walters.

Attendance: 165 Referee: Mark Petch

20.02.10 CARMARTHEN TOWN 1 CAERSWS FC 0

Mark Pritchard's well-taken first half goal proved the difference between the two sides as Town claimed a much needed three points that moves the Richmond Park outfit into a much converted tenth spot for the first time this season.

With manager Deryn Brace looking for a positive performance against the struggling Mid-Wales outfit Danny Thomas retained his place in midfield and the injured Craig Hughes was the only casualty from last week's line-up that had performed so well at Prestatyn. For the Bluebirds the influential midfielder Geraint Lewis was suspended.

In what was a must-win game the opening half was largely dominated by the hosts and Town went ahead in the 29th. minute. Nathan Cotterrall, who had been influential on the left, switched to carry a long ball down the right before pulling back from the bye line for Thomas and then Paul Fowler to play in Pritchard who netted from ten yards.

Earlier Town had enjoyed a series of set pieces but without result before visiting keeper David Jones saved Fowler's powerful shot from the edge of the box. Just after the half hour Mark Griffiths had the visitors’ only real chance of the half when he put the ball over when well placed.

Town made repeated inroads down the right. Richard Hughes, Hicks and Pritchard linked well to send some dangerous balls across the box but with Fowler’s drive wide of the mark Town retained the narrow advantage comfortably at the break.

In a disjointed second period Caersws were allowed back into the game for a period but will be indebted to their keeper who denied Town several goal-bound strikes. Cotterrall’ cross missed everyone in front of an open goal before Fowler's wonderful control and volley of Cotterrall's floated ball forward was superbly turned over by Jones who made another crucial save with ten minutes remaining when he palmed Hick's driven ball behind to safety.

On the hour Chris Thomas’ great ball in following a series of corner kicks was put over by Hicks and a little nervousness crept into Town’s play as the cushion of a second goal remained elusive.

Ben Morris and Sacha Walters replaced Cotterrall and Hicks as Town continued to press but good build up play needed a little more composure and quality in the final third to pay dividends.

But with the game into the final quarter Caersws pushed forward looking for a late leveler. Andy Davies became prominant for the Bluebirds but Neil Smothers policed the midfield well and with Thomas and Dale Griffiths clearing up behind Hughes broke free with a couple of lone long runs down the right.

With keeper Neil Thomas having been largely redundant Graham Jones and sub Cory Jenkins linked well for the Bluebirds but with Phil Jones putting the final effort over Town saw out the game to collect a deserved full quota of points and condemn the Bluebirds to their twelfth consecutive defeat.

Town: N Thomas, R Hughes, D Pierce, N Smothers, D Griffiths, C Thomas, D Thomas, T Hicks (S Walters 83'), P Fowler, M Pritchard, N Cotterrall (B Morris 71') Sub not used: M Davies.

Caersws: D Jones, S Williams, M Holt, H Clarke (S Jones 61'), G Jones, L Jenkins (C Jenkins 64'), C Melia, M Prosser, M Griffiths, P Jones, Sub not used: T Lapworth.

Referee C Richards. Attendance 259.

27.02.10 Carmarthen Town 0 Airbus UK Broughton 1

With both sides equally poised on points in the chase for a vital top ten Welsh Premier spot the outcome of this evenly balanced game was settled by a last minute mistake by Town keeper Neil Thomas. Having been a hero on so many occasions the experienced keeper was dispossessed in front of goal, gifting sub Josh Johnson the easiest of goals from three yards.
Manager Deryn Brace told the Journal, “It’s a bitter pill to swallow because I don’t think the bys deserved that result at all. Unfortunately a moment of madness, after all the hard work and a gritty display, has cost us a point that we thoroughly deserved”.

“For eighty-nine minutes probably everyone would have been saying it was a solid display from two sides that didn’t want to lose. I don’t think either side looked as if they were going to win it and it was set for a stalemate until the last minute error”.

Town welcomed back striker Craig Hughes and defender Craig Hanford from injury. Nicky Palmer made a return to the bench. For the Wingmakers, who were looking for a first ever win at Richmond Park, Jack Abraham returned from suspension and Tom Rowlands from injury.

Both sides started positively. Town won a number of early set pieces and the first opportunity when Airbus keeper Kristian Rogers just managed to get his foot to a Chris Thomas free kick to clear the ball off the goal line.

On the twenty minute mark Giovanni Feliciello's low cross across the face of the Town goal just lacked a finishing touch and a couple of minutes later the incisive wingman again provided from the flank before James McIntosh headed over. Chris Thomas made a strong run through the middle for Town but the best chance of the half fell to Airbus. Jack Abraham broke well from defence to play in the predatory Carl Owen who was denied by a fine stop from Thomas.

With little to choose between the sides Danny Thomas had a couple of half chances in the box and Mark Pritchard defended well before setting Craig Hughes free. But with Airbus breaking dangerously it remained goalless at the break.

The second half developed into an entertaining and competitive end-to-end encounter with Airbus, initially, having slightly better possession. McIntosh broke Town’s cover but was denied by a Chris Thomas covering tackle and the front man should have done better off Feliciello's flag kick when he headed over when unopposed at the back post.

Around the hour mark Cotterrall and Palmer replaced Hughes and Neil Smothers and Town immediately regained momentum and showing more threat, raiding well down the left. But with defences on top chances were few and far between.

Danny Thomas cleverly played in Cotterrall whose effort was put behind and Palmer’s long diagonal ball caused problems for the visitors. On the 80-minute mark Thomas did well to palm over Mark Allen's header off Felicello's free kick.

Then with the game heading for stalemate Thomas looked to dribble out a Chris Thomas back pass only to be caught in possession by the pacey Trinidad & Tobago U20 international who side-footed into an empty net to claim a fortuitous but priceless three points for his side.

Brace added, “Obviously Tomo was distraught. He doesn’t make mistakes often and he certainly doesn’t make mistakes like that. In all fairness to Neil he’s done that on quite a few occasions and people have applauded him for his skill. Obviously this time he’s been caught out”.

“With the goal it’s easy to point the finger but there’s no point in doing it. What we needed to discuss was why we do these things and where we go from here and how we are going to do it. We keep taking a step forward and a step back but we need concentration for ninety minutes”.

“After the game we had a bit of a heart to heart and got a few things of our chests. It certainly was not a blazing row or anything like that. It was a sensible chat about our inadequacies this season and how we put it right”.

Town: N Thomas, R Hughes, Hanford, Smothers (Palmer 69'), Griffiths, C Thomas, D Thomas (Morris 83'), Hicks, Fowler, C Hughes (Cotterrall 58'), Pritchard Sub not used: James

Airbus UK: Rogers, Edwards, Roberts (Johnson 82'), Woodward, Allen, Abraham (Rowlands 60'), A Williams, Desormeaux, Owen (Lloyd-Williams 65'), McIntosh, Feliciello. Attendance: 273 Referee: Dean John