Adroddiadau
Ionawr 01 / January 01 Reports..............
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CARMARTHEN
TOWN 3
RHYL FC 0 With Tomi warning in his
programme notes that Town would have to be at their best to get a result
against a Rhyl side that had only lost once in the last thirteen games the
incessant opening pressure from the visitors seemed to be proving him right.
However, a brilliant penalty save by Town's keeper Robert Fitzgerald from LoW
top scorer Lee Trundle in the twelfth minute of the game set the tone for
this fiercely contested match. In the end Town ran out convincing winners
with a trio of quality goals. The penalty incident came
when Neil O'Brian was adjudged to have brought down Rhyl's striker Trundle
just inside the penalty area. Not only did Fitzgerald save Trundle's penalty
attempt he also saved the rebound from Wes Kinney at point blank range. The penalty save seemed
to serve as a wake up call for the home side and Town come more into the game
and began to have an equal share of the play. With Dylan McPhee replacing the
suspended Rossiter in mid-field and the ball skills of Trundle and Kinney
causing problems it took Town some 20 minutes to settle down. 'Town's' first real
chance came on 35 minutes when Richard Parker found himself clear on the edge
of the penalty area. Keeper Lee Williams challenged Parker but he managed to
elude the keeper only to shoot over with the goal at his mercy. A couple of
minutes later after considerable Town pressure, Parker again shot over
following a goal mouth scramble. A fine break by Garry
McCosh for Rhyl nearly broke the deadlock but his final cross went
agonisingly across Fitzgerald's goal with no Rhyl player on hand to slot the
ball home. As half time approached
Town were very much in the game with Shaun Chapple and Ryan Nicholls instigating
attacks and Neil O'Brien becoming dominant in the air. The second half continued
in the same exciting mode. Both keepers in constant action as play flowing
from one end of the field to the other. Town began to have the better of the
game and the deadlock was finally broken in the 53rd. minute when
wing back Wayne Jones made a great run down the left. His powerful cross into
the box was met by Parker who headed beyond Williams to give 'Town' the lead. With Wayne Jones becoming
very prominent down the left it was fitting that he was well positioned to
volley home Town's second goal following Parker's run and cross from the
right three minutes later. Despite 'Town' being in
the driving seat Fitzgerald was again called into action when he made a superb
save from Wes Kinney after some fine work by John Stanard down the right wing
on 64 minutes. The outcome was finally
put beyond doubt in the 73rd. minute. Ryan Nicholls, who had been
creative all afternoon, went down the left but Siôn Meredith missed his well
hit cross into the box. Deryn Brace picked up the resulting loose ball wide
out on the right and laid the ball back for Craig Evans to fire a rocket of a
shot to score from 25 yards. In the dying minutes of
the game Town could well have increased the lead with several good
opportunities. On the day it was a case
of Carmarthen's superior finishing. Having weathered the Rhyl storm in the
first half Town dominated the second period and took their chances. Rhyl had
several good opportunities, especially in the first half, but did not convert
them. Having said that 'Town' were also indebted to keeper Fitzgerald who
pulled off three or four top quality saves from one of the best strike forces
in the League. An excellent game. Crowd 427 Referee : Paul Thomas. Carmarthen Town :
Fitgerald, Brace, Jones, Thomas, O'Brien, Barnhouse, Evans, McPhee, Nicholls,
Chapple, Parker. Subs: Meredith (Parker 67'), Walker, Davies (Nicholls 90'). Rhyl FC : Williams,
Brewerton,Curtis, McCosh, Antrobus, Wilson, Stannard, R. Williams, Kinney,
Trundle, Sharratt. Subs: M. Jones (Sharratt 61'), Owens, S. Jones (Kinney
71') _________________________________________________________________________________________ CARMARTHEN
TOWN 2
FLEXSYS CEFN DRUIDS 0 Despite a brave defensive
display by visitors Flexsys Cefn Druids, Carmarthen Town stuck to their task
and with the greater share of possession ultimately produced two fine goals
late in the game to gain a deserved win. Carmarthen took up the
initiative from the outset and for long periods retained possession with some
fine football. Druids were very
fortunate to survive the early pressure when Town striker Richard Parker
finding himself clear of the defence had his first shot blocked by keeper
Daniel Holdcroft and then from the rebound unaccountable put the ball wide of
the Druids post on 10 minutes. In a rare breakaway the
visitors could have snatched the lead when after good work by Rene Bruce
Pinard, Kevin Scott should have done better with only the keeper to beat but
shot tamely to give keeper Fitzgerald an easy save. With Carmarthen Town
applying pressure the visitors' defence found themselves at full stretch. On
24 minutes Parker, always in the thick of things, had two shots in succession
saved off the line by the overworked, but well organised, defence. The second half saw
Carmarthen continue to retain the lion's share of possession but with
Rowlands, Allen and Griffiths prominent in defence for Druids, Town were
having little impact in the penalty area. On 50 minutes Shaun Chapple, who
was influential throughout, split the defence with an excellent ball to Ryan
Nicholls. Nicholls in turn put Parker clear and he should have scored, when
from a yard out he hooked over the Druids crossbar. On the hour Town again
failed to convert their chances when Craig Evans' powerful volley went
straight at Holdcroft. The keeper did well again a lfew minutes later to turn
Ryan Nicholls' shot round the post from close range. Having introduced Siôn
Meredith on 65 minutes to replace Deryn Brace Tomi Morgan clearly showed his
intention to win all three points. With Wayne Jones beginning to cause
problems with his crosses from the left flank it was only a matter of time
before the deadlock was broken. To the relief of the home crowd Shaun Chapple
gave Town a deserved lead on 82' minutes when he drove a powerful shot into
the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area. The visitors went looking
for the equaliser but were foiled when the home side scored the second goal
on the break. A powerful run by Craig Evans down the left beat the defence
and his final ball into the box was struck well by substitute Siôn Meredith
to give Holdcroft little chance in the Druids goal. Following Town's recent
goal drought Manager Tomi Morgan will be extremely pleased for the win that
keeps his team in contention with the League leaders. Today's win will also
boost Town's confidence ahead of a difficult Premier Cup tie at Bangor on
Tuesday evening. Carmarthen Town : Fitzgerald, Wayne Jones, D.
Brace, W. Thomas, N. O'Brien, D. Barnhouse (c), C. Evans, D. Rossiter, R.
Nicholls, S. Chapple, R. Parker. Subs : Siôn Meredith (Brace), P. Walker
(Parker).D. McPhee (Rossiter). Flexsys Cefn Druids : D. Holdcroft, a Davies, T. Allen,
A. Rowlands, M. Allen, H. Griffiths, S. Richards, R. Bruce Pinard, R. Bean,
K. Scott, J. Davies. Subs : M. Davies (Bruce Pinard), C. Salisbury (A.
Davies), P. Morris. Referee : K. L. Morris. _________________________________________________________________________________________ OSWESTRY
TOWN 0
CARMARTHEN TOWN 0 Due to the very heavy
conditions that made any passing football impossible this game had a 0-0
scoreline written all over it. There was nearly a
sensational opening when Dean Rossiter's 35 yard shot was tipped on to the
crossbar by Oswestry keeper Blower for a corner. However, following the early
action play became bogged down in mid field and with both sides having strong
defences that snuffed out any attacks there was little goalmouth action to
enthuse the crowd. Late in the first half
Shaun Chapple had an excellent chance to put Town ahead when he weaved his
way into the penalty area. Rather than shoot himself when well placed he
decided to lay off to Ryan Nicholls who's shoot was easily saved. The second half produced much
the same style of play though Carmarthen Town seemed to come to terms with
the condition better than the home side and played the better football. As the game progressed
and players began to tire on the heavy surface gaps began to appear giving
both sides good chances to score. Justin Bridges for
Oswestry blazed over when clear in front of goal. At the other end, in the
dying minutes of the game, Ryan Nicholls finding himself unmarked also put
the ball over the bar rather than in the net. A rather disappointing
game with 0-0 a fair result. Carmarthen Town :
Fitzgerald, Gavin Rees, D. Brace, W. Thomas, N. O'Brien, D. Barnhouse (c), C.
Evans, D. Rossiter, R. Nicholls, S. Chapple, R. Parker. Subs : Matthew
Delicäte, D. McPhee, W. Jones _________________________________________________________________________________ |