10.01.04
NEWI Cefn Druids 2 Carmarthen Town 2

A determined second half fight-back by Carmarthen Town at Plaskyneston showed that the Richmond Park outfit are determined to rid themselves of the spectre of relegation.

Two strikes by NEWI Cefn Druids top scorer Aden Shannon had given the hosts a comfortable lead but Town’s commitment, together with some judicious tactical substitutions, saw the visitors level the score to take a hard earned share of the points and another small step towards League survival.

Druids started strongly causing Town’s defence no end of difficulty. A Brett Jeffries header was cleared off the Town line and with keeper Tony Pennock forced to deny Druids top scorer Shannon the visiting defence was severely tested on several occasions.

It came as no surprise that the home team went ahead in the 23rd minute. A Nick Parry long throw was flicked on by Jeffries and a superbly volley by Shannon found the back of the net.

Unbeaten at Plaskyniston Town gradually played their way into the game. Jon Keaveny was a constant thorn in the side of the ‘Ancients’ and only a brave save by Parry in the home goal denied the Town striker an equaliser. But it was the hosts who deserved their half time lead.

Following the break Town adjusted their line-up withdrawing Padraig Burke and introducing Luke Fayers into the middle of the forward line.

This proved effective and with Town dominating the early exchanges Nicky Burke come close on 50 minutes as his shot flew wide when well placed.

Pushing up in search of the equaliser Town were caught on the break in the 54th. minute as Osian Jones broke through and having drawn Pennock gave Shannon a simple conversion for his second of the afternoon.

With Town now two in arrears coach Mark Aizlewood once again made tactical changes. With the withdrawal of David Barnhouse and Dean Rossiter new signing Adam Moore dropped into the back line and the introduction of Shaun Chapple and Dale Price saw Town invest everything in an attacking formation.

The relentless Town attack pinned the hosts firmly in their own half and the pressure finally told as RSU sponsored Carmarthen Town made the break through they were threatening in the 71st. minute. A superb cross from the left hand side by Marc Jones was met perfectly by Fayers who reduce the deficit shifting the momentum of the game in Town’s favour.

Then with five minutes remaining a long throw into the area saw Owen Thomas fight tenaciously for a loose ball in the box and following several blocked shots Burke hammered home the equaliser to give Town the point they deserved.

Manager Andrew York was full of praise for his team’s spirited come back:

“We were lucky only to be 1-0 down at half time. Things were not working so we had to change them.

“I always felt we could get back into it and the substitutions had a massive impact on our game. With Mark Aizlewood on the touchline he has an overview of the game and it has certainly made a huge difference.

“The players must have the credit for the way they stuck at the task. They showed a lot of character but we do need to perform for the full 90 minutes.

“We’re now only a point behind Afan Lido and with the team’s growing confidence I’d like to see us climb up the table in the next few weeks.

17.01.04
Carmarthen Town 1 Caernarfon Town 4

Carmarthen Town coach Mark Aizlewood was forthright in his view of Town’s 4-1 defeat by ‘highflying Canaries’ Caernarfon Town.

“It does not matter in what league or at what standard of football you play if you concede three goals you are not going to win games and that’s what we found today.

“Yes, we competed well and naively people may say that we missed chances and we did, but that does not address the root problem that we conceded three needless goals. The third goal was the killer. The fourth was irrelevant”.

Having seen a glimmer of hope that things were turning for the better over recent weeks Town’s revival took something of a knock as two strikes by Carl Rogers and Dylan Owen for the visitors and a Jon Keaveny goal in reply for the hosts had seen the game finely balanced at the break.

But when Caernarfon added a third in the 51st. minute it proved a hammer blow for the Richmond Park outfit that all but ensured an abrupt halt to any thoughts of a continuing Town resurgence.

Town matched their highflying opponents well in the opening period. For Caernarfon James McIlvogu’s early header grazed the bar and a Dale Price break down the left saw Owen Thomas drag his shot just wide of the upright with ten minutes gone.

Left back Mick Maloney provided dangerous crosses into the box but Town, alert to Caernarfon’s scoring reputation, policed the danger well.

Then on 27 minutes Town lost possession up-field allowing the visitors to break. The unmarked Carl Rogers, who was pulling the strings for the visitors in mid field, got on the end of a Paul Roberts cross to put Caernarfon ahead with a free header.

RSU sponsored Carmarthen Town responded immediately with the lively Jon Keaveny hammering home Nick Burke’s parried shot on 32 minutes to level the score.

With little between the sides the play was end to end but Caernarfon grabbed a fortuitous second goal courtesy of a deflected shot with three minutes of the half remaining. A strike from Owen took a deflection off defender Leigh DeVulgt and ballooned into the net to put the visitors ahead once more.

With the game finely balanced the killer punch was delivered six minutes into the second half. Town once again lost possession out on the right and Caernarfon’s cross into the box found the unmarked Tim Brandreth who, having had sufficient time to pick his spot, made it three.

Town invested everything in an attacking formation, moving to three at the back and four in a line upfront, looking to emulate the comeback of the previous week.

Keaveny broke through immediately but was denied by a fine save by keeper Ian Willcock.

And within minutes as Town continued to pressurise Keaveny broke through again to chip the keeper but his effort carried too much weight and went narrowly over.

Steffan Davies, Luke Fayers and Nick Burke all created chances as Town looked to reduce the deficit but despite coming agonisingly close several times the visiting defence held firm with Wayne Phillips and Willcock in commanding form.

On the stroke of time Steve Watkins broke through to set up Lloyd Roberts in front of goal to make it four. Whilst the score-line flattered the visitors that will be little consolation to Town in their efforts to salvage their League pride.

23.01.04 (Friday evening)
Port Talbot Town 3 Carmarthen Town 1

Port Talbot Town claimed a comfortable 3-1 home win over a struggling Carmarthen Town and despite a good record at the Victoria Road ground Town failed to make any real impression on their hosts.

Sean Mainwaring opened the scoring for the ‘Steelmen’ just two minutes before half time. Allan Clark then doubled the lead with a fine header on 58 minutes with Craig Hughes making the game safe for the hosts four minutes later. Adam Moore, netting his first goal for Town, pulled one back with twenty minutes remaining.

The win sees the much-strengthened ‘Steelmen’ move into tenth position with Town left looking anxiously at the 10-point gap between them and bottom club Barry Town who, having narrowly avoided bankruptcy, continue to strengthen their squad.

A somewhat changed RSU sponsored Carmarthen Town line-up saw Dean Rossiter sidelined through injury with Wayne Price replacing David Barnhouse at the back and Tristan Lewis making a start up-front to partner Nick Burke.

From the whistle Town were immediately put under the cosh by the strong running Port Talbot side. Craig Hughes probed Town’s defensive live and the visitors must have been relieved to survive the initial stages of the game without conceding an early goal.

Gradually Town played their way into the game forcing the best out of keeper Simon Rayner who, following a period on trial with a League club, was being watched by Ray Wilkins.

The new Town pairing of Burke and Lewis combined well up front and proved to be a handful for the home defence. Lewis was unlucky not to score after 35 minutes when having managed to lob the keeper saw the covering defence clear the danger and a stinging shot from Burke brought out the best from Port Talbot’s young Canadian keeper.

For the hosts Allan Clark caused some problems with a series of long-range efforts but having competed well for 40 minutes Town were dealt a sucker blow with only two minutes of the half remaining.

Tony Pennock, having made three magnificent point blank stops, frustratingly saw the ball fall to the ‘Steelmen’ each time and was eventually beaten by Mainwaring who netted from close in.

The second half began in similar style with both sides appearing to be a little shaky at the back. But with the visitors netting twice in close succession, two minutes either side of the hour mark, any hopes Town had of maintaining their good record at Victoria Road were quickly dashed.

With the Richmond Park outfit failing to fully clear a corner the ball came back in and Clarke was able to head home to extend the advantage for the hosts and make it 2-0.

Then four minutes later the home side put the game beyond doubt when the lively Hughes turned his marker to fire the ball into the corner of the net and make it three.

Town did managed to pull one back in the 71st. minute when Adam Moore headed in a Leigh De Vulgt free kick but in reality it was too little, too late with the Victoria Road outfit having done enough to secure all three points to keep them comfortably ensconced in mid table.

Carmarthen Town : Pennock, P. Burke (Chapple 65’), W. Price, de Vulgt, York, Moore, Thomas, Reid, Burke, Lewis (Keaveny 62’). D. Price (Fayers 62’).

31.01.04
Carmathen Town 1 Aberystwyth Town 2

Having seen their advantage reduced to a single goal Aberystwyth Town withstood intense Carmarthen Town pressure in the final minutes of an enthralling match to record their fourteenth win of the season.

The fact that the game went ahead at all, given the atrocious weather, was credit to the investment of the Richmond Park club and the hard work of the ground staff in ensuring the surface was playable.

Aberystwyth had taken the lead shortly after half time when a long ball found the long legged John Lawless in space. Lawless, who had been a threat throughout the first period, weaved his way clear of the home defence to slot home past Pennock’s diving grasp to give the visitors the lead with 50 minutes on the watch.

Three minutes later Lee Spike extended Aberystwyth’s advantage when Bari Morgan got behind the Town defence to square for the lively striker to make it two.

Then when Dean Rossiter, who had come on as a substitute, produced a stunning shot from a throw in to find the top corner of John Worsnop’s net Town were given some hope that all was not lost. Town besieged the visitor’s goal but in the end the ‘Seasider’s’ hung on to their advantage that sees them well positioned for a European placing.

The Park Avenue outfit started impressively with Lawless and Anthony Wright prominent in taunting Town’s back line and with the experienced Ricky Evans an added dimension in midfield the visitors enjoyed the best of the early exchanges.

But, having weathered the initial storm, RSU sponsored Carmarthen Town matched their highflying opponents well in the atrocious conditions with Jon Keaveny, Nick Burke and Dale Price testing Aberystwyth’s resolve to defend as well as they attacked.

It was Keaveny who created Town’s best opportunity of the half when he reached the by-line and pulled the ball back with Owen Thomas unfortunate not to turn it into the visiting goal.

With Lawless being forced in-field the Liverpool based striker produced some finely timed runs as Aberystwyth finished the half strongly.

A couple of minutes into the second period and Town had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring. Following a touchline hugging run down the left Tristan Lewis’ pass into the box found the industrious Price but his shot went inches wide of the upright.

Then with five minutes of the half gone Town’ switched off’ and were duly punished by the visiting attack and having conceded twice within a period of three minutes now faced a daunting task.

But Town are not short of determination and character and although living dangerously at times got themselves back into the game.

Shaun Chapple’s free kick on 78 minutes caused confusion in the box as shots from Rossiter and York were blocked by desperate defending but with Price’s final effort going narrowly over other opportunity passed.

Then finally a glimmer of hope. With five minutes remaining Rossiter produced one of his ‘specials’ to reduce the deficit but despite the intense pressure the visitors held firm to collect all three points.

Carmarthen: Pennock, DeVulgt (P Burke 46’), Reid Barnhouse, York, Moore, Thomas (Chapple 71’), Lewis (Rossiter 58’), N Burke, Price, Keaveny.