IN AN ENTHRALLING ENCOUNTER at Richmond Park last Saturday, an 89th minute goal by Carmarthen Town striker Siôn Meredith set the seal on a magnificent victory for the home side in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd who gave their heroes a standing ovation at the final whistle.

This was the second successive season that the League of Wales champions had failed to get any return and allied to another drawn game in the previous season, Richmond Park must be becoming a bogey ground for the Dragons.

After RSU Windows Sponsored Carmarthen’s set-back at Cwmbran the previous week when they suffered a 3-1 defeat, this win has now revitalised Town’s European ambitions for a top four place. Manager Tomi Morgan, however, still sets his sights on a FAW Premier Cup place next season as a more realistic aim, especially in view of his team’s demanding League programme for the remainder of the season which includes home games against Llanelli and Cwmbran.

In a fiercely competitive match, which was played in fluctuating weather conditions raging from bright sunshine at one moment to a torrential thunderstorm at another, there was plenty to keep the crowd on their toes, with incidents at both ends and the stall was set as early as the third minute. Dean Rossiter, driving forward, saw his looping drive strike the Barry crossbar beyond the reach of startled keeper David Wells and in the eighth minute the Dragons were fortunate again not to find themselves a goal down when Wells parried Richard Parker’s powerful drive only for Matthew Delicate to be thwarted as he closed in on the rebound.

Some fine passing movements by the visitors created problems in Town’s defence in which Stephen Evans, playing his first full game since his recent transfer from Haverfordwest, did well to win some aerial battles but Town were fortunate to survive when Chris Fry’s free header flew past the upright with Robert Fitzgerald beaten.

A thoroughly enjoyable first half ended in stalemate which was a fair scoreline on the reflection of the game, but the deadline was broken at last in the 57th minute. Fry’s deep corner was forced home past Fitzgerald via the head of Jody Jenkins and whose animated celebrations may have expressed a relief in the Dragon’s ranks. The celebrations, however, were hardly completed before Town equalised when Delicate’s challenge on keeper Wells resulted in the ball running loose for Nigel Nicholas to drive home from point blank range and to set the game alight.

Barry, however, had other ideas and prompted by the determined player-manager Richard Jones regained the lead when Darren Davies drove past Fitzgerald in the 80th minute.

Then came the drama of the final ten minutes. Firstly, Wayne Jones who had come on as substitute for Nicholas, delivered a fine ball to the far post and Walker rose splendidly to head the ball home with six minutes to go. Then in the final minute another Jones cross to the far post was headed back across the six yard box by substitute Gethin Jones and third substitute Meredith headed beyond Wells just below the bar to round off a memorable day for the Town.

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CARMARTHEN TOWN SURRENDED an early two goal lead in Saturdays Welsh Cup quarter final to go down 3-2 to Cwmbran Town, who produced a fine comeback.

The Richmond Park battle burst into life after just 3 minutes when after good work down the left by Nigel Nicholas, his cross was flicked on by Sion Meredith for Richard Parker to beat Gary Wager in the Cwbran goal. Town's dream star continued in the 14th minute when after good pressure from the Carmarten attack, the Cwmbran keeper Gary Wager fluffed his clearance for Richard Parker to score his second goal.

A minute later Town almost made it three. Ryan Nicholls made a good run down the right and cut into the box, passed to Richard Parker who fired just wide with Wager well beaten.

Carmarthen were to rue this chance, for within five minutes Cwmbran were back on level terms. First midfielder Stephen Futcher produced a wonderful run into the box, evading some desperate tackles to slide the ball past Fitzgerald. Cwmbran were now in top gear and after 20 minutes, good work by Chris Summers resulted in Jamie Hughes, on loan from Cardiff City, to slot the ball in at the far post to make it 2-2.

Cwmbran were now dominating the game, but Town still had their chances with Meredith just failing to reach Paul Walker's cross with an open goal at his mercy. But on 32 minutes, Cwmbran produced what was to be the winner when the impressive Futcher beat off a challenge and fired past the helpless Fitzgerald.

Both teams had good chances before the break, with Meredith's header easily saved by Wager. At the other end Matthew Cable kicked Summers shot off the line after he had rounded the keeper and Fitzgerald produced a fine save from Jamie Hughes.

The pattern of the game changed in the second half, with defences now on top and chances few and far between. Meredith was put through on the right and beat the keeper only to see his shot cleared off the line by Aizelwood.

The game sprang back into life in the last ten minutes with Carmarten searching for the equaliser to put the game into extra time. Dean Rossiter had a shot from 20 yards easily saved and Wayne Jones shot over the bar from a free kick on the edge of the box.

The equaliser almost came in the last minute. First substitute Matthew Delicate's header was cleared off the line by Neil O'Brian. Then in the next attack a frantic scramble in the goalmouth led to huge appeals for a Carmarthen penalty, which the referee turned down.

At the end of the day the large crowd enjoyed a wonderful cup tie played out by two excellent teams. Town pushed Cwmbran all the way, but must have been disappointed to have given a two goal lead away.

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Carmarthen Town’s European ambitions suffered a slight set-back at Llansantffraid last Saturday when they were narrowly defeated by the home side, Total Network Solutions, who now move into second place in the League of Wales table at the expense of Town. The Richmond Park club, however, still maintain third position, and with a mere nine games left the season is still very much alive, but cautious manager Tomi Morgan still sets qualification for next season’s FAW Premier Cup as his priority with any other honour a bonus.

Town came away from North East Wales with the disappointment of having missed out on a point but overall the home side may have just deserved the honours after a decisive first half display. Town, however, came back very much into the game in the second half and exerted tremendous pressure on the home defence in the dying stages but did not present themselves with enough chances to share the points.

With a strong wind at their backs in the first half, TNS’s tactics were clear in that they adopted the long ball approach with goalkeeper Lee Williams, one of the strongest kickers in the League of Wales, propelling the ball continuously into his opponents half. With the TNS mid-field possessing physically bigger players , the tactics paid off and as one Town supporter appropriately commented after the match ‘we were muscled out of the game in the first half’.

Town reasserted themselves in the second half and played some good football on a very uneven surface to stretch the home defence who held firm to deny the visiting forwards any clear-cut chances.

TNS took the lead in the 30th minute when the inevitable high through-ball eluded the advancing Town keeper Robert Fitzgerald in the penalty area and when John Toner’s goal-bound shot was blocked by David Barnhouse Wrexham referee Brian Bevan adjudged the player to have handled. Goalkeeper Lee Williams, TNS’s regular penalty kicker, blasted the penalty beyond Fitzgerald. Within eight minutes similar tactics produced a second goal when new signing Anthony Wright, picking up the lose ball, drove past the stranded Fitzgerald. In the 43rd minute Town put themselves back in the game when a move involving Dean Rossiter and substitute Siôn Meredith, who had replaced the injured Richard Parker, combined to put Craig Evans clear and he beat Williams in TNS’ goal in fine style.

The second half saw Town take up the initiative but a solid defence, well marshalled by Timmy Edwards, stood firm and the closest Town came to scoring was when Matthew Cable’s powerful header cleared the bar and keeper Williams did well to save Wayne Jones’ in-swinging corner kick in a frenetic finish which saw TNS clinging on to their 2-1 lead.

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