06.11.10 Welsh Cup 3rd. Round
GOYTRE UNITED 2 CARMARTHEN TOWN 3

A much-improved second half showing saw Town negotiate a difficult encounter at Glanhavod Park. With the Welsh League outfit holding a first half advantage Town were forced to come from behind to ensure progression to the next round of the competition and a home tie against Huws Gray Alliance outfit Gap Connah's Quay.

Town manager Tomi Morgan was clearly pleased with the outcome. “The most important thing in any cup game is the result and I’m just pleased that we’re in the draw for the next round. I don’t really mind who we're drawn against. What you really want is a home draw”

“They made it difficult for us first half. They defended well and they limited us. Second half we knew we had to adjust and that’s exactly what the players did. We were a lot tighter and clinical and we played with pace.

“We changed things around a bit and it proved successful with three goals after the break which was great. Once the first one went in it gave the boys confidence and we pushed on for the result”.

With Morgan making two changes Lee Jenkins returned to left back at the expense of Bobbie Briers and Lee Bevan was prefereed to Gary Bansor in the middle of the Town defence. But in a classic 'game of two halves' Goytre had the better of the first half possession. With Town lofting the ball Jerome Maynard and Josh Collins were dominant in the middle of the home defence and keeper Michael Arnold was largely redundant.

At the other end Mike Lewis was kept busy by the sharp Goytre forward line. With the hosts pressing the ball and picking up on second ball possession Town were not allowed to settle and the hosts were quick to push through on goal. After only six minutes Lewis was forced down to his left to deny Richard French and then did well to block out Jacob Daly in a one-on-one on the quarter hour mark. Minutes later Lewis palmed away Simon Truman’s stinger of a goal bound shot superbly.

Having lost Lee Phillips early Town made more of an impression as the break approached. With Sacha Walters providing an outlet for the Richmond Park outfit French did well with a clearing header to deny the wing-man. But, having threatened, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time. With two Town defenders going for the same ball Goytre won possession and with Lee Bevan isolated Truman fed Daly for the busy winger to finish well and give the hosts the advantage at the break.

Whatever was said at half time certainly had the desired effect. Town readjusted and with Darren Griffiths moving up top in front of Walters and Harrhy, Tim Hicks dropped into midfield and Town looked better balanced and more competitive. With Griffiths foraging well and causing problems Harrhy pulled a good effort wide of the mark. Corey Thomas latched on to Bevan’s floated free kick but his ‘toe poke’ was held by Arnold. The keeper then denied Harrhy with an excellent save at the near post after Kieran Howard had broken through the home defence as Town clearly began to dominate.

And with the pressure on the hosts mounting it wasn’t long before Town were back on level terms. With Howard getting a touch to a long ball forward he played in Harrhy for the winger to restore parity on 55 minutes. Two minutes later and Town were in front. A long throw in from sub Briers was cleared but with Jenkins whipping the ball back in Thomas helped the ball on for Griffiths to net against his former club. With Town now playing at pace they clearly held the initiative. Arnold forced away a Walter drive before Howard showed great skill to weave his way through the Goytre defence for a fine individual goal that gave Town a cushion on 68 minutes.

But with the clock winding down the hosts pushed forward in a final effort. French’s shot stuck in the goalmouth mud before the former Eagle was well placed to net an injury time rebound after Nicky Jones’ powerful effort from the edge of the box had rocked Town’s bar.

Goytre: M Arnold, M Chaves, N Jones, J Collins, J Maynard, R Shugar, S Truman, S Jones, J Thorn, R French, J Daly Subs: I Morgan, R Folland, P Cardy, L Landes.

Town: M Lewis, L Phillips (B Briers 15’), L Jenkins, D Griffiths, L Bevan, K Howard, C Thomas, Darren Griffiths, N Harrhy (C Davies 84’), T Hicks, S Walters Sub not used: G Bansor. Referee: Wayne Tregonning.

12.11.10 CARMARTHEN TOWN 1 PORT TALBOT TOWN 3

With Town having secured their first points of the season at the GenQuip Stadium former manager Mark Jones returned to Richmond Park to avenge his side’s early season reversal by inflicting Town’s first home defeat since early September and dent Town’s recent run of positive results.

With injuries to keeper Mike Lewis and influential midfielder Kieran Howard exacerbated the situating the turning point of the game probably hinged on the dismissal of Lewis shortly after the half hour mark.

It was the Steelmen that controlled the opening exchanges of the game and experienced defender Matthew Rees put his side ahead in the eighth minute. Following a floated free kick from the right hand side into the Old Gold box Town had several chances to clear the ball but the visiting centre half was allowed to shoot powerfully past Lewis.

Town gradually played their way into the game and were very quick on the break. Howard won the ball on the edge of his own box and with two swift and accurate passes Town were threatening Lee Kendall in the opposition goal.

Then, on 32 minutes, came the defining incident of the game. With Lewis slipping as he came to clear a back pass referee Kevin Morgan adjudged that the keeper had brought down the onrushing Martin Rose as the striker looked to close the keeper down. To make matters worse Lewis suffered a bad ankle injury that resulted in him being hospitalised. With Lewis red-carded defender Lee Bevan took up the gloves and following a long delay Rose netted the resulting spot kick to put the Steelmen two up.

Worryingly, Howard also departed for the Casualty Department at the same time having sustained a soft tissue ankle injury that could put him out of the game for several weeks.

The second half began with Morgan’s ten men taking the initiative and causing the visitors problems. And in the 55th minute Town’s energy and endeavour was rewarded with a goal that was a worthy contender for any goal of the season award. With Darren Griffiths picking up the ball in his own half he set off for the Port Talbot goal. Having slalomed his way passed several defenders the powerful forward slotted the ball confidently past Kendall to halve the deficit and give Town some renewed impetus.

Griffiths, Nick Harrhy and Tim Hicks all had half chances to bring the Old Gold level and young Oliver Ardolino made his first team debut as Town looked to add to their attacking options. With the hosts retaining possession for long periods the Steelmen were reduced to creating chances on the counter-attack.

But with two minutes remaining Town were eventually overcome. A disputed free kick from the right was crossed into the box for Liam McCreesh to net the decider for the Steelmen. Town had produced a gritty and resilient performance and although understandably disappointed with the outcome manager Tomi Morgan remained positive and gave credit to his side’s dogged determination.

“We unfortunately made a few decisive mistakes which cost us the game but I have nothing but praise for the attitude and application of my squad.

“Every player gave 100% throughout the ninety minutes and came off the pitch with their heads held high.

“Of course we now face a difficult period as we will be without our first choice keeper for the next two months. But I have every confidence in my squad and look forward to the challenges.”

Town: M Lewis, L Phillips (O Ardolino 84'), L Jenkins, D Griffiths, L Bevan, K Howard (G Bansor 37'), C Thomas, D Griffiths, N Harrhy (B Briers 82'), T Hicks, S Walters Subs not used: C Davies, R Mansfield

Port Talbot: L Kendall, L DeVulgt, L Grist, G Phillips (C Jones 59'), M Rees, L Surman, L John (M Thompson 72'), L Bowen, M Rose, L McCreesh, D Brookes (J Edwards 90'+1) Sub not used: Nathan Cotterrall

Attendance: 413 Referee: Kevin Morgan

20.11.10 BANGOR CITY 5 CARMARTHEN TOWN 0

Town found themselves on the wrong end of a record equalling run at Farrar Road on Saturday. With cameras there to record the event City duly obliged with an Alan Bull hat-trick and one each for Dave Morley, who ran the show for City, and Siôn Edwards.

But it was not all one-way-traffic and Tomi Morgan’s depleted side made a gutsy contribution to proceedings with Darren Griffiths very unlucky not to have had some reward for his persistence and show of strength throughout in what was at times end to end stuff. The Richmond Park boss was naturally disappointed with the outcome following a frustrating afternoon.

"I thought we did OK first half and it could well have been 2-1 at half time. We had an excellent chance at the end of the half and some at the beginning of the second period.

"If we had got something it would have made a big difference confidence wise. But if you lose possession to a side like Bangor they will punish you.

"We lacked a little bit of experience today and we do have to remember they are the League leaders with several influential players and have an impressive undefeated record".

In the absence of the suspended Mike Lewis Shane Earp made his first Town start between the sticks with Morgan also forced into several positional changes to contain his growing injury list. Griffiths had some early success and Corey Thomas saw his snap shot held following a long throw in from Bobby Briers and Sacha Walters wasn’t far off the mark with a cheeky lob having spied Paul Smith off his line. But with Jamie Reed sending his raking shot across Earp’s goal and Les Davies inches wide of the target there was action at both ends.

Despite the early opportunities Town looked a little nervous at the back and City broke the deadlock on the half hour. With Reed breaking down the left the ball was helped on by Davies for Bull to score his first of the afternoon from close in. With scarcely time to regroup Town found themselves two down in two minutes. Morley won possession inside his own half and threaded a glorious through ball to find Bull who lifted the ball over the diving keeper to make it 2-0 with 31 minutes gone.

With the Citizens in full flight a Davies ‘special’ rebounded off team-mate Chris Jones on the line and when Reed was gifted the ball as a result of a slip he put his effort wide under pressure from the keeper. But Town came frustratingly close to reducing the deficit during stoppage time when the ever present Griffiths rounded the keeper to fire into the empty net but saw his angled effort cleared off the line by the last second lunge of Michael Johnson.

The second half saw Bangor monopolise the action with Davies again coming close with two thunderous efforts one of which was deflected over. James Brewerton’s effort off Peter Hoy’s free kick went narrowly wide and Briers did well to clear his line as pressure mounted on the Town goal.

Just after the hour Bangor again struck twice in close succession when Bull netted on the third attempt, after a ball in by Morley was twice parried by Earp, on 61 minutes. Six minutes later, after Hoy had been brought down by the keeper, Morley tucked away the resulting spot kick to put the result beyond doubt. But Town’s doggedness saw Griffiths’ shot rebound off the post into Smith’s arms and Walters cut in well to send his effort narrowly wide of the upright.

Youth player Alex Thomas made his Town debut from the bench and Siôn Edwards rounded off the day with a fifth for City, the fiftieth in all competitions, as the hosts equalled Reading’s 1985/86 record. With City now thirteen points clear at the top of the League Town slip to seventh on equal points with Aberystwyth Town.

City: P Smith, P Hoy, C Roberts (S Edwards 71'), D Morley, J Brewerton, A Bull, J Reed, M Johnston, L Davies, N Ward (C Garside 67'), C Jones (E Jebb 69') Subs not used: T Dix, J Owen.

Town: S Earp, L Phillips, B Briers, Dale Griffiths, L Bevan, L Jenkins, C Thomas (G Bansor 77'), Darren Griffiths, N Harrhy (A Thomas 83'), T Hicks, S Walters (C Davies 71'). Subs not used: O Ardolino, M Davies Attendance: 720 Referee: Nick Pratt.