01.09.04 (Wed) Loosemore's LeagueCup (First Round-first leg)

Carmarthen Town 0 Afan Lido FC 0

A 56 th. minute penalty save by keeper Tony Pennock ensured that Town maintained a clean sheet and did not concede a crucial away goal to visitors Afan Lido in the first leg of the Loosemore's Challenge Cup first round fixture at Richmond Park last Tuesday.

Having enjoyed a comprehensive win over Llanelli in the preliminary round the Runtech Stadium outfit proved a completely different proposition and with both keepers in fine form the result remained in the balance throughout.

Town started brightly with Nathan Cotterall and Gary Lloyd combining well down the left. Cotterall's penetration and Lloyd's delivery ensured that Town had the better of the early exchanges but Lido's captain Paul Evans, sensing that Pennock was off his line, sent a speculative long range lob just wide of keeper's post to give Town an early wake-up call.

With Cotterall withdrawing through injury Town's threat down the flank was not so prominent and gradually Lido made their presence felt.

Just after the half hour, having been put through by his captain, Chris Piper evaded the home defence but was denied by a fingertip save from Pennock.

Lloyd's continued to provide excellent delivery into the box but with the final strike eluding the Town forward line it remained goalless at the break.

Town started the second half in determined mood. Jon Keaveny netted early only for his effort to be flagged offside. Richard Kennedy's distribution from mid-field enabled Rhys Griffiths and Keaveny to mount some strong and determined raids but the Lido custodian Brian Thomas was equal to the challenge with some excellent saves to keep his goal in tact.

Then when Pennock brought down Lido front man Kevin Bartley it looked as if the visitors would make the breakthrough and grab that all important away goal but Pennock made amends for his transgression by denying Bartley to keep the tie alive.

With chances at both ends being denied by the in form keepers the game remained goalless and all to play for at the Runtech Stadium on Tuesday evening 07.09.04.

Carmarthen Town Pennock, Hardy, Lloyd, Smothers, Chiverton, Jones, Dodds, Kennedy, Griffiths (Davies 78'), Keaveney (Burke 78'),Cotterall (Giles 24)'.

Afan Lido FC Thomas, Shrimpton, Reid, P.Evans, C.Evans, Rickard, McCreesh, Piper, Bartley (C.Williams 90'), O'Leary (Kinsey 45'), Walters. Subs not used: D.Willias,Jons, Martin

Attendance: 159 Referee: B Hawkins

08.09.04 (Tue) Afan Lido 0 Carmarthen Town 1
Loosemore's LeagueCup(First Round-second leg)

Carmarthen Town took a break from the rigours of the Welsh Premier League programme this week to focus on two cup competitions. Having secured a thoroughly deserved, if narrow, victory in midweek over Afan Lido in the Loosemore's Challenge Cup Town made progress in the first round of the Welsh Cup this weekend when they disposed of Welsh League outfit Bryntirion Athletic with an emphatic 7-2 scoreline.

Town Manager Mark Jones was delighted that his side had maintained their interest in both competitions.

“I was pleased that we won through at Lido. They are a hard side to break down but we stuck at the task and got the result.

“Competitions against Welsh League sides are always hard and can be a potential banana skin but we maintained our focus for most of the game although I'm disappointed to have conceded two goals and lost my keeper".

It was a 84th minute Martyn Giles strike from a Gary Lloyd free kick that put Town through to the last eight of the Loosemore's Cup. With Lloyd's vicious free kick spilled in the crowded penalty area Giles stabbed the ball home to give Town an aggregate 1-0 win and a place in the last eight of the competition.

Town had had the better of the chances throughout. A Mattie Davies' first half header hit the base of the post just before the break and with Brian Thomas in fine form the Lido keeper did well to deny the industrious striker twice before Giles grabbed the winner. Although Town had been made to work hard they fully justified the win.

Afan Lido FC Thomas, Shrimpton, Martin (Kinsey 86'), P.Evans, C.Evans, Rickard, McCreesh (Walters 30'), Pridham, Bartley, Reynolds, Piper. Subs not used: Roberts, Lavis, C.Williams

Carmarthen Town Pennock, Hardy, Giles, Jones, Chiverton, Kennedy, Dodds, Burke, M.Davies (S.Davies 87'), Keaveney (Lima 58'), Lloyd. Sub not used: de Vulgt

Attendance: 104 Referee: D John Carmarthen Town win 1-0 on aggregate

Carmarthen Town 7 Bryntirion Athletic 2

On Saturday a brace of goals for Mattie Davies and Rhys Griffiths helped Town to an emphatic win over Welsh League outfit Bryntirion Athletic. It was Martin Giles who wa,s once again, in the right position to tap in Gary Lloyd's in swinging corner when the visitors failed to clear after only 10 minutes.

Mark Dodds, who caused problems down the flank all afternoon, added a second on the half hour again from a Lloyd delivery but with half time approaching the Giles was unfortunately caught in possession and Bryntirion's Brandon Walters was put clear and took his goal well to pull one back for the visitors and make it 2-1 at the break.

The second half belonged entirely to EMC Services sponsored Carmarthen Town. Craig Lima extended Town's lead within a minute of the restart when Mattie Davies picked up on a Bryntirion back pass and produced a subtle lob for the tall striker to head home.

Davies then struck home twice himself on 51' and 66' when he converted a Mark Dodds delivery and capitalised on a Bryntirion defensive error to put the game beyond doubt. And although substitute Rhys Griffiths added a further two on 72' and 90' to further extend the score-line Town were not without their troubles.

Having been booked on the hour keeper Tony Pennock was shown a red card by Dowlais referee Wayne Tregonning with eight minutes remaining when he collected his second yellow for having brought down Brian Burke in the box.

Burke then converted his own spot kick past stand in keeper Lloyd to give Bryntirion their second goal of the afternoon but it didn't detract from what was a comprehensive win for Mark Jones' squad that sees them maintain their unbeaten record.

18.09.04 Carmarthen Town 2 Port Talbot Town 0

With Carmarthen Town on an eight game unbeaten sequence and never having beaten Port Talbot at home Saturday's game had all the hallmarks of a derby game.

Add the fact that Town manager Mark Jones moved from the Victoria Ground to Richmond Park at the end of last season into the equation and the game took on the appearance of a real crunch game.

In the end Town laid the Port Talbot bogy to rest as they ran out winners courtesy of two set piece goals and with Gary Lloyd having a hand in both he proved the difference between the two sides.

The first half was dominated by the whistle of Llangennech referee Ceri Richards. Town defender Estan Chiverton was dismissed on eight minutes for an act of retaliation and Town, suddenly, found that they really had a difficult task on their hands.

As the half hour approached Town were thrown a lifeline. With Mattie Davies narrowly missing an open goal Port Talbot defender Andrew Mumford was adjudged to have handled the ball deliberately and he too saw Mr. Richards red card and received his marching orders.

With Lloyd stepping up to take the resulting free kick the anticipation was palpable and he didn't disappoint. His spectacular low effort from the on the edge of the box rounded the wall to find the corner of Martyn Davies' net to give the hosts the narrowest of leads which they maintained to the break.

Town produced a flurry of activity early on in the second half as Davies and Mark Dodds both created chances but saw their efforts go over but it was the visitors that produced the football as Town looked ominously jaded in the second period.

With Rhodri Jones clearly unwell Town surrendered the middle of the park but despite Gareth Phillips providing an excellent fulcrum and with Lee John, Dean Johnston and Jason Hislop threatening at every opportunity the visitors squandered possession in front of goal and Town keeper Neil Thomas remained largely redundant.

Timely substitutions are often the spark that teams need to secure a game and it was the combination of Nathan Cotteral and Rhys Griffiths that provided the winner for Town. Cotteral's run down the left and Lima's pressure in front of goal forced a corner for the hosts and with Gary Lloyd as so often the provider Rhys Griffiths was able to head home the decisive winner unopposed.

Despite the win manager Mark Jones remind realistic:

“I'm delighted we won but I thought they were the better side in the second half. “Yes we've won all four games but we could just as easily have lost them. We are certainly not championship material.

Town were certainly not at their best but in the end they secured the result and with points on the board that put them in fourth place their winning run will give them confidence ahead of next weeks difficult trip to league leaders TNS.

Carmarthen Town : Thomas, Hardy, Giles (Cotteral 69'), Smothers, Chiverton, Jones, Dodds (Price 85'), Kennedy, Lima, Davies(Griffiths 69'), Lloyd.

Port Talbot : Davies, Cockings, Parry, Mumford, Healey, Wiggley, Pearson (Wallace 74'), Johnson, Phillips, John, Shaw (Hislop 46').

Referee : Ceri Richards. Attendance 395.

25.09.04 Total Network Solutions 2 Carmarthen Town 0

Having made an excellent start to the season Carmarthen Town's encounter with league leaders Total Network Solutions last Saturday was destined to give Mark Jones' new look team its stiffest test to date.

In what was a very keenly contested and evenly balanced game Town acquitted themselves well, but a couple of lapses in concentration by the visitors enabled TNS to made the most of their chances and run out 2-0 victors.

Town manager Mark Jones was disappointed that Town had conceded their unbeaten run:

“I was disappointed to see our unbeaten run ended, it is important to keep these runs going as long as possible. We must start another one and keep that going as long as the last,” he said .

“We had plenty of possession especially in the second half but our cutting edge was not sharp enough in the final third to make it pay.

“We missed Estan Chiverton but I asked Martyn Giles to take on his role and he was outstanding.

EMC Services sponsored Carmarthen Town started brightly with Giles filling the central defensive role in the absence of the suspended Chiverton and Gary Lloyd dropping back into the left back berth.

Despite Town's promising start it was the hosts that made the early breakthrough. Jimmy Aggrey's long clearance from defence found John Toner out on the right and having rounded the stranded Tony Pennock he crossed for Michael Wilde to apply the lightest of touches to head home from close range with only nine minutes on the watch - giving the hosts the best possible start.

Town came back strongly and very nearly levelled the score when Giles' long clearance was flicked on by Craig Lima to set up striker Mattie Davies. Opting to round Gerard Doherty rather than shoot he was crowded out by the experienced keeper.

At the other end leading scorer Marc Lloyd-Williams came close on two occasions as first John Lawler and then Chris King picked up on stray passes to supply the TNS front man.

But with the inform Doherty once again denying Davies it remained 1-0 at the break.

With Town looking a more secure unit following the restart the hosts found it difficult to break down Town's more settled defensive line as Lawless fired over from the edge of the box. At the other end as Town looked to get on equal terms Craig Lima headed narrowly over following a good defensive block by Lloyd and a strong run from Nathan Cotterrall.

With referee Simon Jones issuing eight yellow cards the game remained highly competitive throughout. But with keeper Pennock saving well at the feet of Lloyd-Williams and Price, Lima and Cotteral linking well the game was very much alive as Town enjoyed plenty of possession and the sizable contingent of visiting supporters sensed that a share of the spoils was up for grabs as Town competed well.

But the league's only professional side clinched the second goal they very much needed to make the game safe with 11 minutes remaining.

A long-range clearance from Evans found Lawless out on the left and having chested the ball down his shot found the net taking a deflection off a Town defender. The jubilant celebrations of the hosts highlighted what a tightly contested affair the game had been.

Town will now regroup ahead of next week's Welsh Cup second round tie against Bridgend Town. Manager Mark Jones has no illusions regarding the task:

“We'll be very positive but Bridgend will be a very tough nut to crack and like us they lost their first game yesterday.

“They are well placed in the Welsh League and there will be no 7-2 drubbings this time. We're certainly up for it and looking to get ourselves back on track as soon as possible.”

Total Network Solutions FC Doherty, Holmes, King, Aggrey, Evans, Beck (Hogan 80'), Ruscoe, Lloyd-Williams, Wilde (McKenna 89'), Toner, Lawless (Taylor 90'). Subs not used: Collister, Ablewhite

Carmarthen Town Pennock, Hardy, Lloyd, Giles, Smothers, Jones, Dodds (Price 73'), Kennedy, Lima, Davies (Griffiths 66'), Cotterrall. Sub not used: de Vulgt

Attendance: 243 Referee: S Jones