REDS PARK HALL HOODOO CONTINUES

THE NEW SAINTS 4 LLANELLI 2

Trailing 4-0 at the break due in the main to some horrendous defending, the Reds appeared to be heading for a heavy and embarrassing defeat, but whatever was said in the confines of the dressing room by manager Andy Legg during the interval seemed to have the desired effect, as a far better second half display led to a Rhys Griffiths brace and brought some respectability to the eventual final score.

 

After a decent early start with a couple of abortive attempts on the home goal, the visitors were given warning of what might be in store when an Ashley Morris clearance only found Alex Darlington, and his attempt from distance sailed over the stranded keeper but landed on the roof of the net.

This was a foretaste of what was to follow, and the home side were ahead after just twelve minutes when Scott Ruscoe made inroads up the left before crossing to the far post where Darlington was completely unmarked to find the net from close range.

Seven minutes later, the hosts doubled the advantage when a clearance out of defence by Steve Evans caught the visitors defence horribly square, allowing Greg Draper to collect and make inroads towards goal, and despite the attentions of the onrushing Morris, he lifted the ball over him into an unguarded net.

The Reds had barely offered any worthwhile threat on the Saints goal, but then it took a great save by keeper Paul Harrison to push around a close range Griffiths header when Craig Williams provided the cross.

This proved to be the only time Harrison was troubled, as the home side dominated proceedings, stroking the ball around with some slick passing, forcing their opponents to chase shadows, and it came as little surprise when they went further ahead with two more goals in the space of eight minutes.

Darlington notched his second on 32 minutes, converting with a neat volley past Morris following the initial spadework by Simon Spender, and five minutes from the interval, more humiliation was heaped on the Reds following a great run through the heart of the defence by Craig Jones which led to his delivery being met by Draper for his second of the afternoon.

Having been comprehensively taught a footballing lesson in the opening forty five minutes, the Reds had it all to do after the restart, but again it was Morris who was first called into action, getting down to safely grasp an attempt by Draper, before the introduction of Chris Llewellyn for Chris Holloway brought an immediate change to their fortunes.

Jason Bowen began the move by winning possession on the touchline before squaring a pass inside into the path of Chris Venables, and although Harrison kept out his shot, the rebound fell for Griffiths whose stooping header found the target after 54 minutes.

The Saints were still looking capable of adding to their tally, with an Aeron Edwards long range attempt dipping just over the bar, but it was the visitors who further reduced the deficit on 66 minutes when a run by Williams led to Griffiths directing his header goalwards which Harrison saved, but the loose ball was then handled by Edwards leading to the award of a penalty which Griffiths stepped up to take and easily find the bottom corner, and restore some pride to the overall performance.

Another effort by the Reds striker went narrowly over the top when Chris Thomas sent a ball into the goalmouth, while at the other end, Morris did well to close down Jones in the area when a goal threat was imminent.

Just before the close, Lloyd Grist came to the Reds rescue, clearing a Mattie Williams shot off the line, but the Reds will have mixed feeling about the eventual outcome, with a far better second half showing they are capable of holding their own with the best, but will quickly want to forget the error-ridden first period.

MATCH STATS

THE NEW SAINTS; Harrison; Spender; Marriott; Baker; Evans; Edwards; Ruscoe (Chris Williams, 61); Jones; Draper (Hogan, 88); Darlington (Mattie Williams, 77); Ward.

LLANELLI; Morris; Thomas; Grist; Jones; Surman; Venables; Corbisiero; Bowen; Holloway (Llewellyn, 54); Griffiths; Williams (Secker, 75);

SCORERS; The New Saints – Darlington, 12, 32. Draper – 19, 40.  Llanelli – Griffiths, 54, 66(P).

YELLOW CARDS ; The New Saints – Edwards.  Llanelli – Thomas.

LLANELLI STAR MAN; Rhys Griffiths.

REFEREE; Mr. Ray Hetherington (Northern Ireland).

ATTENDANCE; 327.