WELSH CUP – 3RD ROUND

LLANELLI 1 ABERYSTWYTH TOWN 0

A superb Wyn Thomas free kick thirteen minutes into the first period of extra time proved in the end to be enough to secure the Reds place in the next round of the competition where they will face a tricky away trip to Cymru Alliance side Cefn Druids at the end of January.

 

Having already defeated their opponents four days earlier to earn a league cup final place, the home side struggled in the first period to put together any telling moves, offering little in the way of a threat to the visitor’s goal.

 

In fact, Aberystwyth created the better scoring chances, with Ricky Evans playing in Lewis Codling with a chip over the defence, but Ashley Morris did well to block his attempt from ten yards.

 

Chris Holloway did set up a chance for Rhys Griffiths with a ball down the middle, but goalkeeper Steven Cann was alert to the danger and affected a clearance.

 

Both sides were guilty of failing to string together any worthwhile moves, although Codling might have done better when set up by a Luke Sherbon pass, but sent his shot wide of the Reds near post.

 

Morris made a safe catch when Evans lobbed the ball into the goalmouth, but after the restart the Reds finally were far more positive and might have gone ahead on a number of occasions.

 

They had a golden chance on 50 minutes when Jordan Follows was brought down in the box by Adam Pepper after Griffiths played him in with a great ball over the top, but for once Griffiths failed to hit the target with Cann guessing correctly by throwing himself to his right and push the penalty kick around the post.

 

Stuart Jones did get the ball into the net from an Owain Warlow corner, but it was disallowed for  foul on the goalkeeper, and the Aberystwyth goal then survived an amazing escape when Chris Venables drove the ball along the goal line where it struck the inside of the far post before being hacked clear.

 

A counter attack by the visitors led to Craig Williams driving a low ball across the face of the goal, but nobody was able to get a decisive touch.

 

Conall  Murtagh headed a Codling free kick just over the bar, and attempts by Sherbon and Codling were not far off target from distance.

 

With neither side able to break the deadlock, the tie went into thirty minutes extra time, and in the 13^th minute of this the Reds finally eased themselves in front.

 

It stemmed from a free kick awarded for a foul on Griffiths just outside the area, and Wyn Thomas who had seen two earlier attempts cleared by the defensive wall, this time made no mistake, smashing a fierce shot beyond Cann which gave him no chance.

 

Craig Moses, who had come on in place of Follows, had a great chance of settling Reds nerves when   Venables put him clear with only Cann to beat, but his shot went into the body of the keeper from close range.

 

With time running out, Aberystwyth had to throw caution to the winds to attempt at least a penalty shoot out, leaving themselves vulnerable at the back and Moses saw his goal bound shot deflected over by James McCarten, while Cann did well to keep out a Warlow near post attempt.

 

With seconds remaining, the Reds were reduced to ten men when Warlow was shown a second yellow card, but by then the tie had been made safe and they now face a trip to North Wales next year.

 

MATCH STATS.

LLANELLI;  Morris; C. Thomas; Gyles; S.Jones ©; W. Thomas; Venables; Corbisiiero (Bowen, 56) Holloway; Follows (Moses, 71); Griffiths (Llewellyn, 105); Warlow; Subs. not used; Legg; Richards.

 

GOAL CHART:                    Llanelli – W. Thomas, 103.

YELLOW CARDS:                Llanelli – Gyles; Warlow.

Aberystwyth Town – James; Codling; Morgan; Sherbon; Evans; Hughes;  Powell.

RED CARD:                          Llanelli – Warlow.

 

LLANELLI MAN OF THE MATCH: Wyn Thomas.

 

REFEREE: Mr. Brian James (Pontypridd).

ATTENDANCE:  202