NEATH 1   LLANELLI 1

The Reds were just two minutes from a win which would have compensated for the 4-1 home mauling by their opponents earlier in the season, but a penalty award in the 88^th minute when Ian Hillier went down in the goalmouth was converted by Lee Trundle to earn Neath a share of the points.

Chris Venables had put the visitors ahead on 22 minutes, turning home a Rhys Griffiths header to the far post from close range, and in truth they could well have been out of sight by half time as a number of potential chances were not taken.

An early opportunity fell to Griffiths when he met a ball into the middle by Craig Williams, but a defender got in a block to deflect his shot for a corner.

When the home side countered, both Chad Bond and Chris Jones failed to convert, while a corner from  Ashley Evans was headed narrowly over by Kris O`Leary.

Former Reds keeper, Craig Morris, made a good save to deny Jason Bowen who unleashed a near post shot, and then parried and safely grasped a fierce effort on target by Griffiths who got on the end of a long Wyn Thomas clearance.

The Reds success came via an Antonio Corbisiero free kick which Griffiths headed down for Venables to apply the finish, and Morris was called into action again to keep out another Griffiths effort when some good skills by Williams played him in.

An Adam Orme through ball led to Morris having to come off his line and just beat the oncoming Williams to it, before Chris Thomas brought off a timely tackle on Trundle in the box as he threatened to get clear.

Morris safely held a Williams free kick driven to his near post, and Wyn Tomas fired just over from a free kick outside the box.

The Reds could then well have gone further ahead when a move involving Bowen and Chris Thomas led to the latter squaring a pass to the far post which Williams met, but he spooned it over from a few yards out.

Chris Thomas did well to get in the way of a goal bound shot from Trundle and deflect  it for a corner, and with time running out it appeared as if the Reds were going to inflict the first home defeat on their opponents since October.

But on  88 minutes, referee Mark Whitby, who had infuriated both sides throughout with some of his decisions, adjudged that Hillier had been bundled over when the ball was crossed into the goalmouth, and Trundle stepped up to blast the spot kick past Ashley Morris.

As if this was not enough for the visitors, Griffiths was then sent off in the 90^th minute for a second yellow card, but they will be rueing the lack of finishing which should have ensured maximum points.

To make matters worse for The Reds, Owain Warlow was in trouble with the match officials after the final whistle and was reported for using abusive language and threatening the match referee.

 

MATCH STATS

LLANELLI: Morris; C. Thomas; Corbsiero; Jones ©; W.Thomas; Venables; Bowen (Warlow, 82); Holloway; Orme; Griffiths; Wiliams; Subs. not used; Giles; Legg; Batley.

GOAL CHART:    Neath – Trundle, 88 (P).

Llanelli – Venables, 22.

YELLOW CARDS:  Neath – Trundle; Evans; Thomas.

Llanelli – W. Thomas, Griffiths, Holloway, Warlow.

RED CARD:  Llanelli – Griffiths.

LLANELLI MAN OF THE MATCH: Chris Thomas.

REFEREE:              Mr. Mark Whitby (Swansea).

ATTENDANCE: 547.