SUPER EURO NIGHT FOR THE REDS!

 

A Jordan Follows double, with a goal in each half, gave Llanelli a fantastic victory over Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi at Parc Y Scarlets in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.

 

The scalp over one of the giants of the old Soviet League, who won the Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup in 1981, is possibly the greatest for the Reds in Europe to date, despite other good wins over Motherwell, Gefle and Ventspils. But, they will still be disappointed that the margin of their win wasn’t greater, such was the number of chances that they created.

Youth team product Follows opened the scoring on eight minutes when he calmly slotted past the goalkeeper from Antonio Corbisiero’s ball over the top of the static Dinamo defence. There were further chances in the opening half with Follows heading narrowly wide and Craig Williams not capitalising on another good opportunity.

The diminutive striker doubled the lead with a beautiful left-foot curler which found the top corner on 51 minutes after Corbisiero had only just shot into the side netting moments earlier. It should have been 3-0 when defender Lee Surman headed over at the far post from a corner, and shortly afterwards that proved even more costly as Dinamo grabbed an away goal when David Odikadze scored a late penalty after Lloyd Grist had committed a clumsy foul on substitute Irakli Lekvtadze.

Winger Williams almost restored Llanelli’s two-goal advantage in the final seconds of added time, but Dinamo ‘keeper Giogi Loria used his 6’6 frame to get his fingertips to a cheeky chip and push the ball wide. The Reds will take a goal advantage to Georgia next week, but they still face a daunting task.

They were without five senior players due to suspension, including top scorer Rhys Griffiths, but he will play next week and midfielders Chris Holloway and Chris Venables will also return.

The scoreline was a great result for Welsh Football, with thirteen of the fourteen Llanelli players used, being from the Principality, including a trio of youngsters who have come through the academy ranks at Stebonheath.

Llanelli manager Andy Legg described his side’s performances as one of the best ever seen by a Welsh Premier side in Europe.

“To beat a club with the stature of Dinamo Tblisi is an outstanding achievement,” said the former Wales defender.

“I’m really chuffed for the lads and it doesn’t really mater what happens in the second leg – they can go out there and hold their head up high and give it their best shot. They’ve got nothing to lose.”