REDS GO GOAL CRAZY!

 

LLANELLI 9 NEWTOWN 2

 

This was the Reds most comprehensive home win since the 11-0 demolition of Oswestry Town some seasons past, but to be fair to their opponents in the early stages they posed a few problems and belied their lowly league status and few would have envisaged the eventual outcome.

Craig Moses and Rhys Griffiths both notched up hat tricks, while the outstanding Chris Venables was unlucky also not to be celebrating this achievement.

The visitors were the first to threaten when a well directed free kick by Jamie Price clipped the bar before sailing over, but somewhat against the run of play it was the home side who edged into the lead following a ball by Ashley Evans from deep in his own half which enabled Moses to outpace Kieran Mills-Evans before slotting it beyond goalkeeper Nick Thomas in the 13th minute.

Encouraged by this success, Chad Bond sent a far post effort over the top when Chris Thomas supplied the delivery, while the visitors keeper did well to deny Moses when he met a rebound from a further Thomas cross.

Griffiths saw his attempt sail over Thomas but come back off the bar, while Moses also suffered the same fate with a header off the post from another Thomas centre.

With the hosts now taking a grip on proceedings, they went further ahead after 23 minutes with Venables taking advantage of a ball by Thomas with a neat finish via the inside of the far post.

Four minutes later, the visitors were back in contention when Ashley Morris conceded a free kick outside the box with a rash challenge on Nick Rushton, allowing Jamie Price to unleash a well struck set piece which flashed across a crowded area before ending up in the net.

Newtown took heart from this, and Morris did well to divert a fierce near post shot from Rushton for a corner when he was found by Kevin Davies, while Robbie Millington directed a close range header over when Rushton set up the chance.

With the half entering its closing stages and the game finely poised, the home side struck twice more before the break with Moses getting his second, sliding the ball through the legs of the goalkeeper when Lee Surman sent him clear after 43 minutes, and in stoppage time, Griffiths found Venables wide on the left and he made inroads into the box before firing low past Thomas.

With a comfortable interval advantage, the Reds soon increased this just two minutes after the restart when Griffiths chased down a ball intended for the goalkeeper to gain possession before finding the target via the underside of the crossbar from the narrowest of angles.

Newtown were far from finished despite the seemingly impossible situation, and reduced the deficit within a minute through Rushton who was allowed far too much leeway on the right before angling a shot across Morris which struck the inside of the far post before nestling in the net.

Stung by this unexpected reverse, the Reds upped their game and dominated the remainder of the encounter, going further ahead on 55 minutes following a poor clearance by Thomas which fell to Antonio Corbisiero, and his ball forward found Griffiths who easily turned it beyond the Newtown keeper.

Evans was replaced by Craig Williams, and with almost his first contribution he supplied a delightful cross into the middle which led to Griffiths powering a header into the net to extend the advantage in the 61st minute.

Two minutes later, Thomas made a complete hash of attempting a clearance when Corbisiero played a ball onto the edge of the area, allowing the onrushing Williams to gain possession before planting the chance into an unguarded net.

Worse was to follow for the visitors, when they were reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Price for a second bookable offence after 71 minutes, although they did go close when Morris was forced into a fine save to push clear a goal bound attempt by Courteney Connor and then did the same to deny Rushton.

Having survived these close calls, the home side went further ahead after 83 minutes following some good build up play which culminated in Williams lofting a cross to the far post which Moses met with a looping header over Thomas into the net.

Bond saw a goal bound effort cleared off the line by Max Penk, and when Venables unleashed a shot on target it rebounded off Griffiths and over the bar.

At the close, the Reds could feel justifiably pleased with their efforts, and if this level of performance can be maintained in the run up to the end of year split, then a place in the top six is easily obtainable.

MATCH STATS

LLANELLI ; Morris; Thomas; Jones ©; Surman (Llewellyn, 66); Grist; Venables; Evans (Wiliams, 60); Corbisiero (Holloway 68); Griffiths; Bond; Moses;  Subs not used; Bowen; Davies; Orme.

SCORERS; Llanelli – Moses, 13; 43; 83. Venables, 23; 45 +1. Griffiths, 47; 55; 61. Williams, 63.

NEWTOWN; Price, 27. Rushton,48.

YELLOW CARDS; Llanelli – Morris; Evans.  Newtown – Price; Penk.

RED CARD; Newtown – Price.

LLANELLI STAR MAN; Chris Venables

REFEREE; Mr. Kevin Parry (Llanfair PG).

ATTEDANCE ; 139.