LATE GOALS WIN REDS THE POINTS

 

PRESTATYN TOWN 0 LLANELLI 2

 

A poor first half led to little in the way o clear-cut chances on either side, although the hosts might have done better when the opportunities presented themselves when a Ross Stephens corner was headed down by David Hayes who found Jon Fisher-Cooke, and he in turn teed up Michael Parker, but his close range effort flashed across the face of goal when it could just as easily found the net.

The visitors survived another potential score following a miscued defensive clearance which only found Stephens, and he turned well on the edge of the six yard box but scuffed his shot, allowing Ashley Morris to get down and affect a comfortable save.

Both sides were guilty of employing a long ball approach, although the uneven playing surface also played a large part in this, but overall scoring chances were few and far between with the nearest the Reds coming was when goalkeeper Dave Roberts made a couple of saves at the feet of Craig Moses and Rhys Griffiths.

The home side might have done better again with Stephens finding Neil Gibson in a promising position, but his finish lacked power and Morris was able to make an easy save.

Griffiths and Moses both directed half chances over the top, while Chris Venables glanced his header wide of the far post when he met an Antonio Corbisiero free kick.

The Reds made an early second half change with Craig Williams replacing Chad Bond after 54 minutes, and Williams made an almost immediate impact, supplying a cross for Moses who saw his well struck shot kept out with by Roberts.

This was Moses’s last contribution as he in turn was substituted by Jason Bowen, and with the Reds now looking far more menacing the Prestatyn goal was coming under increasing pressure.

A surging run by Chris Thomas from deep in his own territory culminated in him playing in Venables, and it took a great clearance by Martyn Beattie to turn the goal bound attempt around the post for a corner.

However, from this taken by Williams, the visitors opened their account when Bowen glanced it on to the far post where Venables was on hand to squeeze his header inside the upright on 71 minutes.

Buoyed by this success, the Reds went close again with Roberts being forced to push clear a fierce shot by Williams when he was found wide on the left by Ashley Evans, and the goalkeeper excelled himself further, this time diverting a Corbisiero header which was destined for the top corner over the bar.

Ironically, again this led to the visitors second goal, with Williams supplying the initial cross which this time saw Stuart Jones head it goalwards, and although Gibson was positioned on the line, his clearing header struck Griffiths before nestling in the net, after 81 minutes.

Griffiths had another effort turned around his near post by Roberts when he was found in space by Bowen, and he had a header on target safely held at head height by the keeper from a Corbisiero delivery.

In stoppage time, Venables sent him clear down the middle, and although he lifted his attempt over Roberts, on this occasion it came back off the post, and the final whistle brought the game to a close with the Reds full value for the win, solely on their second half efforts.

MATCH STATS

PRESTATYN TOWN; Roberts; Davies; Beattie; Hayes © (France, 78); O’Neill; Wilson; Parker; Gibson; Fisher-Cooke (Hoult, 75); Stephens; Griffiths (Hughes, 71); Subs. not used; Evans; Cowley; Williams; Hill-Dunt.

LLANELLI ; Morris; Thomas; Grist; Jones ©; Surman; Venables ;Evans; Corbisiero; Moses (Bowen, 63); Griffiths; Bond (Williams, 54); Subs. not used; Holloway; Giles; Llewellyn.

SCORERS; Llanelli – Venables, 71; Griffiths, 81.

YELLOW CARDS; Prestatyn Town – Hayes; Gibson.  Llanelli – Griffiths; Thomas.

LLANELLI STAR MAN; Chris Venables.

REFEREE; Mr. Huw Jones (Llanraeadar-ym-Mochnant).

ATTENDANCE; 321.