Reds Welsh Cup Dreams End

BALA TOWN 1 LLANELLI 1

(After extra time).

BALA TOWN WIN 5-4 ON PENALTIES

 

With their championship hopes gone, the Reds season imploded still further as on a glue-pot Maes Tegid surface their grip as Welsh Cup holders was also loosened, with the home side qualifying for the semi-finals after 120 minutes had failed to produce a result, successfully converting five spot kicks in the penalty shoot-out whilst their opponents failed twice.

Ironically, it was Reds player-manager, Andy Legg’s attempt off the crossbar which clinched Bala’s progression, sparking off wild celebrations by the home supporters, and they now join Airbus UK , Cefn Druids and The New Saints in the semis.

It was always going to be a lottery playing on the notorious pitch, which surely must be the worst in the league, and from the outset it began cutting up, and route one was definitely the mode for both sides.

The first chance fell to Rhys Griffiths when a weak fly kick by home keeper Terry McCormick fell invitingly to him, but he curled his attempt wide from 25 yards.

With Bala obviously better suited to the underfoot conditions, it was no surprise they were creating more chances but without finding the telling final pass to unlock the Red defence, their best effort arising when Lee Hunt directed his header just over following a decent build up involving Connall Murtagh, John Irving and Peter Doran.

A well struck shot by Mark Connolly flashed low just past the visitors goal, before Griffiths again might have done better when an Antonio Corbisiero corner fell to him in space, but his effort was again off target.

Somewhat against the run of play, the Reds snatched the lead three minutes from the break when Craig Moses set off on a run down the right flank before squaring a pass into the path of Chris Venables who steered the ball beyond McCormick.

Bala were quickly into their stride in the second period with Connolly narrowly missing the goal from a free kick, but on 52 minutes they levelled matters through Hunt following a Doran corner which was only partially cleared, and the striker lashed a powerful half volley goalwards which beat Ashley Morris via the underside of the bar.

The Reds made a change shortly after, with Craig Williams replacing Moses, and he was soon involved when his free kick was met by Venables but his header lacked power and McCormick made a safe catch.

Bala’s Stuart Jones did well to win a challenge on Griffiths when he threatened to break clear, while Venables fired over the top of the home goal.

Legg made a rare appearance off the bench with ten minutes remaining instead of Lloyd Grist, and immediately put the opposing defence under pressure with a number of his trademark long throws.

With neither side able to conjure up a winning goal the tie went into extra time, and it was the hosts who went closest when Morris did well to grasp safely a fiercely struck near post effort from Doran.

McCormick came off his line to punch clear an Ashley Evans cross which fell to Venables, but the keeper was able to get back into position to block his strike goalwards.

The second period led to Bala creating a couple of gilt-edged chances to settle matters but were denied by some brilliant work from Morris.

The first came as a result of a poor kick out by the Reds keeper which only found Steven Brown, and when he lofted the ball back towards the unguarded goal Morris redeemed himself by somehow getting into position to turn it over the top.

At the other end, McCormack did well to save at the feet of Venables following a header down by Griffiths to Williams who in turn furnished the pass, and Griffiths saw his effort scrambled off the line at the near post following a corner.

Morris then pulled off another superb save to deny Mark Jones by diverting his goal bound effort with an outstretched foot over the goal, but the additional half hour failed to break the deadlock leading to the lottery of a penalty shoot-out

The home side went first, with Hunt and Murtagh successful, while Griffiths and Venables replied for the visitors. Connolly put Bala back in front but Chris Holloway struck the post with his kick, and when Brown made it 4-2, Reds hopes were fading fast. Corbisiero pulled one back but it only needed Mark Jones to find the net to send the home side through. Morris, however, was again the saviour by pulling off another fine stop to keep the tie alive, and when Craig Williams made it 4-4, it came down to a sudden-death scenario. Irwing kept his nerve to nudge Bala ahead, and when Legg’s kick rebounded off the crossbar it signalled the end of Reds cup dreams for another season, leaving them with only the end-of-season play-offs as a possible route into European competition.

MATCH STATS.

BALA TOWN; McCormick; Irving; Edwards; S. Jones; Byron; Murtagh; Connolly; M. Jones ©;

Hunt; Mason (Brown, 80); Doran; Subs. not used; Williams; Darlington; Jeffries; Pullman.

LLANELLI; Morris; Giles; Grist (Legg,80); Jones ©; Surman; Venables; A. Evans; Corbisiero; Holloway; Griffiths; Moses (Williams, 57); Subs. not used; Follows; Batley ; S. Evans.

SCORERS; Bala Town – Hunt, 52.  Llanelli – Venables, 42.

YELLOW CARDS; Bala Town – S. Jones; Murtagh; M. Jones; Doran.  Llanelli – Corbisiero; Holloway; Giles,

LLANELLI STAR MAN; Ashley Evans.

REFEREE; Mr. Mark Petch (Deganwy).