Reds back to winning ways

Prestatyn Town 1 Llanelli 2

Unbeaten at Bastion Gardens since Prestatyn’s entry to the league in season 2008/9, the Reds extended that impressive record with a much needed win – their first since the end of January when they came away from nearby Rhyl following their Welsh Cup success.

 

Second half goals by Rhys Griffiths and Jason Bowen saw them through, the only downside being the dismissal of Lee Surman on the stroke of full time for an incident off the ball involving Darren Hughes which left the home player on the ground. The offence was not seen by match official Richard Harrington, but had his attention drawn to it by his assistant, and after consultation between the two, Mr. Harrington produced the red card.

A strong wind and uneven playing surface made life difficult for both sides, and the Reds were not helped when Martyn Gyles was forced to come off after just six minutes, Lloyd Grist taking his place.

A forgettable first half during which neither goalkeeper was seriously tested was only briefly enlivened when Ross Stephens charged down an attempted clearance by Grist and made inroads towards goal, but the defender redeemed himself by tracking back to force the ball out for a throw.

Craig Williams was causing he home defence problems with his swift runs up the left flank, and from one of these his cross into the middle was met by Griffiths, but a deflection led to a fruitless corner.

Probably the best chance of the half fell to Steve Rogers when he found himself in some space in the Reds area, but he failed to get a clean connection and the danger was eventually cleared.

Chris Venables was standing out in the visitors midfield, setting up Williams for a strike on goal which brought off a saving block by a home defender, while Venables himself went close with a rising shot when Williams turned provider.

An early second half header by Williams drifted just wide after Griffiths found him at the far post, and with the visitors now beginning to exert their authority on proceedings, the Prestatyn goal was coming under increasing threat.

Griffiths glanced a header off target and Stuart Jones directed his effort into the hands of Jon Hill-Dunt in the home goal following a Williams corner, before the Reds deservedly went ahead on 52 minutes.

Williams was again the catalyst, making a strong run down the left before squaring a delivery low into the middle where the predatory Griffiths was on hand to steer it past the keeper from close range.

Bowen came on in place of Craig Moses after 58 minutes, and he was the recipient of the second Reds success in the 79th minute.

Again Williams began the move, lofting a cross into the box which was headed on by Ashley Evans, and Bowen stole in behind the home defence to head past Hill-Dunt.

Stung by these reverses, the home side pushed forward with Rogers directing a header inches wide with Ashley Morris scrambling across his goal after a Stephens free kick.

Venables blasted high over the bar when a loose ball ran into his path, but with time running out it appeared as if the visitors were heading for a comfortable win.

However, when Surman received his marching orders in the 90th minute, the decision also led to the award of a free kick on the edge of the area, and it was driven low by Rogers beyond the wall and past the unsighted Morris in the second minute of stoppage time.

A nervous three more minutes for the visitors ensued, but they hung on to clinch three precious points which hopefully will kick-start the rest of their season.

MATCH STATS.

PRESTATYN TOWN; Hill-Dunt; France; Beattie; Hayes ©; O’Neill; Wilson; Kemp (Owen, 85); Stephens; Rogers; Williams; Fisher-Cooke (D .Hughes, 66); Subs. not used; Roberts; Evans; Murray; G. Hughes.

LLANELLI; Morris; Corbisiero; Giles (Grist, 6); Jones ©; Surman; Venables; A. Evans; Holloway (Follows, 80); Moses (Bowen,58); Griffiths; Williams; Subs. not used; Llewellyn; S. Evans.

SCORERS; Prestatyn Town – Rogers, 90+2.  Llanelli – Griffiths, 52; Bowen, 79.

YELLOW CARDS; Prestatyn Town – O’Neill; Hayes. Llanelli- Venables; Griffiths.

RED CARD; Llanelli – Surman.

LLANELLI STAR MAN; Craig Williams.

REFEREE; Mr. Richard Harrington (Aberdare).

ATTENDANCE; 156.