Reds hit Treharris for 10!

Overwhelmed from the outset, the visitors were steamrollered into submission by opponents who are growing in stature with every game, and they simply could not cope with the constant stream of attacks with four goals arriving in the opening 24 minutes – including a hat-trick by Liam Samuel who was outstanding throughout.

A further six successes in the second period completed a comprehensive win to add credence, even at this early stage of the season, of a determination to be in the promotion stakes at the end of the current campaign.

Facing a Treharris side who had narrowly escaped relegation last season, the Reds were ruthless, and if all the other numerous chances which came their way had been converted the eventual scoreline would have been even greater. As it was, they were ahead within just 5 minutes following a run by Samuel into the box where his far post cross was prodded home by Ross Jones.

Seven minutes later, Samuel himself was the recipient when a ball by Rhys Powell found Richard Lewis wide on the left and his delivery into the middle was only partially cleared as far as the dimunitive striker, and his shot deflected off a Treharris player leaving keeper Matthew Evans helpless.Matthew Hughes struck the visitors` far post when he despatched an effort towards goal and the loose ball was backheeled by Luke Jones against the same post.

This proved to be just a brief respite, as the home side struck again on 21 minutes following a superb clearance by keeper Craig Richards which picked out Samuel, and he left his marker, Ashley Holingshead ,for dead before firing across Evans into the far corner. With the Reds completely dominating proceedings, they came close to adding to their tally with Declan John smashing a long range effort against an upright following a Lewis corner, but did have better luck when they notched up their fourth goal on 24 minutes with Hughes and Lewis combining before a cross into the area led to Samuel completing his treble by heading beyond Evans.

Treharris had barely crossed the halfway line up to then, but somehow pulled one back in the 31st minute through Liam Davies who took advantage of some inept defending following a run and low cross into the goalmouth by David Shallis to beat Richards from close range.

Stung by this reverse, the Reds were quickly back on the offensive with Evans pushing over a well struck long range shot from Lewis. Comfortably ahead at the break, it took only two minutes of the restart for the hosts to increase the lead with Luke Jones being played through before rounding the keeper to find the vacant net. John then got in on the act, with a delightful lob over the Treharris keeper when he was found in space on the edge of the box on 49 minutes, and when Samuel was put through on goal, Evans managed to keep out his initial attempt and when the ball was delivered back goalwards, Jamie Rees headed off the line.

Bruno Forkuoh was brought on to replace Hughes and almost immediately got a reward but fired wide from point blank range when he met a cross by Mark Napieralla. The visitors were being run ragged, with the wide open spaces of the lush Stebonheath playing surface in stark contrast to their own cramped ground, and it came as little surprise when they conceded again in the 66th minute with Samuel getting his fourth, lofting superbly over Evans when Napieralla set up the chance.

Luke Jones was replaced by Robert Thomas and who should have hit the target when a move involving Samuel and Forkuoh afforded him the chance, but he shot wide, and then repeated the error shortly after, this time lofting over the top when Samuel played him in. On 74 minutes, the Reds struck again when John met a Napieralla cross to drive it low into the bottom corner, and he then turned provider when he set up Forkuoh at the far post to steer the ball past Evans after 83 minutes.Four minutes from time, the rout was completed when Thomas finally got his reward, volleying home from close range from yet another pass by Samuel.

A comprehensive win for the Reds who will take the result into their first round Welsh Cup tie against Cwmbran Celtic next Saturday brimming with confidence. Kick off is at 2 p.m.

LLANELLI TOWN; Richards; Napieralla; Lewis; R. Jones; Powell; Bevan ©; Samuel; Berry (Shannon, 50); L. Jones (Thomas, 68); John; Hughes (Forkuoh, 54); Subs. not used; Stone; Evans.

TREHARRIS ATHLETIC WESTERN; Evans; Tandy (Cushing, 54); Thomas; Clingo; Jago ©; Rees; Shallis (Caffel, 48); Holingshead; Coomber (Corkery, 66); Davies; Sellick;

Sub. not used; Lee.

SCORERS; Llanelli Town – R. Jones, 5; Samuel, 12, 21, 24, 66; L. Jones, 47; John, 49, 74; Forkuoh, 83; Thomas, 86.

Treharris Athletic Western – Davies, 31.

YELLOW CARDS; Llanelli Town – Hughes.

Treharris Athletic Western – Rees.

REFEREE; Ben Kathrens (Pembrey).

ATTENDANCE; 152.