Llanelli Town 3 Lliswerry 1

The Reds regained pole position in the league table after defeating previous incumbents, Lliswerry, at Stebonheath and are now a point ahead of their latest opponents and Cardiff Corinthians, although the latter have a game in hand. A feisty, and at times, bad-tempered encounter still provided a decent contest between two sides who on this evidence will be challenging for honours at the end of the season, with the home side establishing a two goal interval lead only to concede a sloppy reply by their opponents within a couple of minutes of the restart, causing them some anxious moments for a considerable portion of the second half before a late third goal finally settled the outcome.

The Reds welcomed back Richard Lewis after injury while new signing, Robert Thomas, took his place on the bench, and an early chance was created when a Steve Stone cross found Lee Bevan whose glancing header flew just off target. When the visitors countered, a run by Dan Stoneman down the right culminated in a delivery into the box which seemed to strike the arm of a home defender, but referee Jeff Bailey waved play on. Both sides were getting stuck-in with players ending up in head-to-head confrontations, but the nearest the deadlock came to be broken arose from a Rhys Powell free kick delivered sideways into the path of Lewis who from fully 40 yards despatched a ferocious strike which cannoned against the Lliswerry bar with keeper Ross Davies beaten.

Another chance fell to the hosts when a long ball by Steve Berry found Liam Samuel, and with Davies off his line he directed it goalwards, but Joe Gibson was positioned to affect a clearance. The visitors survived another close call when a Ross Jones cross into the goalmouth eluded Davies and was met by Stone at the far post, but his goal bound effort was hacked off the line by Ricci Morgan. Despite dictating play, the Reds just could not find a breakthrough with Samuel firing over the top when a corner by Lewis was headed across goal by Bevan before falling into the path of the striker.

With half time approaching, it appeared as if the contest would remain scoreless, but two goals in as many minutes for the Reds changed the whole complexion of the game. On 40 minutes, a move up the right flank led to Luke Jones finding Matthew Hughes infield, and he swivelled before rifling a superb finish past Davies into the top corner. Two minutes later he repeated the feat, when a clearance from Lewis led to the Lliswerry keeper, Gibson and Luke Jones converging on the ball, resulting in all three colliding and leaving Gibson pole-axed on the ground, but play was allowed to continue with Hughes collecting the loose ball before finding the vacant net.

After some lengthy treatment, Gibson was forced to leave the field looking decidedly groggy, being replaced by Tony Shier. Two goals to the good at the start of the second period and seemingly well in control, the home side were hit with a real sucker punch within two minutes of the restart when Powell was harried by Joe Howells on the edge of the box and who gained possession before sending his attempt goalwards where it clipped the base of the upright and rolled into the path of Stoneman who scrambled it over the line despite the frantic attempts of keeper Craig Richards.

This unexpected success certainly spurred on the visitors who raised their game considerably, putting the home side under pressure with their goal surviving some scary moments, typified by a ball driven low into the area by Rhys Luckman which could have gone anywhere but deflected fortuitously into the hands of Richards, and the Reds keeper was involved again when he raced out of his area to attempt to snuff out a ball though the middle by Joe Howells which set up Josh Brown for a run on goal, and he made contact with the visitors claiming he had handled, and although referee Bailey awarded a free kick and yellow carded Richards, no further action was taken. The Reds were being penned back for most of the time, although one move involving Luke Jones gave him the opportunity of finding Samuel in space with he chance of a shot on goal, but his final ball was poor and the chance was lost. Lliswerry went close to levelling matters following a sprawling save by Richards from an attempt by Howells, and when the ball ran loose, it was met by Brown whose finish rattled the bar. A melee then occurred on the touchline with players on both sides involved, before the referee finally cautioned Berry and Morgan.

The visitors were still looking by far the more likely to get the vital next goal with Max Fessey driving his delivery across the face of the net but failing to pick out a colleague. Gradually, however, the Reds began to assert more authority with Bevan directing a header off target from close range from a Declan John corner, while Luke Jones had his shot charged down when Thomas provided the cross. Thirteen minutes from time, they finally got their reward following a Samuel free kick which initially deflected off the wall and fell to Luke Jones who finished well with a shot on the turn over Davies into the roof of the net.

Just before the close, John missed a great chance of adding a fourth set up by Samuel following a surging run, but with a gaping goal to aim at he somehow contrived to strike a post when it appeared easier to score. A hard earned win for the Reds against opponents who will almost certainly be in contention for honours at the end of the current camapaign.

LLANELLI TOWN ; Richards; Napierella; Lewis; R. Jones; Bevan ©; Powell; Samuel; Berry; L. Jones; Stone (John, 54); Hughes (Thomas, 70); Subs. not used; Shannon; Forkhuo; Scammell (GK).

LLISWERRY; Davies; Luckman (Edwards, 82); Gibson (Shier, 45+1); Buckley; Golledge; Morgan; Johnson; Fessey; Brown; Howells ©; Stoneman;

Subs. not used; Stephens; Cooke.

SCORERS; Llanelli Town – Hughes; 40, 42; L. Jones, 77. Lliswerry – Stoneman, 47.

YELLOW CARDS; Llanelli Town – Richards; Berry; Bevan.

Lliswerry – Brown; Howells; Morgan.

REFEREE; Jeff Bailey (Port Talbot).

ATTENDANCE; 128.