Carmarthen supporters get reasons to be happy

CARMARTHEN TOWN ........ 1 RISCA UNITED ..................... 0

AFTER a disappointing start to the season, the turnaround in Carmarthen Town’s performances has been significant.

Now supporters have genuine reason to believe that even better times are ahead.

That was clearly evident against Risca. Town made a positive start as they swarmed forward in search of an early goal – and they went close to scoring after only three minutes when Matthew Delaney threaded a fine pass to Liam Thomas.

He sprinted along the right flank before driving a dangerous cross into the goalmouth, but Ben Steele just failed to connect.

Then Trystan Jones, from near the left touchline, launched a cross that reached Thomas on the far side of the penalty area, but Town’s prolific scorer fired the ball into the side-netting.

Moments later Delaney embarked on a surging run – almost the length of the pitch – before crossing the ball into the goalmouth, only to see Noah Daley send his shot over the bar.

Town twice made promising breaks in quick succession, only for Daley and Steele to waste both opportunities with shots that Risca keeper Joseph Massaro claimed easily.

Then Cameron Berry raced upfield from halfway before crossing the ball into the area where the luckless Daley fired his volley wide of the target.

Then the Risca defenders failed to deal with Delaney’s corner and the loose ball fell for Surman, who saw his closerange volley fly just over the bar.

Then Thomas sprinted along the right flank and into the corner of the area before striking a fierce drive that Massaro turned aside.

After the interval the Old Gold immediately returned to the attacking football that had exemplified their first-half performance. Berry embarked on a determined sprint from halfway, then saw his drive turned aside by Massaro with an impressive, full-length save.

Bradley Gibbings crossed to the near post where Thomas, under pressure from a defender, saw his glancing shot slide narrowly wide.

However, Carmarthen’s alltime top scorer was not to be denied and in the 77th minute Delaney fired his free-kick into the goalmouth where Thomas arrived with perfect timing to drive the ball into the net.

Risca poured forward in search of a late equaliser but the Old Gold defence remained resolute.