TOWN CAUSE A CUP SURPRISE
CARMARTHEN Town produced a stunning performance to see off topflight side Newtown in the JD Welsh Cup.
They played superbly to contain their hosts at Latham Park over 90 minutes, then dispatched five perfect penalties in the shootout to secure their place in round four of the competition and delight their band of travelling fans.
The signs of this possibly ending in an upset for the home side were clear from the outset when within two minutes of kick-off, the Old Gold took the lead with a well-crafted move that opened up the Newtown defence.
From just inside his own half, Greg Walters sent the ball to the left wing where Tom Dyson sprinted forward before firing an impressive crossfield pass that reached Dion Phillips near the corner of the penalty area.
He then drove the ball across the goalmouth, beyond the reach of keeper Dave Jones and into the far side of the goal.
The Robins, stung by that early setback, immediately poured forward and put Town’s defence under pressure.
Yet their back four, well organised by experienced defenders Lee Surman and Scott Hancock, looked sound and secure.
The only scare for the Old Gold in those early stages arose when a David Cotterill corner found Aaron Williams and his close-range header struck the far post before the ball was cleared to safety.
The Robins pressure led to several incidents that stretched the Old Gold defence.
James Rowland struck a fierce long-range drive which defeated keeper Scott James but struck the post, and while the loose ball rolled dangerously along the line, Matthew Delaney was quickest to react and cleared it away.
Then Cotterill struck a 20-yard free-kick that James could only block before Ben Steele cleared.
And a Rowland shot from close range was turned aside by James.
After the interval the Newtown pressure grew as they maintained possession and forced the Old Gold to defend in depth. And in the 66th minute they won a penalty after Williams raced towards goal and was brought down by Walters with a clumsy challenge.
Williams himself comfortably dispatched the penalty to bring the scores level.
Newtown promptly poured forward, sensing the opportunity to take the lead. Williams, from the wide edge of the area, crossed the ball into the goalmouth where Fumpa Mwandwe, in clear space, contrived to send his header over the bar.
Moments later Mwandwe’s low drive defeated James but struck the base of the near post. Remarkably, the ball again rolled along the goalline before it was cleared.
Yet the Robins were vulnerable to a counter-attack and on 89 minutes Steele raced into the area, only to fire his drive too close to Jones, who comfortably blocked the ball.
Straightaway another chance arrived when Noah Daley received the ball on the edge of the area, but his shot was easily claimed by Jones.
So under new regulations, the match went straight into a penalty shootout – and it was the Old Gold’s players who held their nerve.
They took an early advantage when Steele netted and Newtown’s Nick Rushton saw his shot spectacularly saved by James.
Delaney and Cotterill both scored, as did Dyson and Williams, to make the score 3-2.
Thomas and Newtown’s Crag Williams then both found the target, leaving Daley needing to score to win the tie for the visitors.
And that he did, sending Town’s players, the coaching staff and their travelling supporters crazy with excitement and relief.
Carmarthen’s next fixture is at Goytre United this Friday (7.30pm) in JD Cymru South.
TEAM: S James; M Delaney; S Tancock; L Surman; T Jones; G Walters; T Dyson; C Berry (sub N Daley 58); L Thomas; B Steele; D Phillips (sub J Walters 71).