TOWN STRETCH UNBEATEN RUN
CARMARTHEN Town extended their impressive unbeaten run in JD Cymru South to 11 matches with a hardfought victory against Trefelin.
The sequence began more than three months ago with the defeat of Swansea University at Richmond Park.
The opening stages of this match were quite scrappy, with both sides struggling to deal with the strong gusty wind which dictated that the ball was airborne for much of the time. Indeed, it was not until the 15th minute that the first notable scoring effort arose. Jordan Vickers, from near the touchline, fired a freekick deep to the far corner of the penalty area where Lee Surman, surrounded by defenders, saw his volley fly narrowly over the bar.
Both teams continued to enjoy their fair share of possession, but neither was able to create any serious attacking pressure nor penetrate the opposition defence in a meaningful way. Too often that was due to careless misplaced passes.
However, midway through the first half the home side managed to force a series of corners which put the Old Gold defence under pressure. Yet well organised by the experienced Surman and Scott Tancock, that defensive unit, backed up by goalkeeper Scott James, survived.
Only once, after 28 minutes, did the Port Talbot hosts threaten to score when Callum Jones, unmarked and well placed 10 yards from the goal, sent his glancing header into the side-netting.
TREFELIN BGC .................... 0 CARMARTHEN TOWN ........ 2
Town soon began to gain the initiative in midfield where Greg Walters, Kieran Howard and Tom Dyson were always alert to any opportunity to break forward and launch an attack.
And while several raids were resisted by the home defence, Carmarthen’s persistence was eventually rewarded in the 42nd minute.
Defender Trystan Jones raced along the left touchline, then drove the ball low into the crowded goalmouth where Town’s all-time top scorer Liam Thomas was quicker to react than several defenders and from eight yards he clinically volleyed the ball past keeper Chris Curtis and into the net.
After the interval the Old Gold began brightly and straightaway Walters sent a fine pass to Adam John, who sprinted to the edge of the area, but his low drive was claimed by Curtis.
Bradley Gibbings made a strong run along the right and crossed the ball into the area where Dyson’s powerful shot was kept out by an increasingly busy Curtis.
Town’s fast-paced spell continued when Gibbings’s 20-yard drive was turned aside at full stretch by Curtis.
Trefelin, having withstood that onslaught, began to respond and for a spell it was the Old Gold defence that was under pressure.
However, as in the first half, Town’s defence coped well with the pressure to the extent that James was never seriously tested.
But any prospect of the hosts drawing level in the closing stages disappeared in the 85th minute. Jones launched a long free-kick that reached the edge of the area where substitute Noah Daley neatly sidestepped a defender and drove the ball past Curtis.
Soon afterwards the referee blew the final whistle and the Old Gold had secured three more valuable points in their quest to climb higher up the table.
CARMARTHEN: S James, J Vickers, S Tancock, L Surman, T Jones, K Howard (sub M Delaney 60), G Walters, T Dyson, B Gibbings (sub N Daley 80), L Thomas, A John.