JONES HEADER PUNISHES REDS
A HEADER just after the hour mark proved the difference when Llanelli Town travelled to the heart of the Rhondda Valley for Saturday’s JD Cymru South league fixture.
Conditions were far from ideal with heavy rain and mist swirling around the ground, while the ageing artificial playing surface and cramped surroundings did little to assist the visitors’ cause.
To add to their problems, they were down to the bare bones in terms of players, with Morgan Weaver coming in for the injured Robert Thomas, while academy player Dylan Williams made his senior debut in place of the absent James Loveridge. The bench also had a youthful look.
The contest was by no means a classic, dictated to a large extent by the conditions and the approach of both sides, with route one the favoured option.
The hosts bossed the early stages and had the ball in the net through Sam Jones, but an offside flag ruled it out.
A Cam Strinati free-kick into the Llanelli box was met by Ceri Morgan, but a last-ditch defensive block only conceded a corner.
The visitors were finding it increasingly difficult to mount any concerted attacks, typified when Louis Gerrard made ground but in attempting to play in Callum Bateman over-hit his pass, which ran through to goalkeeper Cameron Clarke.
Nathan Logan then attempted to set up Bateman, but this time he was crowded out by two defenders.
On 35 minutes the hosts were presented with a golden opportunity when Exauce Dimonekene was judged by referee Jordan Haman to have brought down Liam Reed, who had pursued a through ball into the box, and Jones stepped up to take the spot-kick.
Once again, however, the Llanelli keeper, as so often this season, proved his worth, diving to his left to keep out the attempt.
There then came a contentious incident which saw Logan wiped out by Clarke, who had sprinted some 20 to 30 yards off his line to prevent his run up the left, with the referee deciding that a yellow card was sufficient punishment.
Early in the second half the home side had the ball in the net again, this time from a Jake Thomas header, but once more it was ruled out for offside.
As the half progressed, the visitors began to assert themselves more, and when Bateman seized on a high clearance he made ground into the box before firing into the side netting.
Weaver brought off a saving tackle on Reed when he threatened to break through the middle, while at the other end Gavin Jones blazed over the top following good build-up work involving Logan, who laid on the chance.
On 63 minutes the home side finally got the breakthrough when a Strinati corner was directed on to Kyle Jones, whose close-range header gave Dimonekene no chance.
The visitors then made their first change, with Ben Bowler-edwards replacing Williams, and he was in action almost immediately, threading a ball through to Jones whose effort was just off target.
Cambrian retaliated, with Reid lofting his finish over the goal, while Bateman just failed to make contact when Logan drilled a ball across the face of goal.
A Callum Saunders effort launched into the home goalmouth caused all sorts of problems, leading to a scramble in front of the net with the ball seemingly crossing the line, but again an offside flag ruled out the attempt.
Try as they might the Reds could not unlock the home defence, and at the close would probably concede their opponents deserved the three points.
They have a chance to redeem themselves on Friday evening at Stebonheath with the visit of Cwmbran Celtic. Kick-off is at 7.30pm.
CAMBRIAN & CLYDACH: Clarke, Jake Thomas, Owen (Norton 89), Joe Thomas, Wright (capt), Morgan (D Thomas 79), Wilcox (F Jones 74), K Jones, S Jones, Reed, Strinati. Subs not used: Woodford, Webber.
LLANELLI TOWN: Dimonekene, John, Weaver, Parsons, Jones, Saunders, Logan, Bateman, D Williams (Bowler-edwards 66), Gerrard, C Thomas (SD Williams 85). Subs not used: Morgan, James, Rees (GK).
SCORER: Cambrian & Clydach — K Jones 63.
YELLOW CARDS: Cambrian & Clydach — Clarke, Joe Thomas, Reed. Llanelli Town — Jones, Dimonekene, Logan.
REFEREE: Jordan Haman.