THOMAS IS THE HERO AS PATIENT TOWN ARE REWARDED
CARMARTHEN Town continued their gradual climb up the JD Cymru South table with this victory over old rivals Port Talbot Town.
It came courtesy of a performance which very much mirrored that of the pattern of the match between these teams only last month.
Right from the start the Old Gold took the initiative as they monopolised possession and poured forward with a series of attacks which forced the visitors back deep in defence.
However, in the initial stages the hosts failed to create any significant scoring chances.
Indeed, it was not until the 21st minute that they managed a notable shot. Kieran Howard fired a free-kick into the crowded penalty area where Liam Thomas, from 15 yards, struck a smart drive but a defender in front of goal cleared the ball safely away.
The visitors’ response was immediate. They swiftly broke along the right flank where Manny Maloney, from the corner of the area, drove the ball across the goalmouth, evading several players, before Matthew Delaney reacted quickly to head the ball safely away.
Carmarthen soon resumed their earlier sustained pressure on the Port Talbot defence. In the 33rd minute Delaney, on the right wing, sent a fine pass across to Tom Dyson, who straightaway dispatched a stunning 20-yard strike that keeper James Donnelly turned aside with a flying save.
Moments later, Jordan Vickers, who had already tormented opposition defenders with his blistering pace, sprinted along the right flank and drove the ball into the area where Dyson struck an angled volley that flew narrowly past the post.
Then, on 40 minutes, Howard sent an inviting free-kick into the packed goalmouth where Scott Tancock rose high above defenders but saw his header fly marginally too high.
And in the 44th minute Howard was again involved when from the edge of the area he sent a fine pass across to Thomas, who unleashed a drive that flew beyond Donnelly’s reach but went just wide.
After the interval the Old Gold went close to taking an early lead when Howard’s free-kick from just outside the area reached Tancock. He headed the ball across to Thomas but, with defenders nearby, Town’s in-form striker sent his close-range header marginally too high.
While Carmarthen were once more enjoying the greater share of possession, Port Talbot managed occasional bursts upfield, albeit usually being overwhelmed by the home defence. However, on 59 minutes Lewis Robinson sprinted clear from halfway towards the area. But keeper Scott James, alert to the danger, raced from his goal and smothered the striker’s weak shot.
The Old Gold continued to test and stretch the visiting defence and at last made a breakthrough in the 71st minute when substitute Noah Daley was tripped inside the area. Thomas, Town’s all-time top scorer, stepped forward and confidently drove the spot-kick into the back of the net.
Encouraged by that success, Carmarthen poured forward in search of another goal and on 81 minutes it duly arrived.
A delightful slick passing move through midfield finished with Bradley Gibbings taking the ball into the penalty area and from 15 yards he fired it past Donnelly.
But that was not enough for the Old Gold. In the 87th minute Gibbings sent a fine pass through to Thomas and from just inside the area he struck the ball beyond Donnelly’s reach and into the back of the net to complete a second comfortable victory over their long-term South
Wales rivals.
Carmarthen’s impressive recent run has lifted them to seventh in the table ahead of a busy festive schedule.
They host Afan Lido on Saturday ahead of back-to-back games with
Ammanford.
CARMARTHEN: S James, J Vickers, S Tancock, L Surman, T Jones, M Delaney (B Gibbings 63), K Howard (J Rickard 83), G Walters, T Dyson, L Thomas, A John (N Daley 63).