TITLE HOPEFULS PROVE TOO HOT
PONTYPRIDD TOWN .......... 4 LLANELLI TOWN ................. 1
IT was always going to be a tough ask when Llanelli Town travelled to meet opponents vying for the JD Cymru South league title who are just two points behind current leaders Llantwit Major.
But with the score 1-1 at the break, the visitors could feel satisfied with their efforts after more than matching the home side in many aspects of the game.
Once again, the academy provided over half of the Reds’ personnel due to injuries, and the youngsters brought in are not letting the occasion overawe them, and hopefully will be better players in the future for the experience.
The match began in the worst possible manner for the visitors, with the Dragons taking the lead after just four minutes when a far-post delivery by Vaughan Fowler led to Sam Johnson being given far too much space and slotting the ball past Exauce Dimonekene.
But the Reds kept probing and were rewarded with a well-worked goal in the 16th minute when a move involving a number of players and carried on by Thomas Hillman and captain Louis Gerrard culminated in the latter taking the ball in his stride before beating goalkeeper Morgan Davies with a crisp strike.
Both sides then went close to taking the lead, with the Dragons catching out the visitors with a quick freekick which forced Dimonekene to save from Johnson.
When the Reds countered, a teasing high cross by Hillman forced Jordan Knott to hack his attempted clearance over the home goal, and the impressive Hillman was involved again, this time with a cross which Sam Parsons met with a flying header that sailed over the top.
The main worry for the visitors was that they were being caught on the back foot whenever the home side took a quick set-piece, and their goal survived a narrow escape from such a situation with a deflection saving an almost certain score.
As the half drew to a close, the Dragons had strong appeals for a penalty turned down by referee Kris Hames when a player was floored in the area.
When the second half got under way, the Reds might have made more of an opportunity when Ryan Bevan put in a strong run towards goal but instead of shooting he elected to try to find a colleague and the chance was lost.
At the other end, Dimonekene dealt comfortably with an Aiden Lewis effort, before the visitors were forced into a change on 52 minutes with midfielder Owain Phillips-taylor being forced off injured and Callum Saunders coming on in his place.
This disruption seemed to affect the Reds and the game swung dramatically in the favour of the Dragons, and within eight minutes of the enforced substitution they scored twice.
The first was a superb strike by Ian Traylor, who met a ball which had been partially cleared before lashing it home via the underside of the bar on 57 minutes, and the Dragons made it three when Drew Fahiya saw his attempt kept out by Dimonekene, who was then helpless to prevent the home player from turning in the rebound.
The hosts were now well on top, with Lewis striking the outside of the post, while Dimonekene frantically scrambled to retrieve the loose ball following a melee in front of the net.
Llanelli fell even further behind in the 72nd minute when another quickly-taken free-kick allowed Fowler to gain possession before finding the bottom corner.
Dimonekene prevented another certain goal when he kept out a closerange header from Corey Jenkins.
The Reds are without a game this weekend prior to their double-header over the Easter holiday when they face Briton Ferry Llansawel away on Good Friday before the Easter Monday return at Stebonheath.
PONTYPRIDD TOWN: M Davies (Cann 86), Baldock, Fowler, Knott (Morgan 81), Lewis (Jenkins 77), Traylor (Hiscock-greening 77), Fahiya (Beddard 81), Saddler (capt), C Davies, Johnson, Dalton.
LLANELLI TOWN: Dimonekene, D Williams, Finlay (Newman 74), Thomas, Parsons (Davies 74), Hillman, Phillips-taylor (Saunders 52), Bevan (Hughes 86), Griffiths, Gerrard (capt), Barnard. Sub not used: E Williams (GK).
SCORERS: Pontypridd Town — Johnson 4, Traylor 57, Fahiya 60, Fowler 72. Llanelli Town — Gerrard 16.
REFEREE: Kris Hames.