WELSH LEAGUE DIVISION 2

ABERDARE TOWN .... 0 LLANTWIT MAJOR ..1

ABERDARE, missing four regulars, put up a brave display against Championship dark horses Llantwit Major and it was only a penalty goal that separated the teams after a hard fought encounter.

Aberdare gave a starting debut to new signing Luke Davies and who was joined in central defence by Kevin Davies who had to fill the role with the unavailability of Rhys Williams and Levi Jones.

It was little surprise then that the hosts took time to settle and the midfield promptings of Llantwit’s Darren Robinson were causing a few flutters in the Aber rearguard with the best early chance falling to Jonathan Butler found by an exquisite through ball delivered by Nathan Jones but to be denied with an excellent full length save from Aber keeper James Harris.

In the twentieth minute, disaster struck as a poorly weighted back pass to Harris saw him forced into colliding with Josh Jones and referee Hollyoake immediately pointed to the spot.

Up stepped the experienced Welsh League campaigner, Anthony Rawlings to strike home for a deserved lead.

Aberdare battled to get parity and man of the match Rhys Tandy was beginning to influence proceedings with his trademark runs down the right flank giving full back Jamie Miller a torrid time but the visitors held firm with Town’s Myles Case and Seb Haggett showing great urgency and direction and Case was unlucky to see his effort from an angle go narrowly wide after good work had seen him shrug off two defenders as he drove into the left hand edge of the box.

The half ended with a powerful effort from the visitor’s Christian Smith going just wide, a half overall that Llantwit had shaded. Rhys Harries who had shown up well in his first start was replaced by the experienced Shaun Chapple but it was the visitors who applied the early pressure with Harris called in quickly to make a smart