HIGHADMIT SOUTH WALES ALLIANCE PREMIER DIVISION

LLANGYNWYD RANGERS ...................... 1 MERTHYR SAINTS ....... 2

LLANGYNWYD Rangers plunged into further relegation trouble after suffering a last-gasp loss to promotion-seeking Merthyr Saints, writes Tony Poole.

This means the Llan Siro boys – who lie one place and three points above the drop zone – face a must-win situation at fellow strugglers Llantwit Fardre on Saturday.

Betws, Llantwit Fardre and AFC Butetown now occupy the relegation places while struggling Cardiff Corries lost 2-1 at home to leaders Pontyclun in the Sunday Groundhoppers clash.

The Llan Siro boys mounted more of a goal threat early on with hungry hunter Lloyd Ham, Lewis Kingdon and Jack Thomas all going within a whisker of getting a lead goal.

On the half-hour mark a sliced Ham shot drifted just wide, and it was against the run of play when the Saints marched in front.

In the 40th minute, a stinging 25-metre drive from Corrie Jones thundered into the home net, and it was 1-0 at the changeover.

It remained that way until the 70th minute when Kingdon was a latetackle victim.

But unfortunately, he took the law into his own hands and retaliated, resulting in a red card along with the perpetrator.

That led to Llan chief Mark Jenkins playing musical chairs, and on came Dan Raj Chapman, Scott South and Lewis Jones.

This resulted in Llan pressing for an equaliser, and they were awarded a late penalty for obstruction in the box.

Morgan Thomas sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, and that seemed to be that with both sides seemingly accepting 1-1.

But a speculative 92ndminute cross led to a muddled clearance, and the ball ricocheted into the path of Ian Cleary who knocked in an unbelievable Merthyr winner.

It condemned the Llan Siro boys to a 12th league defeat of the season, and once more they were left to count the cost of spurned goal-scoring chances.