NATHANIEL CARS
LLANTWIT MAJOR ...... 8 AFC PORTH ................... 0
ANTHONY Rawlings burst on to the Llantwit Major scene with a fourgoal salvo against outgunned AFC Porth at Jenner Park in Barry, writes Tony Poole.
With Windmill Lane unfit for purpose, owing to the wet state of the pitch, the league granted permission for the match to be switched at the 11th hour to the Jenner Park 3G surface.
And it turned out to be a memorable day for ex-Penybont star Rawlings, who signed for Llantwit Major last month from Port Talbot Town.
It looked as if Rawlings was once more enjoying his football, as he gave the Windmillers an 11thminute lead on the end of a pass from his old Penybont pal Michael Hartley.
Sammy Snaith curled home a free kick in the 25th minute, and the sides changed ends with the score on 2-0.
Rawlings almost scored again on the restart, but it wasn’t until the 63rd minute that the Windmillers stepped on the gas – and winless bottom club AFC Porth began to wilt.
Snaith made it 3-0 just past the hour mark while Llantwit Major fans then celebrated a crisp first senior goal from ex-Bont man Ben Cripps.
The spotlight then zoomed in on Rawlings, who took centre stage with goals in the 70th and 75th minutes that not only completed his hat-trick but also advanced the score on to 6-0.
Connor Goldswor- thy was next on the scoresheet, he netted on 80 minutes, and Rawlings close to time rounded off a red-letter day with his fourth goal.
However, if Llantwit Major are to play in the final season of Welsh League Division One, then they’ll have to knock over more accomplished teams than Division Three bound Porth.
With that in mind, Llantwit have a tough test on Saturday away to promotion rivals Pontypridd Town at the USW Sports Park in Treforest, and at Aberdare Town a week tonight (Wednesday).