GIBBINGS GOAL STRETCHES RUN
CARMARTHEN Town extended their impressive unbeaten JD Cymru South run to 10 games as a late goal from second-half substitute Bradley Gibbings earned them a draw with Trefelin.
The Old Gold perhaps should have taken the lead as early as the second minute. Liam Thomas made a strong run along the right flank before sending a fine cross into the penalty area, only for Adam John to send his glancing header over the bar.
The visitors were quick to respond. Jamie Latham’s deep cross from the right reached Damon Thomas and his header was turned away at full stretch by Town keeper Scott James.
The end-to-end pattern of play continued while the pace of the game quickened and it developed into an absorbing affair.
Greg Walters began Carmarthen’s next promising move. Having won possession in midfield, he sent the ball to Thomas who quickly slid it across the edge of the area where Dion Phillips struck a fierce drive that Trefelin goalkeeper Chris Curtis managed to claim.
But on 40 minutes the visitors pierced the Town defence when Jordan Davies sprinted into the area only to be brought down by Trystan Jones’s desperate challenge. Joe Clarke stepped forward and confidently drove the spot-kick beyond James’s reach and into the back of the net.
After the interval Trefelin began brightly and went close to extending their lead in the 54th minute when Damon Thomas struck a 20-yard drive, only for James to produce an impressive flying save to turn the ball around the post.
Yet soon the Old Gold began to enjoy the greater share of possession as they sought to get back on level terms.
On 63 minutes Kieran Howard sent a fine lofted pass over the defence which substitute Gibbings eagerly pursued to the edge of the area. As Curtis came out of his goal the young striker neatly lobbed the ball over the stranded keeper but saw it go narrowly wide of the post.
Moments later Gibbings again outpaced defenders to reach the corner of the area. His angled drive defeated Curtis but struck the foot of the post before rolling across the face of goal and out of play.
Still Town maintained the pressure and John’s stunning volley was turned over the bar in spectacular fashion by substitute goalkeeper Keenan Bailey.
But eventually, in the 79th minute, the Old Gold secured the goal their effort and persistence fully deserved as Gibbings sprinted away from Trefelin defenders to reach the edge of the area before driving the ball beyond Bailey’s reach and into the back of the net.
Town, sensing the possibility of a late winner, swarmed upfield. But the nearest they came to scoring in the closing minutes was in added time when substitute Alexander Thomas took the ball across the edge of the area but struck his volley narrowly too high.
Carmarthen’s next match is at Trefelin on Saturday, December 4 (2pm), while the following match is at Richmond Park against Port Talbot on December 11 (2.30pm).
Both are Cymru South matches.
TEAM: S James; M Delaney; L Rocke; S Tancock; T Jones; K Howard (sub J Rickard 76); G Walters; T Dyson; D Phillips (sub B Gibbings 46); L Thomas; A John (sub A Thomas 88).