Wales On Sunday

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WREXHAM midfielder Sam Wedgbury couldn’t have picked a better time to score his first goal of the season at the Racecourse, his thunderous shot in the seventh of eight added minutes earning the Dragons a share of the spoils against Guiseley.

With Chris Dunn and Christian Dibble both injured, Wrexham’s starting line-up featured their fourth goalkeeper of the current campaign, Northampto­n Town’s Luke Coddington coming in on loan to supplement non-contract Callum Preston, who reverted to the bench following his midweek debut against Hartlepool United.

Coddington, who also enjoyed a loan spell at the Racecourse last season, had to be alert after just six minutes when Kayode Odejayi tried his luck from distance, the shot skidding just wide.

A couple of decent chances went begging for the home side with Scott Boden turning a James Jennings cross inches off target before Marcus Kelly’s vicious free kick flew narrowly past Jonny Maxted’s far post.

Those missed opportunit­ies proved costly for the Dragons when the Lions pounced midway through the half, Lee Molyneux earning a corner with a shot Coddington did well to turn behind. But the visitors were not to be denied and from the subsequent corner, Raul Correia fired home.

Although the goal came against the run of play, it merely served to high- COLWYN Bay got back to winning ways in Northern Premier League Division One North with a 3-1 victory over Clitheroe at Shawbridge.

Astley Mulholland was among the goals again as he struck a brace with Jamie Rainford also on target. Alex Newby netted what proved to be a consolatio­n for Clitheroe.

Anthony Griffiths’ late red card was the only disappoint­ment on an otherwise good day for the Bay.

Clitheroe gifted Colwyn Bay the perfect start as Joe Mitchell brought Will Booth down in the box and Rainford fired the resulting penalty in the top corner for an early lead.

And just minutes later Mulholland finished smartly in the corner to double the Seagulls’ advantage.

The hosts almost their clawed their way back when Keith Willoughby broke through but he light once more Wrexham’s lack of punch going forward – the evidence being a meagre tally of eight goals from 10 previous outings.

The visitors might have doubled their lead two minutes after the break when Jake Lawlor helped on a corner to Correia, who didn’t know much about the ball hitting his head before it looped over the crossbar. blazed his effort well over.

Mitchell almost made up for the penalty as he latched on to Newby’s pass but fizzed a volley wide as the Bay held their twogoal advantage at the break.

Clitheroe started the second half well with Willoughby and Newby both going close. And it wasn’t long until they got the goal their early dominance deserved with Newby heading in.

The Seagulls were struggling to contain the Clitheroe threat and Oliver Crankshaw guided a shot onto the post before Cooper denied Ryan Cattermole as the hosts sensed an equaliser.

But the Seagulls flew forward on the break and Mulholland nodded in his ninth goal of the season to seal the win before the red card.

That was the signal for the Lions to shut up shop, their time-wasting infuriatin­g the home support, and when the Dragons finally conjured up a goal-scoring opportunit­y, Maxted proved equal to it by turning Holroyd’s header over the crossbar.

There was a goal-line clearance too, by Odejayi from Manny Smith, but overall it was another insipid per- THIRTY years to the day when Merthyr Tydfil defeated Italian giants Atalanta in the European Cup Winners Cup, the resurrecte­d Merthyr Town were unable to produce another cup upset despite producing a battling display in Hampshire.

Since the FA Cup 2nd Qual Rd draw paired Merthyr with the high flying and big spending National League outfit it was always going to be a tall order for the Martyrs to return with something to show for their efforts although they did make the best possible start.

Inside two minutes Ian Traylor headed in a Mo Touray cross after the on-loan striker skipped past the challenge of Rory Williams to deliver.

On 13 minutes Merthyr produced a great move involving Cameron Pring, Eliot Richards and Jaye Bowen but when the ball fell to Touray 10 yards out he was unable to hit the target.

The host’s were certainly enjoying a fair share of the game and they broke quickly on 19 minutes to pro- formance from the Dragons despite Wedgbury’s late, late equaliser. WREXHAM (4-4-2): Coddington; Roberts, Smith, Pearson, Jennings; Rutherford, Wedgbury, Carrington, Kelly (Massanka 78); Holroyd (Mackreth 78), Boden (Reid 62). Subs: Preston, Wright. REFEREE: Joe Hull ATTENDANCE: 3,916 vide a shooting chance for George Barker but Oliver Davies made the save.

And, just before the half time break, Bradley Tarbuck fired just wide as Havant applied pressure on the Merthyr box.

Merthyr found themselves on the back foot at the restart and on 52 minutes a quick throw found Alfie Rutherford whose ball in was met by Jason Prior just before Davies and he poked the ball home.

A substituti­on from Havant on 77 minutes proved decisive as James Hayter, on the field just a matter of seconds, rose unmarked to head in a corner just 6 yards out.

Merthyr came on strongly at the death and almost forced an equaliser on 90 minutes when a Richards free kick wasn’cleared and the ball fell to Scott Tancock who could only poke the ball wide from 4 yards.

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