COPP THAT: KYLE IS LLANELLI HERO
AN away win for Llanelli Town, yet it was anything but easy.
If the Reds harboured any thoughts they were in for a relatively comfortable outing on their visit to The Causeway to take on a home side with just one JD Cymru South league success to date, these were quickly dispelled.
Their opponents created far more scoring chances and were only denied by a combination of another outstanding goalkeeping display by Exauce Dimonekene and two superb strikes by captain Kyle Copp to eventually ease the visitors over the line.
Five changes to the Llanelli side who had been knocked out of the JD Welsh Cup at Monmouth Town led to debuts for new signings Callum Bateman and Louis Gerrard, while James Loveridge and Callum Saunders returned.
Nathan Logan was named on the bench after recovering from surgery.
The hosts soon proved they would be no pushovers, with Robert Thomas forced to bring off a timely tackle on Giancarlo Gabbiadini as he was about to unleash his effort after being set up by Dan Tozzer.
When the visitors countered, both Bateman and Sam Parsons saw their attempts on the Undy goal go just wide of the target, before Dimonekene was forced into the first of was to prove his many interventions, blocking Dan Jarman’s strike with his legs at his near post.
He denied the same player shortly after when Jarman found himself in space on the edge of the box.
The Reds went close to opening their account following a Saunders free-kick into the goalmouth which was diverted clear by keeper James Smallcombe into the path of Bateman.
But from point-blank range he could only lift his finish over the crossbar.
Undy were still causing their opponents plenty of problems when in possession, and Parsons did well to get in the way of a James Barnes shot at the expense of a corner.
Dimonekene held on safely to another Jarman attempt, and then did even better by diverting another strike from the home player for a corner when he got free down the middle.
Somewhat fortunate to still be on level terms at the break, the Reds upped their game after the restart and should have gone ahead when Parsons got his legs in a tangle at the far post when Miles John delivered a cross, but the chance went begging.
This proved to be not that crucial as they took the lead on 51 minutes through Copp following a corner by Saunders which was only partially cleared, and the Reds captain met it sweetly from 25 yards to send it past
Smallcombe via a deflection.
Despite this setback, the hosts were still in the contest, with Chris Parry volleying just wide from a defensive clearance.
Jarman continued to pose plenty of problems on the ball, driving one delivery across the face of goal which was not taken advantage of.
The Reds squandered a promising situation when they outnumbered the home defenders 4-2, but the final pass seeking out Loveridge was behind him and the move petered out at the expense of a corner.
The hosts were still looking capable of levelling matters, and did just that in the 72nd minute with Jarman finally rewarded for his earlier efforts, collecting the ball wide on the left before cutting inside and drilling his finish under Dimonekene inside the near post.
With the Reds still unable to create any clear-cut opportunities and barely testing Smallcombe, the initiative was still very much with their opponents, and Jarman was again denied by Dimonekene with another fine stop after Morgan Weaver misjudged a ball which bounced over him to set up the chance.
As so often happens when a side has been outplayed but has somehow clung on, the visitors went ahead again 10 minutes from time when Copp met another Saunders setpiece and struck a superb finish into the back of the Undy net.
The home side continued to push forward in the hope of at least a share of the spoils, and with the contest in its closing stages were only denied by another couple of wonderful saves by Dimonekene – first from Barnes and then Tom Wright – both from close range.
It was thanks to his heroics that the Reds made the journey home with maximum points.
He may have to be on top form again on Friday evening, when second-placed Llantwit Major are the visitors to Stebonheath. Kick-off is at 7.30pm.
UNDY: Smallcombe, Gidney, Smith (Swann 90), Thompson, Parry (capt), Clayton, Wright, Tozer, Gabbiadini (Broadribb 73), Barnes, Jarman; Subs not used: Jellyman, Hudson, Rathbone.
LLANELLI TOWN: Dimonekene, John, Weaver, Williams (Logan 32, Brown 74), R, Thomas, Parsons, Gerrard, Saunders, Copp (capt), Loveridge (Kerr 82), Bateman. Subs not used: Morgan, C. Thomas.
SCORERS: Undy – Jarman 72. Llanelli – Copp 51, 80.
YELLOW CARDS: Undy – Wright, Barnes, Parry. Llanelli – John.
REFEREE: Richard Harrington.