Old Gold’s forwards in 5-star show

CARMARTHEN Town progressed to the second round of the League Cup with this comfortable victory over Welsh League division one side Goytre.

Town made a positive start and after 10 minutes went Luke Bowen fired the ball narrowly outside the post and into the side netting.

The Old Gold continued to dictate the game with midfielders Mael Davies and Greg Walters influential.

And they again went close when a delightful flowing move ended with Luke Cummings delivering a fine cross into the goalmouth where Bowen’s powerful close-range header was turned aside by keeper Joseph Massaro.

It seemed unlikely that the visitors’ goal would survive much longer and in the 22nd minute Town went ahead with another incisive move.

Liam Thomas and Bowen combined to set up Walters and his drive took a huge deflection off a defender, but as the ball looped high close to the goal the alert Jordan Vickers headed it firmly into the roof of the net.

Then Massaro had to be alert to keep out Thomas’s rasping shot.

Town went further ahead when Bowen raced along the left flank before sending in a cross which Walters rifled home with a stunning drive.

Shortly afterwards the hosts extended their advantage when Thomas’s clever pass split the opposition defence wide open and set Davies racing into the area.

He cleverly sidestepped a defender, then drilled the ball beyond Massaro’s reach and into the far corner of the goal.

Bowen saw a close-range header sail wide, but he did not have to wait long to get on the scoresheet as he headed a Cummings corner past Massaro and into the roof of the net.

After the interval Carmarthen resumed their domination as Davies cut inside from the left, effortlessly slipped past a defender but saw his drive kept out by Massaro’s full-length save.

A fine pass from Vickers set Jay Woodford racing to the edge of the area, but his shot flew just wide.

Then Bowen fired wide from a good position.

But in the 75th minute Carmarthen did manage to extend their lead when Declan Carroll’s corner into the packed goalmouth found the head of Dave Vincent and he planted his header into the roof of the net.