TOWN OFF THE MARK IN STYLE
CARMARTHEN Town deservedly secured their first JD Welsh Premier League win of the season as they produced a fine display at Richmond Park.
The Old Gold’s victory was based on a balanced display of resolute, stubborn defending coupled with rapid and clinical counter-attacking. Not only was this enough to comfortably subdue the Met’s normally sharp attacking play, but on occasions their defence was made to look unusually fragile.
The students did begin the match by enjoying the greater share of possession. However, they were unable to make any serious impression on the Town defence which remained disciplined.
Sam Snaith had the first chance for Met, but his 15-yard volley sailed harmlessly over.
Carmarthen then fashioned a decent opportunity when Luke Cummings surged forward along the right before delivering a cross deep into the penalty area where Greg Walters’ header was gathered safely by keeper Esa Aalto.
Town, usually through the craft and determination of Mael Davies, Walters, Ceri Morgan and Cummings, continued to launch counterattacks. And while several broke down in the face of solid Met defending, eventually the hosts took the lead in the 35th minute through a smart piece of goal-poaching by Liam Thomas.
Jordan Vickers sent a dangerous cross into the area where Town’s alltime top scorer neatly stole the ball off a hesitant defender, then from close range struck an angled volley past Aalto and into the far corner of the net.
Stung by that setback, the visitors were quick to respond and Dan Spencer’s 20-yard effort was kept out by Lee Idzi, who turned the ball against the top of the post before it bounced safely away.
And in the closing moments of the first half Spencer fired an inviting cross towards the far post, but Snaith wastefully planted his header wide of the goal.
After the interval the Met immediately pressed forward in search of an early equaliser, but through a combination of weak finishing and determined Old Gold defending, the home goal was never under serious threat during this spell.
The only notable effort arose when Will Evans released a speculative long-range strike that Idzi, at full length, turned aside.
However the Met’s commitment to scoring left them vulnerable to counter-attacks which Town, primarily through the pace and mobility of strikers Thomas and Luke Bowen, were well equipped to exploit.
And in the 64th minute they fully capitalised on this in clinical fashion.
Thomas sprinted dangerously into the penalty area, then struck a fierce drive that Aalto could only manage to force against the bar. As the ball fell loose Davies was the quickest to react and from close range he gratefully stabbed it into the unguarded net.
The Met once more launched a series of attacks which the Old Gold defence successfully withstood. As a result, only rarely was Idzi seriously tested and on each occasion the experienced keeper confidently resisted any threat to his goal.
While the play in the closing stages was largely confined to Carmarthen’s end of the pitch, they did produce one notable late counter-attack when the ball reached Walters, but his 20yard volley flew narrowly wide.
Carmarthen’s next fixture is on Saturday (2.30pm) when Newtown visit Richmond Park.
TEAM: L Idzi; L Cummings; L Surman; J Knott; S Hanbury (D Vincent 71); J Vickers (sub D Carroll 68); G Walters; C Morgan; M Davies (sub C Hanford 87); L Bowen; L Thomas.