LATE LEVELLER A BLOW TO REDS
LLANELLI TOWN ................. 2 CAERNARFON TOWN ......... 2
LLANELLI Town continued their improved form with a creditable draw at home with Caernarfon Town.
There was a nice touch prior to kick-off when both teams lined up to applaud Reds defender Chris Thomas on to the field for his 400th Welsh Premier League start. It was an accolade richly deserved as he has been a club stalwart for many seasons.
Regarding the game itself, a point apiece was probably a fair reflection of the overall play, although when the hosts edged ahead with only eight minutes remaining it seemed as if a welcome three points would be secured.
But the visitors had other ideas and levelled matters before the final whistle.
After some early sparring by both sides, the first real chance fell to the Reds’ James Loveridge following a high ball into the goalmouth that was spilled by goalkeeper Alex Ramsey, and when the striker made a good connection, it came back off the post and into the path of Jordan Davies, but he too saw his effort blocked.
Having survived this close call, the visitors countered through Gareth Evans, whose delivery across the face of goal was eventually met by Cai Jones, but again his attempt was charged down.
The home side almost conceded when some good play involving Nathan Craig and Ryan Williams saw the latter make tracks towards the target, and his shot was scrambled off the line by Daniel Alfei.
A ball floated into the Reds goalmouth led to Kurtis March directing his attempted clearing header against the bar before the threat was snuffed out.
At this stage Caernarfon looked the more likely to take the lead, as although the Reds were enjoying plenty of possession, they lacked a cutting edge.
The visitors again went close when a Craig corner found Jamie Breese, whose header went inches the wrong side of the far post.
The home side did counter with a flowing move involving Jordan Follows, Davies and Loveridge, culminating in Loveridge firing over the top.
The Reds striker then latched on to a quick throw-in by Chris Jones but could only find the side netting with his shot.
Scoreless at the break, the second half proved to be a really explosive affair, with four goals and two dismissals.
The hosts, who had been kept reasonably quiet in the first period, were much more on the front foot after the restart, testing Ramsey on a number of occasions, with Follows forcing him to turn away a well-struck shot at full stretch.
When a slip by Joe Williams gave Loveridge the chance of a run at goal, Ramsey did well to keep out his shot with an outstretched leg.
When Joe Clarke directed a clearance over the top for Follows to collect on 57 minutes, Ramsey sprinted off his line before taking out the Reds player, leaving referee Tom Owen with no option but to produce a red card.
Nick Bould came on as the replacement keeper with Jones being withdrawn, and at this stage the home side probably felt they could go on and secure a win.
They pushed forward, and a farpost header by Follows was just wide when he met a Jones corner, before the visitors struck against the odds and took the lead in the 75th minute.
It stemmed from a free-kick outside the box taken by Craig, who unleashed a powerful strike which Oliver Davies in the home goal parried but could not prevent from ending up in the net.
Stung by this unexpected reverse, the home side drew level just three minutes later when March won possession on the edge of the area and struck his effort goalwards, where it took a deflection off a defender and looped over the despairing Bould.
Within four minutes events took an even better turn for the Reds with the award of a penalty when Loveridge was brought down, and Jones drove the spot-kick past the keeper.
With the finishing line in sight the Reds appeared as if they were going to record their second successive league win, but three minutes from time the North Walians ensured a share of the spoils when some slack defending allowed Breese to meet a ball at the far post and guide it home from point-blank range.
Scott Tancock then became the second player to see red for foul and abusive language directed at the referee, and he will now be hit with a lengthy ban.
Even worse, he will miss the tricky third-round tie in the JD Welsh Cup at Llangefni Town on Saturday, lessening the Reds’ chances of progressing in the competition.