FOUR-STAR REDS SEAL PROGRESS
LLANELLI Town cruised effortlessly into the second round of the JD Welsh Cup at the expense of their Ardal League South East opponents.
Indeed, only some wayward finishing and a superb goalkeeping display by Gareth Wesson in the visiting goal prevented the final scoreline from possibly being doubled.
The home side were missing a number of first-team players, with Jamie Baker, Louis Gerrard and Dylan Williams absent.
Both Taylor Marsh and Nathan Logan started, and the academy duo of Jay Rumbelow and Kyran Steadman were named on the bench. Both showed up well when they were introduced to the action in the latter stages.
The visitors made the early running, with the long throws of Richard Noyes causing the Reds problems whenever they were launched. When one of these was met by Owen Bancroft, his effort deflected off Miles John and went narrowly wide of the goal.
Adam Robbins then emulated Noyes with a throw of his own which found the head of an unmarked Sean Cronin, but he directed it over the top.
A run along the right flank by Keane Watts culminated in a ball driven across the face of goal which nobody could connect with, and the same fate befell Tim Parker when he failed to reach a cross by Eli Phipps.
Numerous chances were being created by the hosts but the final ball was lacking. But they finally got their reward on 22 minutes when Watts won possession before setting up Phipps in space in the box, and he coolly slotted his finish past Wesson into the bottom corner.
Phipps might have notched up his brace when he was found with a searching pass from Logan, but he just failed to control the ball when in a promising position.
Little had been seen of the visitors as an attacking force before Scott Coughlan was eventually called into action to divert a fierce near-post effort by Thomas McLean around the post for a corner.
Despite their dominance, the Reds failed to add to their advantage before the interval. But they were first to threaten after the restart, with Parker seeing his header from an assist by Watts deflect for a corner. That was taken by Ryan Bevan, whose delivery to the far post was met by Cronin, but his header was kept out by Wesson.
Goytre, already struggling to establish a foothold in proceedings, were dealt a further blow on 49 minutes with the dismissal of Mitchell Page, who was shown a straight red card by referee Daniel Richardson who deemed he had led with an elbow while challenging for the ball.
Already well on top, the hosts were in no mood to let up in their efforts and Josef Hopkins might have done better when afforded a clear sight on goal, but his finish lacked venom and Wesson saved easily.
The visitors almost conceded a bizarre own goal when a wayward back pass by Noyes had Wesson scrambling back towards an unguarded net before just managing to hack the ball clear.
However, the Goytre keeper was picking the ball out of his net on 63 minutes when Watts saw his initial effort rebound off the foot of the post before Parker was on hand to force it over the line.
Hardly in the contest until this point, Goytre did go close to reducing the deficit when Coughlan failed to deal with a Jordan Needs corner, and when the loose ball was directed goalwards it took a clearance on the line to prevent a score.
This proved to be just a blip as the tie was virtually sealed in the 67th minute with the award of a Llanelli penalty. Hopkins stepped up to convert from the spot.
The visitors were now visibly flagging, and it took a fine save by Wesson to deny Phipps. And he repeated his heroics again, somehow keeping out three close-range attempts in quick succession.
Seven minutes from time, the award of a second spot-kick gave Cronin the chance to seal matters, and he gave Wesson no chance of saving his effort.
Parker then missed a chance at the far post when Thomas Hillman drove a ball across the six-yard box, but the contest had already been put to bed, with the home side now awaiting their opponents in the next round of the competition.
This Saturday the Reds make the short journey to Swansea University in JD Cymru South (2.30pm), while the draw for the second round of the Tier 2 Cup has rewarded them with a home tie against old rivals Barry Town United.
This will be played on Friday, October 14 (7.30pm).
LLANELLI TOWN: Coughlan; John, Marsh, Cronin, Robbins, Bevan, Watts (Hillman 71), Phipps, Parker, Hopkins (capt, Rumbelow 83), Logan (Steadman 71). Subs not used: Williams (GK), Rees.
GOYTRE: Wesson; Noyes (Hartshorn 61), Jones, Williams, Bancroft (capt), Ryan-Phillips, Needs, McLean (Conteh 50), Page, Sanha (Davies 69), Ham. Subs not used: Powell, Grant.
SCORERS: Llanelli – Phipps 22, Parker 63, Hopkins 67, Cronin 83.
YELLOW CARDS: Llanelli Town – Parker; Goytre – Williams, Hartshorn. RED CARD: Goytre – Page. REFEREE: Daniel Richardson. ATTENDANCE: 122.