Late drama at Y Morfa - WILLIAMS HITS TOP FORM FOR CLASSY TUDNO
MARC WILLIAMS must surely have put himself in contention for the Welsh Premier League Player of the Month award after his fantastic hat-trick in MBi Llandudno’s superb 4-1 victory at Port Talbot Town last weekend.
It was the best performance yet in a Seasiders shirt from the former Wrexham striker, who also stood out in the 1-0 home win over Rhyl three days earlier.
Williams will no doubt be key to Tudno’s hopes of gaining another big result this Saturday when Airbus UK Broughton are the visitors to Maesdu Park (2.30pm).
The Wingmakers are one of four teams tied on 13 points at the WPL summit.
Having already gone to champions The New Saints and drawn, and now thrashed a Port Talbot side which would have hit the summit had they won last Saturday, Alan Morgan’s men need fear no-one.
Morgan was extremely proud with the outcome at the GenQuip Stadium last weekend.
“The lads were different class,” said Morgan.
“We knew what Port Talbot were all about and I couldn’t have asked for more from the players.
“I don’t know how many high balls were pumped into our box, but our defence was fantastic.
“We lost Jonny Spittle after 20 minutes through injury, but Danny Shaw came on as centre-half and did really well.
“We took a bit of stick earlier in the season over our defending of set-pieces, but we’ve addressed that and shown a massive improvement in our last two games.”
With six points from their two latest matches, Llandudno, who were bottom less than a fortnight ago, have now slotted nicely into midtable.
“If we’d got the points we’ve deserved this season we’d be top,” added Morgan.
Llandudno broke the deadlock on nine minutes when Danny Hughes lofted a lovely ball from the right into Lee Thomas on the lefthand side of the box.
The ball then arrived for Williams to slot in a lovely finish.
The visitors looked set to double their lead when a smart throw out by keeper Dave Roberts released Gareth Evans, who raced into the box, but his shot failed to trouble keeper Steve Cann.
Port should have equalised when Roberts could only palm a Cortez Belle header onto the right boot of Jonathan Hood, who volleyed over from close range.
Roberts then did well to divert a misplaced header from his own defender over the bar.
Talbot threatened at the start of the second half, Martin Rose nodding over from six yards, but then Tudno made it 2-0 on the hour.
Lewis Buckley produced great work on the right before finding Danny Taylor, who stabbed past Cann into the bottom corner.
Buckley then set up Hughes, whose shot was glanced in by Williams for 3-0.
Hood replied for Port with a beautiful angled strike, but the travellers made it 4-1 eight minutes from time.
A poor clearance from Cann only found Evans, who slipped the ball inside to Williams and he took on defenders before slotting in brilliantly for his hat-trick.
The win could have been more emphatic with Thomas denied by Cann, substitute Liam Dawson putting one inches wide from an angle and Williams missing a golden opportunity for his fourth when he was in one-on-one with the keeper but missed the target.
BEFORE last Saturday’s Clash of the Titans at Pant Carw both Nant Conwy and Pwllheli were unbeaten – and that remained the case at full-time following a thrilling 17-17 draw.
After an enthralling and hardfought 80 minutes of rugby involving the top two sides in Division One North, it was honours even at the final whistle.
Pwllheli opened the scoring after only three minutes, having been awarded a penalty due to an infringement at the scrum.
The returning from injury Osian Parry Jones slotted between the posts.
Nant responded within 10 minutes, scoring the first try of the match when Delwyn Jones scythed through the defence for a fine score which he also converted to make it 7-3.
Shortly before half time Pwllheli were awarded a penalty with Nant penalised for being offside.
Jones split the posts again, meaning Nant were a point ahead at the interval.
Within minutes of the resumption, a strong drive by the Pwllheli forwards enabled flanker Caron Roberts to score his team’s one and only try of the match.
Delwyn Jones landed a threepointer for the Conwy Valley men, but then Manu Acebo added a penalty for the Lleyn Peninsula travellers to give them a 14-10 lead.
Undeterred and showing great character and team spirit, two minutes later, following an excellent move started by the Nant backs in their own half, Sion Pringle scored the second home try.
Jones improved with the boot to put the home side in front by three points.
Unfortunately for Nant, they were penalised in the dying minutes of the contest for not releasing the ball and a neat angled penalty from Acebo tied the scores.
Pwllheli had a last-gasp chance for victory, but Osian Parry Jones’s kick from halfway drifted wide.
The result means Nant remain at the Division One North peak by a single point from nearest rivals Pwllheli.
This Saturday will see the Conwy Valley outfit aim to maintain their undefeated record this term when they travel to Dolgellau.
Last season saw Nant defeat their next opponents on three occasions.
They won 18-5 at Dolgellau in the league and 20-6 in the Swalec Plate, and 41-7 at Pant Carw in Division One.
Prior to the start of last Saturday’s game, a minute’s silence was held as a mark of respect and in remembrance of Robin Llyr Evans, a former Pwllheli player, who was killed in an industrial accident at the age of 21 while working in China.
Other Nant scores: Nant Conwy 86 Abergele 0 (NWRU 2nds League Eastern Division); Nant Conwy 34 Denbigh 5 (NW Youth League Div One).