HAVING already suffered a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of their opponents on the opening day of the season, Llanelli Town came off even worse in the return at the Rec on Saturday (Apr 30).
In their final game, after a fairly even first half the Reds wilted badly, allowing the home side to assume complete charge in the second period, and in the process easily ensuring their league survival.
Needing a win and for other clubs in the relegation fight to drop points, Ammanford achieved their aim in some style, condemning Risca United to the drop along with Undy and Port Talbot Town.
It was almost an old boys` club reunion, with the home squad containing no fewer than six players who had previously worn the famous red shirt, with Craig Morris, Richard Lewis, Tristan Jenkins and Lee Trundle all starting, while Liam Samuel and Lee Bevan were named on the bench.
An early attack by the hosts forced Exauce Dimonekene in the Reds` goal off his line to head clear when Trundle lofted a ball towards the area, and when Jenkins attempted a shot on target, a deflection took it over the top.
Having survived these opening threats, the visitors almost snatched the lead following a Callum Saunders free kick into the Ammanford box which was met by Louis Gerrard whose header rebounded off the underside of the bar, although Morris might also have got a touch.
Overall, the Reds were managing to keep their opponents at bay although were also guilty of gifting the ball away with some careless passing, and it took a saving tackle close to goal to scramble it clear at the expense of a corner.
Ammanford were still dictating matters, but the opening goal was a soft one on 25 minutes when a Brett Enoch corner was met by Euros Griffiths with no decent challenge from the defenders, allowing him to guide his finish past Dimonekene.
The home side grew even more threatening as the half progressed as they sought to increase the advantage, and it took good block in the box by Dimonekene to deny Jenkins when he was played into a scoring position.
Although outplayed, the Reds did at times put together some decent moves, one of these involving two or three players and culminating in Gerrard being offered a shooting chance from the edge of the box which he fired inches wide of the intended target.
Despite their overall supremacy, the home side only found themselves leading by the solitary goal at the break, although only some last-ditch defending by the visitors had led to this outcome.
The second half proved to be a far different affair with Ammanford at last finishing off their almost constant attacks by notching up a further four successes, with the second arriving just six minutes after the restart when some poor midfield play by the Reds gifted away possession before being seized upon by Owyn Airey, and his superb through ball found Jenkins who made no mistake b slotting his finish past the helpless Reds` keeper.
In an attempt to somehow shore up a contest that was slipping away from their grasp, the visitors made a couple of changes with Owain Phillips-Taylor and Josh Newman replacing Gerrard and Fraser Finlay respectively, but they proved to be ineffective as the hosts assumed complete control of the
contest, and went further ahead on 61 minutes when Trundle notched up his inevitable goal, brushing aside the attentions of a couple of defenders before firing into the net just inside the near post.
Ammanford then also rang the changes with Enoch being replaced by Callum Thomas, while the Reds brought on Chris Thomas for Saunders.
It was now a case of damage limitation for the visitors, but it took another fine save by Dimonekene to prevent matters becoming worse when he kept out a close range header following a corner, but five minutes from time he was beaten again after Dylan Williams failed to cut out a through ball allowing Jenkins to gain possession and notch his brace with a clinical finish.
A rare Reds attack forced Morris to divert over a near post deflection following a run by Miles John, before Ammanford completed the demolition when Ryan Kostromin notched up his debut goal for the club, heading home after Dimonekene had parried a vicious Trundle free kick in stoppage time.
A thoroughly deserved win for the hosts which assured both clubs will be locking horns again when the 2022/23 season gets underway.
Add Comment