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Loveridge earns win for Reds

Report by Alan Evans

A JAMES Loveridge goal in the 37th minute proved to be the match winner on Wednesday night (Mar 7) as the Reds closed the gap on their visitors and current league leaders to three points with five games in hand.

After the horror show in their last game against Undy Athletic, the home side at last displayed some vestige of the form which has taken them to the upper reaches of the table, although they are still not playing with the fluidity of which they are capable.

Loveridge could well have added a couple more to his eventual winner as he missed a number of gilt-edged chances when clean through, but his finishing was awry.

A worry for the Reds will be injuries sustained by Kurtis March, Antonio Facciuto and captain Joe Clarke, and with a busy schedule coming up as the season draws to its conclusion, it is to be hoped these are not long-term.

Early chances were created at both ends in the opening stages, with the legs of Craig Morris in the home goal denying Kosta Georgievsky when he was found in space inside the box.

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Almost immediately, a long kick by Morris was flicked on by Jordan Davies into the path of Loveridge who made ground to the edge of the area but fired wide with only Penybont keeper Rhys Wilson to beat.

Set pieces to both sides went close without yielding any result, the nearest effort coming from Lee Trundle who forced Wilson to a dive low to his left to keep out his free kick.

Apart from that, there was little in the way of goalmouth action, with both sides guilty of some wayward passing and conceding possession far too easily.

But eventually, it was the Reds who got the breakthrough when Robert Thomas found Trundle who in turn played in Loveridge, and this time he made no mistake with a crisp finish into the bottom corner.

Just before the break, he had another golden opportunity when put clean through, but again shot wide of an open goal.

March, after suffering a knock, was replaced by Chris Jones at the start of the second half, but it was the visitors who were the first to threaten as they chased an equaliser, with Cullen Kinsella heading just wide from a Kane Owen corner.

Marcus Griffiths then fired inches over the home goal when Owain Warlow laid on the chance, before the hosts were forced into a second change when Facciuto was injured, Liam Samuel taking his place.

He was then involved almost immediately when his cross found Trundle, whose goal bound shot was turned around by Wilson.

The visitors` keeper then denied Loveridge with a good block from a Trundle assist, while Penybont went close from an Adam Carpenter free kick which struck the bar before Morris safely smothered the rebound.

A final home substitution saw Jordan Follows come on for Clarke who went down under a challenge, but the Reds maintained their narrow lead to get their title ambitions back on track.

On Saturday, March 10, the Reds are at home once more as they take on Caerau Ely at Stebonheath Park, kick off at 2:30pm.

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