THE season is now nearing its end and for Carmarthen’s loyal band of travelling supporters it probably cannot come soon enough having witnessed this performance against Risca who have remained in the lower reaches of the League for most of the season.
Yet the Old Gold made a sensational start to the match by taking the lead within barely a minute of the kick-off.
Central defender Scott Tancock, from well within his own half, sent a searching cross out to Ben Steele near the left touchline – the speedy striker moved infield then outpaced a defender and reached the corner of the penalty area before dispatching a fierce angled drive that flew beyond the reach of goal-keeper Thomas Chorley and into the far corner of the net.
Stung by that early set-back Risca quickly responded by launching a series of penetrating attacks that forced Town to defend in numbers and in depth – initially they resisted that pressure quite well but gradually United were able to exploit cracks in the visitors’ defence and goal-keeper Scott Coughlin became increasingly busy.
However, the Old Gold were still able to break upfield on occasions and after 23 minutes they went close to extending their lead when Trystan Jones sent a long free-kick into a packed penalty area but saw Steele direct his close-range header just wide of the far post.
But most of the action was at the other end of the pitch and on 27 minutes Leon Thomas went close to equalising when, from the edge of the penalty area, he struck a powerful free-kick that Coughlin, with an excellent flying save, turned around the post.
United continued to stretch the visitors’ defence and after 43 minutes they had a good scoring opportunity when Morgan Stead, out wide on the left-wing, sent a high cross to the far side of the goalmouth only to see Camden Duncan send his close-range volley wastefully too high.
Moments later Carmarthen too were guilty of waste when Thomas sprinted from the half-way line before sending the ball across to Jordan Vickers who went forward to the edge of the penalty area only to fire his drive high over the bar.
After the interval Thomas was again involved with Town’s initial scoring effort. On 47 minutes he raced from the centre-circle before sending a fine pass out to Steele who went forward to the corner of the penalty area and struck a fierce angled shot that Chorley, at full-length, turned around the post.
However United were quick to once again put the Old Gold defence under sustained pressure. In the 58th minute Leon Thomas, from 20 yards, dispatched a powerful free-kick which Coughlin resisted with another impressive save – he then reacted rapidly to deal with a follow-up, close-range drive by claiming the ball at the near post.
Carmarthen’s defending, by this stage, was bordering on desperate and then on 65 minutes, almost inevitably, Risca scored an equalising goal when after a corner-kick Callum Hodges emerged from a packed goalmouth to force the ball into the net.
Town responded positively to that setback – after 69 minutes Liam Thomas, on the half-way line sent a fine pass forward to Steele who raced into the penalty area and struck a fierce angled shot that slid narrowly beyond the far post.
Moments later Tancock, from inside of his half, set Steele sprinting into the penalty area but again the striker’s finish went just wide of the target.
With the Old Gold now pressing forward freely so often, the hosts were able to counter-attack on occasions and after 79 minutes Ryan Wheeler broke clear of the Town defence and from 20 yards he fired a promising shot beyond Coughlin’s reach only for defender Sean Pemberton to make a timely recovery and clear the ball to safety.
After that incident the action was largely contained in the midfield with neither side able to penetrate the opposition defence in any meaningful way. And for Carmarthen supporters, a match that had begun so promisingly had turned into a disappointing, largely unproductive afternoon.
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