Bangor City 1
Carmarthen Town 0
CARMARTHEN continued their largely unproductive Welsh Premier League second-phase programme with another generally disappointing performance at Bangor who snatched victory with a goal midway through the second-half that owed more to a moment of woeful Town defending than inspired attacking play. Yet the Old Gold began quite brightly and with the benefit of a strong following wind they put the City defence under pressure for a lengthy spell but without, initially, looking capable of creating any serious goal threat.
Then with ten minutes on the clock Chris Ham from the right touchline sent a searching cross deep into the goalmouth where Cortez Belle stretched to stab the ball goalwards only to be denied by ‘keeper Connor Roberts with a fine reflex save. Moments later Craig Hanford launched a long free-kick into the penalty area but Belle, rising high amongst several defenders, directed his header over the bar. Then after 23 minutes Liam Thomas chased a long forward pass to the by-line before crossing the ball to the far side of the penalty area where Kyle Bassett cleverly set up a wonderful chance for Belle but, from 15 yards and in clear space, he wastefully volleyed too high. Up to that point the hosts had been confined to just occasional counter attacks but Town’s defence, featuring the central partnership of Hanford and Chris Thomas with Luke Cummings and Jordan Knott on the flanks, were playing with composure and discipline and the only notable scoring effort had been a speculative long-range drive by Sion Edwards that ‘keeper Lee Idzi dealt with comfortably.
But from now on City, having resisted that early pressure, began to enjoy a greater share of possession and look more of a threat going forward. On 28 minutes Lee Healey cut inside from the right touchline and drove the ball towards the goalmouth where Liam Caddick connected with a smart close-range shot that was diverted wide of the post by Chris Thomas’ timely challenge. Then after 35 minutes Healey again raced down the right-wing and slipped past Hanford to reach the edge of the penalty area only for his crisp angled strike to fly over the bar. Too often during the first-half the play was confined to uneventful midfield exchanges with neither side apparently possessing sufficient flair and invention to raise the entertainment level of the match to anything more than minimal – and after 45 minutes 0-0 was an entirely fitting score-line.
Following the interval the Old Gold had an early opportunity when Idzi sent a huge free-kick deep into the penalty area to reach Belle who headed the ball back to Liam Thomas but he saw his promising 20 yard drive blocked in front of goal by a defender. Bangor, now able to take advantage of the strong wind, held the initiative and were gradually building a worrying attacking momentum. Town meanwhile were forced to defend deeper and rely on their only apparent outlet, persisting with their earlier uninspiring ‘routeone’ strategy of pumping long balls upfield towards Belle in the hope that with his height and strength something favourable might happen – it never did.
In fact their best chance, on 58 minutes, began with an astute lofted pass by Sacha Walters which set Bassett free to burst forward from the halfway line in typically robust style but, having outpaced two defenders, as he reached the edge of the penalty area he took one touch too many on the ball and lost possession as Connor Roberts, advancing off his goal-line, dropped down smartly and smothered it. City immediately responded with defender Chris Roberts surging through the centre before releasing a fierce longrange drive that Idzi turned over the bar with a stylish save.
But they soon went ahead when on 65 minutes as Edwards sent an inviting cross into the goalmouth where, despite the presence of three defenders, Callum Morris was allowed the time and space to control the ball and drill it into the corner of the net from 8 yards leaving Idzi well beaten. Spurred by that success Bangor proceeded to control the rest of the game although they managed very few decent scoring chances.
In the 89th minute Healey raced forward to the corner of the penalty area but saw his sharp strike fly just wide of the post – then deep into added time he was involved again playing a fine pass through to Sam Faulkner who was in clear space and from 20 yards he tried to lift the ball over Idzi as he advanced from his goal but Town’s experienced ‘keeper stretched high to claw it away to safety. Carmarthen have now seen the comfortable nine point advantage that they held over Rhyl at the start of the WPL second phase reduced to nil with their rivals now occupying, on goal difference, the vital UEFA qualifying play-off place.
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