CARMARTHEN TOWN held on to their third place in the Cymru South League with what eventually turned out be a comfortable victory over a spirited Pontardawe side which was promoted into this League at the start this season.
Right from the start the Old Gold swarmed upfield and put early pressure on the visitors’ defence with a series of fast penetrative passing movements.
But the first significant scoring opportunity arose on 7 minutes when Tom Dyson robbed a defender of the ball and, from 25 yards, struck a fierce drive that flew beyond the reach of goal-keeper Jac Jones but went narrowly over the bar.
Town continued their attacking of the visitors’ goal with a sequence of crosses and free-kicks until eventually, in the 12th minute, they were rewarded – a cross from the far side of the penalty area reached Noah Daley, leaping high above defenders, and he planted a strong header beyond the goalkeeper’s grasp and into the roof of the net.
Spurred by that success Carmarthen resumed their almost relentless pressure on the visitors’ defence – however, through a combination of sound resistance from Pontardawe and some often disappointing finishing from Town no significant threat to the visitors’ emerged during this spell.
On the contrary, the Old Gold’s failings at that stage eventually allowed Pontardawe to reach deeper upfield, testing the home defence and forcing goal-keeper Nick Jones into action on several occasions.
But then on 20 minutes a swift move by striker Lewis Reed on the edge of the penalty area took him neatly past two defenders before he drove the ball beyond Jones’ reach and into the corner of the net.
Carmarthen reacted immediately to that set-back – a woefully weak clearance by goal-keeper Jac Jones was intercepted by Mathew Delaney who raced forward to the edge of the penalty area and released a stunning drive only to see the ball crash against the bar and bounce away to safety.
Town immediately stepped up the pace and intensity of their game – none more so than Greg Walters. In the 35th minute he won the ball in a tackle in the centre-circle and, audaciously, straightaway launched a huge shot which flew high over the stranded goal-keeper (watching events from the edge of the penalty area) and finished in the back of the otherwise empty net.
Then on 41 minutes Daley raced along the left-flank before crossing the ball into the penalty area where Delaney, in clear space and from 15 yards, sent his shot over the bar.
After the interval the Old Gold went straightaway on the attack and they were rewarded almost immediately.
From the kick-off the ball was sent across to Jordan Vickers who sprinted along the touchline until near the corner-flag when he sent the ball deep into the packed goalmouth where Daley leapt highest at the far post and he planted his close-range header into the back of the net.
Carmarthen, now with a two-goal advantage and largely dominating the outfield play, still went searching for goals.
On 62 minutes Vickers, as so often in the match, used his express pace and movement to avoid defenders and reach the corner of the penalty area before sending a cross to the far side of the goalmouth only to see both Thomas and Daley fail to connect with the ball.
Then in the 67th minute Thomas was the provider when he fired the ball across to Bradley Gibbings who sent his smart angled drive narrowly past the post.
From thereon the match drifted on to a fairly uneventful closure but with the Old Gold claiming three valuable League points.
Carmarthen’s next fixture is away at Llanelli on Friday, November 4, k/o 7.30pm.
Intriguingly, this match presents the Old Gold with the prospect of moving above Llanelli in the Cymru South League table into second place – as if winning at Stebenheath needs extra incentive.
