Carmarthen Town 0-1
Airbus UK Broughton (February 27 2010)
For once the luck ran for Airbus, now Chester's premier club. A goal a
minute from time for sub Josh Johnson, charging down a Neil Thomas kick to
tap in, won three valuable points in the battle for control of the cut off
places for next year's Super Twelve.
Not that the win wasn't earned or justified as a well-drilled performance
squeezed a warranted reward out of a tough trip to a side unbeaten in their
last eight games and who weren't going to give in easily.The 'Bus didn't let the Old Gold settle and after twenty minutes had
asserted themselves and looking for the opener, Carmarthen relying on
winning free kicks for their chances and not looking dangerous, although The
Wingmen were persisting in their habit of losing the ball in good position.
As the pressure mounted, Giovanni Feliciello swung over a perfect cross for
James McIntosh with a free header in front of goal, agonisingly unable to
turn it in. A quarter of an hour later Carl Owen found himself with the ball
at his feet with space in the area and bearing down on Thomas' goal, taking
too long to shoot, the keeper saved with a desperate kick away. At half time
it was nil-nil and at least point was in the bag so long as the effort was
maintained.The second half saw Macca soon through but he lacked the pace to throw off
his marker and got robbed for a corner when he should probably have shot
on first sight. As the half wore on it was only Airbus doing anything,
Carmarthen bereft of ideas. Suddenly, however, as it seemed unfathomable how
The Wingmen weren't winning, the home side put on a last ditch burst of
energy and put all their effort into grabbing a winner. Airbus sat back
and weathered the storm, eventually taking the sting out of Town and
turning up their own offensive.
Carmarthen had no more energy and little by little the pressure told. With
ten minutes remaining a Gio free kick lofted far onto Mark Allen's head and
an acrobatic header back across goal looked in from the narrowest of angles,
as the shouts went up, Thomas somehow got himself poised to rise up beyond
his stature to tip the ball over for what should have been an
heroic match-saving save. His day was cruelly ruined, however, with just a
minute left with his reckless clearance. Josh had stormed in on the
off chance of disaster and profited magnificently for his endeavour, not
without causing the 'Bus hearts to murmur, though, as he took half a day to
decide where the goal was, have several looks and finally slot home as
Thomas watched in impatient amazement. 'I just wanted to make sure' he said
afterwards, the most anyone's heard him say all season.There was a mad
moment up the other end as time ran out & Carmarthen drew on empty reserves
to belt the ball around the Airbus area but it was finally hammered over and
the day was won. Josh Johnson has never been so popular, as everybody wanted
to love him. He just smiled.
Airbus UK
Broughton
K Rogers, R Edwards, R Roberts (J Johnson 82'), M
Woodward, M Allen, J Abraham (T Rowlands 60'), A Williams, D Desormeaux, C
Owen (M L Williams 65'), J McIntosh, G Feliciano. |
Report by Dave Sargent |
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