Airbus UK Broughton 0-1 Llanelli (February 9 2010)
Craig Harrison
put out a slightly weakened side in Wolves-style ahead of the vital weekend
game against already-relegated Technogroup Welshpool but the lads put in a
fantastic effort against the big boys of Stebo. Jack Rowlands played out of
his skin at full back, Gareth Sudlow was an almost immaculate rock at the
back alongside Skip, Jack Abraham shone again with
Ashley Williams Carl Owen worked hard up front. They easily matched their professional opponents for
effort and were only marginally behind on skill, undone by one defensive
lapse. On what was always going to be a nervy night, league
top-scorer Rhys Griffiths
gave The 'Bus an early scare by rising high to place a header on target,
saved by Kris Rogers and cleared away. Gio sent a searching free kick past
the post in reply and in response Griffiths was given a through ball on his
own he was about to blast in before
Mark Allen
zipped back for a great block. A couple of minutes later Steve Evans
clattered the hoardings after taking advantage of a loose
Airbus
clearance. Then The Wingmen had a terrific chance to take the lead as
Jiws controlled the ball on the right and rolled a centre across for the
onrushing James McIntosh but instead of keeping his head he blazed over from
good position and with time to hit the target. The home goal had an amazing
escape on the stroke of half time as first Rogers saved Stuart Jones' header
very well then saw the two close-in rebound shots cleared off his line as
the defences creaked but stayed firm to go in level at the break
It was only a respite.
Just three minutes into the
second half and from a
short corner Rogers watched a cross sail across
his goal to hit the post, bounce back and be turned in by the shadowing
stomach of that man Griffiths - unorthodox but effective. They could have
added a second ten minutes later as
Jason Bowen
took the ball off a dithering Suds, his first mistake of the night, to play
to Evans but he screwed wide with just Rogers to beat. A minute later and
it looked odds-on a leveller, Jiws & Carl Owen managing to each miss a
one-sided duel with Ashley Morris, the 'keeper doing brilliantly to hold his
nerve, saving well off both strikers in quick succession.
After that Llanelli shut up shop and allowed Airbus to busy themselves with
trying to claw back the equaliser, The Reds soaking it all up in impressive
style, Wyn Thomas man of the match at the back, fielding almost
everything. There were some sporadic bits of Airbus pressure and on one
occasion an assaulting sea of blue shirts in the area, the ball
choosing not to fall kindly at all and a final shot somehow sliding through
them and out for a goal kick.
Now there's a job in Powys to be done.
Kristian Rogers,
Jack Rowlands (Matty Woodward 75'), Giovanni Feliciello, Gareth
Sudlow, Mark Allen, Jack Abraham, Ashley Williams, James
McIntosh, Carl Owen, Marc
Lloyd-Williams (Garry McConnell 82'), Josh Johnson (Ryan
Edwards 67')
Subs not used: George Cowell, Niall
Challinor
Red Cards: None
Yellow Cards:
McIntosh 21' Abraham 35'
Attendance:
240
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Report by Dave Sargent |
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