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4-0 away at Llangollen

6th February 2010

First time we have played Llangollen and first time at their ground for most of us. A good setup and a warm welcome in a very nice location.Weather was fine and the pitch looked well considering the recent rain.

Starting lineup Pearson, Williams C, Kehoe, Gibbs, Austin, Williams R, Gwynedd, Gowans, Thomas, Evans, Roberts DG subs Craven, Roberts K, Lloyd, Mitchell, Jones G.

From the off we pushed forward at pace and on 3 minutes a deep cross fell to Yws Gwynedd who rifled home to put us one up. This really set the hosts back on their heels and we started to spread the ball wide through the middle and put them under a lot of pressure. We created many chances through Loggs and Gowans interchanging and the returning Darren Thomas  all continually shooting on goal. A flurry of corners came  and as our pressure mounted and they palyed a high dangerous line Robbie released Loggs who sidestepped his man to lay a superb ball out wide right to Darren, he beat his man to the bye line and produced a delicate far post cross that the inrushing Danny Glyn gleefully headed home. The game got scrappy with many niggling fouls and strange decisions against both sides, Robbie had already been booked for an inocuous tackle and then adjudged a second; a relatiation from their No.8 went unnoticed but Robbie's reaction drew a 2nd yellow and a red dismissal to put us down to 10 men just on half time. Suffice to say Shaun and our defence had been rarely troubled but dealt well when needed.

2nd half we adjusted the formation but still in the ascendancy we continued to threaten and with their very high line we often beat the offside trap. Good work down the wide right by Kehoe saw a fine cross from Danny which Loggs met with a guided header over the keeper, 3-0.

Lee Craven and Kev Roberts came on for the excellent two Darrens - Gowans and  Thomas. An odd altercation saw Dixon sent to the stands, as I said some strange decisions throughout. Lee was quickly involved as he charged down a loose back pass the keeper's low clearance went straight to Loggs near the half way line, he took a touch looked up and hit a Beckhamesque goal beyond the keeper from fully 45 yards, goal of the match to put us 4-0 up.

Kev Lloyd came on for Danny Glyn and whilst they did create one or two late chances they came to nothing and the game ran down at 4-0.

A very competent if one sided performance but you can only play the team in front of you; Llangollen have done well to reach this league and started well, hopefully they will start to pick up points again and climb up the table.

Good results elsewhere for us as Flint only salvaged an injury time draw at Denbigh; Buckley also drew as did Penrhyncoch, but Llandudno beat Ruthin 6-2

5-1 home win against Berriew

31st January 2010

A good all round performance saw us win comfortably 5-1 with goals from Lee Craven, Danny Glyn Roberts, Marc Evans, Kevin Lloyd and Darren Gowans.

Brief update on the game.

After a lot of work in the morning to roll,cut and mark the pitch, it played very well if a bit soft in places.

A line up of Pearson, Jones, Kehoe, Gibbs, Austin, Craven, Williams R, Gwynedd, Evans,Roberts DG, Williams C, subs, Mitchell, Roberts K, Lloyd, Higham, Gowans

First half was played very quickly with a lot of football on the ground from us bringing in wide men Craven and Williams. We scored through Lee Craven in 7th minute and for the remainder of the half kept the visitors at full pace and stretch; with a lot of close control from Kehoe through Robbie Williams to Lee and Loggs. 2nd half their fairly young tired visibly and earlygoals from Marc Evans and Danny Glyn really settled the game.

Fresh legs just compounded the pace issues for Berriew, with Rich Higham coming on to anchor the middle and Darren Gowans providing yet more cutting in from the right. Although they got a goal back on came Kevein Lloyd to make it 4-1 followed by a Gowans late 5th.

A very workmanlike and comfortable display that showed once again our strong squad.

Away win in the cup

28th January 2010

The re-arranged NWCFA cup game where we lost home advantage due to earlier postponements, saw us gain a well deserved 3-2 win.

Contrary to popular comments, this is a game that both sides wanted to win, winning is a habit and beating your closest rivals is the icing on the cake.

Lee ‘Fergie' Dixon rang the changes on his squad of 18 players, which proved there is little to choose between them all, different opponents call for different formations.

Rested were mid-field maestro Robbie Williams and captain Grahame Austin with a line-up of:

Pearson, Kehoe, Mitchell, Gibbs, Jones G, Higham, Roberts K, Craven, Gowans, Roberts DG, Lloyd - with subs: Williams C, Evans, Gwynedd.

Flint also put out a very strong side with only a couple missing, notably Halewood and Dawson, who is a right handful to any defence. League top scorer Shaun Beck started, but Llangefni were shorn (no pun intended) of our top striker Darren Thomas who was sidelined with a twisted ankle.

It is easy to see why these teams of contrasting styles are dominating the league this season and the closeness of the game reflected this.

It was a cold, damp night played on a soft, undulating pitch which was never going to be conducive to flowing football, but we are hardly the paragons of pitch preparation are we?

The home side started well with the cross wind against them and as expected they put us under aerial pressure; they are a big, physical and intimidating side, without taking anything from their undoubted footballing abilities.

 We are a less physically dominating outfit, not always comfortable with the high and long ball that the pitch and weather induced. Chances fell inevitably to Beck, which Pearson dealt with well and to Danny Glyn whose robust play did unsettle their defence. Whilst we kept the ball down and wide with Gowans in particular showing well, there was little in it until a couple of set piece corners for Flint on 20 minutes  saw a well taken header by Hodgens put them one up, the height difference paid off. Undaunted we kept to our game plan and good work from Kev Roberts who bossed the middle sent a wide right ball to Lloyd on 35 minutes who turned his man only to be felled in the box; Roberts stepped up to confidently put the spot kick away..

Pearson, who was inspired on the night, pulled off a top draw save from a dipping shot and the half time came at 1-1.

2^nd half with the wind in our faces holding the ball up, we got the ball down and started to pass it around, the outstanding Kev Roberts was heavily involved, but we were still struggling to make their keeper work. With tired legs showing we brought on Gwynedd for Craven and Evans for Lloyd on the hour, this stepped up the pace and Loggs was quickly involved, closing down a defender to nick the ball on the bye line, turn his man only to be hauled down, inexplicably the assistant ref gave a free kick the other way and whilst we were debating a punted ball found their striker who turned Gibbs, slid it inside the advancing keeper for Beck to put them 2-1 up.

From the restart a good ball from Loggs to Danny Glyn wide left saw his chip cum shot over the advancing keeper caught by the wind to go wide. Yws Gwynedd then came on for Danny and we pushed on and dominated the final 20 minutes. It looked like we were going out as the home supporters were quick to inform us, but we pressed to the end forcing several corners and numerous free kicks. On 93 minutes a corner was cleared to Gwynedd lurking outside the box, who hit a superb 25 yard half volley that flew into the net with the keeper a spectator, to tie the game and put us into extra time.

We continued in the same vein of attacking on the floor play with our midfield now in ascendancy, but it was Shaun in goal who pulled off a remarkable finger tip save from Beck to keep us level. The first period came and went and the 2^nd wore on and it did look like the ignominy or the ubiquitous penalty shoot out. Yet again we forced late corners with Gibbs adding his height and forcing a touch round from their keeper, but the resultant corner first cleared then a second taken saw Gibbs rise high to nod home the deserved winner. There was still more and deep into added time an innocuous free kick on 25 yards took a wicked deflection to wrong foot Shaun who acrobatically turned to tip it round the post - two world class saves in one match.

A preliminary cup game worthy of a final, little between the teams, but possibly Flint suffering some fatigue from their weekend game against Llandudno, whilst we were rested. The indications are that this league will go to the wire. Overall the offcials did well in what was always going to be a competitve game; Mr Trigg tried to keep the game moving, played advantages where possible and acted with cautions only when deserved. He got 90% of the big decisions spot on which with only moments to decide is excellent, we are quick to criticise, so it's nice to be able to report the good things too.

Great to see some players who had not played as much recently, confirming the strength of squad and their all-round abilities. A couple of knocks that could see some out on Saturday and some outstanding performances. Kev Roberts played his best game this season 2 hours of unremitting effort, never shirked challenge and won more 50/50's than a player is entitled too. Gowans was formidable, he is a nightmare to defend and his quick feet take him into the danger areas. Mitch back to his best in the middle at the back. The sublime touch of Loggs who makes it look so easy when we know it's not. The sheer pace of Chris Williams and the doggedness of our general play. Yws shot the best I have ever seen from him (though he says the Bangor goal two years ago was better), and of course Shaun's great keeping. Not wishing to miss anyone out, but this was an all round team result.

Elsewhere Mold beat Llandudno 1-0 at their place, which helps us and Holyhead won the so called grudge match with Bethesda comfortably 5-0 with last season favourite here Mel McGuiness getting a deserved hatrick to ease their current woes.