WPL ROUND-UP: Matchday 10

Picture Credit: Copyright A Jones.

30/09/2016
Cefn Druids 4-3 Rhyl

The Druids and Lilywhites played out to a classic in a game that saw seven goals fly into the net and a remarkable comeback. It also saw three players score against their former side to rub salt into the wounds of their previous employers.

Aaron Bowen who played for Rhyl just two seasons ago opened the scoring at Park Hall Stadium. Ashley Ruane would then double the lead who were looking for their first win since the 20th August, with that win coming over their tonight’s opponents.

Then former Prestatyn Town and Rhyl striker Michael Pritchard would put Druids into dreamland as they took a three goal lead with just over half an hour gone. Rhyl would score immediately after the third goal went in though through Toby Jones who scored with a header.

The first half would come to a close with the score being 3-1 to Cefn Druids.

Rhyl would come out in the second half looking to reduce the deficit and get back into the game and they had the opportunity to do that when they were awarded a penalty. Porya Ahmadi would take but Druids keeper Michael Jones would guess the right way and put it out for a corner. This would not be the end of the threat on the goal for the home side though as from the resulting corner, Aaron Simpson would make the score 3-2.

Rhyl’s August Player of the month Carl Lamb came on from the bench and it was a telling substitution as he pegged Rhyl back level through a header.

On loan Nomads striker Ashley Ruane would haunt Rhyl and secure all three points for the Ancients after putting himself forward to take the penalty after Blenkinsop was fouled in the area.

01/10/2016                                                                                                                                 Aberyswyth Town 1-5 The New Saints

The New Saints maintained their 100% record after a convincing win over Aberyswyth. This is Aberyswyth’s sixth loss out of seven games now.

It would take the away side twenty two minutes to open the scoring through reliable striker Greg Draper with a powerful shot and just two minutes later he would double his tally, which was all of the action for the first half.

Aeron Edwards would put the game beyond doubt in the 62nd minute, putting the professional run side three goals to the good.  Scottish defender Steven Saunders would score his third goal for the club through a header to make it 4-0.

Aberyswyth would score though as Saunders would give away a penalty, tripping Chris Jones in the box in which Jones would dispatch the penalty to make sure that it wasn’t a shutout.

Greg Draper then scored to make it three for himself and five for TNS, the hat trick handing him the current top goal scorer status of the Welsh Premier League so far this season.

1/10/2016                                                                                                                                                         Airbus UK Broughton 2-3 Llandudno FC 

Llandudno FC heaped more woe on Airbus’ season so far with a 3-1 victory at the Hollingsworth Group stadium.

Goals from Mike Williams, Leo Riley and Lewis Buckley secured an excellent win for Llandudno despite Ryan Edwards and Matty McGinn scoring for the hosts.

Williams got the first goal of the game after just five minutes when he was on hand to send in a second ball from his brother Marc’s initial shot. Airbus then equalised via a stunning strike from Ryan Edwards in what was his third goal in two games.

This level score was short lived, when Leo Riley scrambled in a goal on the rebound to send Llandudno 2-1 up at the interval.

Lewis Buckley scored a goal of the month and indeed goal of the season contender to win the game, when he caught keeper Ryan Neild off his line to send the ball over him and into the net from 45 yards, just inside the centre circle.

Despite a header from McGinn reducing the deficit, Llandudno ran out deserved winners to go fifth in the table whilst Airbus are still trying to get their season in flight in ninth.

2/10/2016                                                                                                                                                   gap Connah’s Quay 1-0 Carmarthen Town AFC  

gap Connah’s Quay retained their unbeaten record this season so far thanks a 1-0 win against Carmarthen Town.

Nick Rushton scored the game’s solitary goal in the 56th minute, before Carmarthen’s captain Lee Surman was shown a straight red card.

The game was evenly contested for most of the 90 minutes, with both sides cancelling each other out in the first half. Liam Thomas broke free in front of goal for Carmarthen, only for John Danby to produce an excellent low save.

Les Davies then had a shot blocked from 20 yards, as both defences performed well in what was a game full of attacking play.

Matty Williams had the home side’s best chance of the half, going one on one with Lee Idzi only for Idzi to make a great sweeping save.

In the second half, play was very similar to the first with Nomads and the Old Gold going on the offence without seriously threatening the goal.

This trend was finally stopped in the 56th minute, when Nick Rushton sent a cross from Nathan Woolfe into the bottom right corner of Idzi’s net with a glancing header.

Carmarthen’s game went from bad to worse when they also had captain Lee Surman sent off for a rash tackle on Les Davies.

Despite a tight final phase of the game, Nomads held out for the win, retaining their position of second and leaving Carmarthen without a win in four.

2/10/16                                                                                                                                                 Bangor City 2-1 Cardiff Metropolitan University

Dan Nardiello’s brace was enough to secure the points against a resilient Cardiff Met side.

Bangor were after a victory to keep the pressure on gap Connah’s Quay in 2nd, whilst Met were looking to continue a fantastic form which had seen them beat Llandudno, Newtown and Aberystwyth.

Nardiello headed the opener minutes before the interval after a great cross from Gary Roberts. Bangor came close to a second on several occasions, but were denied by the excellence of Will Fuller between the sticks.

Met went close to equalising when Charlie Corsby’s strike was brilliantly saved by Connor Roberts. Nardiello completed his brace on the hour mark after turning his defender and slotting into the bottom corner.

Emlyn Lewis gave Met hope after his header looped over Connor Roberts into the net. Despite some brave resilience from the visitors,

The Citizens held on for the win to remain in third, while Met drop down to eighth in the Dafabet Welsh Premier League.

2/10/2016                                                                                                                                                 Bala Town FC 1-0 Newtown AFC 

The Lakesiders earned a much needed win with a 1-0 victory against Newtown in their second game on their new 3G surface.A lone goal from Lee Hunt was enough to secure the result.

Both teams were looking for a win to build on similar starts to the season which had seen them stutter in the mid-to-bottom ends of the league.

The affair was no classic, with little action in the first half bar Ryan Valentine having a volley shot from 7 yards well saved by Newtown keeper Stuart Jones.

Bala Town came out stronger in the second half, which paid off in the 79th minute when Lee Hunt headed in a Kieran Smith cross from 3 yards.

The result sends Bala into the top six for the first time this season, whilst Newtown remain 12th with a lot of work to do in order to turn their season around.