BRITON FERRY LLANSAWEL 1 LLANELLI TOWN 1
(Briton Ferry Llansawel won 4-1 on penalties).
The Reds` interest in the Nathaniel MG Cup was brought to an early end when they were beaten by their opponents after a penalty shoot-out in the second round of the competition
Jordan Davies and Zac Brown both had their efforts kept out by home keeper, Connah McFenton, with only James Loveridge netting, whereas Keiran Williams, Rory Healey, Mark Jones and Declan Evans were all spot on for the hosts.
The visitors had strengthened their squad during the week with the acquisition of four players, but they were ineligible to play as their registrations had not been finalised, and with other members still away on holiday, the starting line-up had a somewhat cobbled-together look about it.
There were two new faces however making a start in the shape of Brown and Jake Parry, and they both acquitted themselves well and appear to be useful acquisitions.
There were two ex-Llanelli players in the home ranks, with Robert Thomas and Mark Jones up against their former teammates, and they were the first to threaten in the opening stages when Evans was put clear down the middle and made inroads into the area before being denied by Scott Coughlan in the Reds` goal.
A lofted pass by Anthony Finselbach then afforded Ross Jones sight of the Ferry goal, but he lifted his finish over the top from 20 yards.
The visitors were guilty of conceding far too many free kicks, allowing their opponents opportunities of directing the ball into the danger area with both Thomas and Williams forcing hurried clearances when these occurred.
The Reds` goal survived a close call when Jones met a Thomas delivery before directing his effort across the face of goal, but nobody was able to take advantage and it ran harmlessly out of play.
At the other end, Jones had another attempt charged down by two defenders, and with both sides virtually cancelling each other out, goalmouth action was limited with neither keeper being seriously tested.
Goalless at the break, Ferry were again the first to threaten when a move up the left led to a ball directed low into the near post which was scrambled over for a corner.
The visitors hit back, with Liam Samuel seeing his shot diverted by Luke Harris for a corner after he had been picked out by a Loveridge assist, before they eventually broke the deadlock on 55 minutes with Loveridge again involved, this time finding Joe Clarke in the middle on the run, and he lashed his finish into the top corner.
Reds` jubilations were short-lived, as within two minutes their opponents were back on level terms through Cameron Harris who forced the ball over the line from point blank range after Coughlan had come out of his goal in an attempt to snuff out the initial threat.
A collision between McFenton and Jones which occurred when the visiting player pursued a ball into the box led to penalty appeals, but referee Daniel Richardson waved play on.
Joe Dyer came on as a replacement for Luke Morgan who had taken a knock, but again the visitors` goal just survived following a quickly taken free kick which culminated in Evans directing his finish narrowly wide of the far post.
Ross Hudson had come on for the hosts in place of namesake, Warren, and almost immediately made an input by finding Harris, whose fiercely struck finish was blocked by Coughlan who then also kept out the rebound
A quick turn by Jones in the Reds` box led to his shot rebounding off the bar following yet another free kick, and the tie ended with the home side on the offensive, with Evans involved in moves which might well have sealed the result.
As it was , the contest had to be decided by the dreaded penalty shoot-out, with the visitors decidedly second-best, gifting their opponents a passage into the third round of the competition.
The Red will be hoping for a better outcome when they begin their Cymru South league campaign on Friday evening at Stebonheath with the visit of Pontypridd Town. Kick off is at 7.30 p.m.
BRITON FERRY LLANSAWEL; McFenton; Baker; W. Hudson (R. Hudson, 69); Healey ©; L. Harris;
Thomas; C. Harris; Williams; Jones; Tomlinson; Evans;
Subs. not used Pugh-Bevan; Lake; Roberts; Yeap; Napriella.
LLANELLI TOWN; Coughlan; Morgan (Dyer, 66); Brown; Finselbach; Parry; Bevan ©; Samuel;
Jones; Clarke; J. Davies; Loveridge; Subs. not used; Thomas; G. Davies; Howard; Rees (GK).
SCORERS;Briton Ferry Llansawel; C. Harris, 57. Llanelli Town; Clarke, 55.
YELLOW CARDS; Llanelli Town; Finselbach; Brown.
REFEREE; Daniel Richardson.
ATTENDANCE; 238.
