Carmarthen Town 6 Aberystwyth Town 2: Match Report

JD Welsh Premier League
Friday 26th August
Carmarthen Town 6 Aberystwyth Town 2

Aberystwyth Town's topsy turvey 2018/9 season ended on a downer at a wet and windy Richmond Park yesterday, as four Carmarthen goals in nine second half minutes turned a defeat into a hammering. Jordan Knott's 6th minute opener for the hosts was equalised by Paolo Mendes on 29 minutes, and Ceri Morgan re-took the lead for Carmarthen seven minutes after the restart. Liam Thomas's quickfire hat trick (61, 66 and 67 minutes), followed by another strike from Declan Carroll (70 minutes) devastated Aber's evening, and although Jamie McDaid responded on 72 minutes, tonight was a bad night at the office for the Seasiders and no mistake. 

The Seasiders gave youth its chance with Under 19s stars Harry Cottam, Niall Coleridge and Carwyn Morgan all earning first ever starts for the Black and Greens. A lively start saw Liam Thomas going close for Carmarthen before a Steff Edwards cross allowed Coleridge to flash an effort past the post. The hosts then took the lead: Mael Davies surged down the right and brought a decent save from Terry McCormick, but when the ball came back in Knott landed in the right place at the right time to finish with aplomb. Luke Cummings sent a shot over the bar then was denied by McCormick, while Marc Williams’ header from a Coleridge cross was off target. With Carmarthen dominating possession they seemed to be on top but Geoff Kellaway hit the post with a cross as Aber tried to get back into it. Cummings again tried a lob which McCormick picked up, and Thomas contrived to miss from another Davies cross, but then the visitors came back strongly. Coleridge dinked another effort just wide after some trickery from Paolo Mendes,  and then just before the half hour Aber were level when Wes Baynes’ deep cross caused consternation at the back and Mendes pounced to score with a low volley – yet another goal in Carmarthenshire for the powerful midfielder! Carwyn Morgan brought home keeper Lee Idzi into the game with a shot but as the rain eased off so did the goal chances, and having improved after a poor start the Black and Greens went in level at half time at 1-1.

The second half began brightly enough with Baynes crossing for Coleridge, but the effort went wide. Carmarthen got their heads back in front on 52 minutes when the evergreen Craig Hanford’s cross fell nicely for Ceri Morgan to head home at the back post. The visitors then endured a nightmare 15 minutes when it all fell apart at the back. Davies again set up Cummings to fire over, McCormick kept Aber in the game with a fine save low down and then Ceri Morgan slotted wide from a great position. Just past the hour Thomas found space in the box to make it three, and with Aber giving the ball away and Carmarthen showing real energy from midfield in their attacking moves, sub Declan Carroll crossed from the left for Thomas to score again. With the hosts cutting through at will Thomas got his hat trick on 67 minutes, only for Carroll to make it six, smashing home from the right with fully twenty minutes to go. Jamie McDaid did salvage a modicum of respect for Aber, cutting in from the right wing and finishing nicely with his left down into Idzi’s bottom corner, but from now in the game was about damage limitation for Aber, and despite Knott and Carroll’s late salvos the game ended at 6-2, which in truth was a very poor ending to an otherwise respectable season for the Black and Greens.

While this particular result will leave a sour taste in the mouth, the game was somewhat of a dead rubber as the Black and Greens had already secured their eighth place finish with a four game winning streak in March and early April. A points tally of 44 is a definite improvement on the previous season which means that Matthew Bishop and Gavin Allen have a base to develop over the summer to ensure an even better season next time round. Thanks to all our magnificent supporters who have followed the team the lengths and breadths of Wales this season: enjoy the break and we will see you back for pre season in July!