Saints Win Final Home League Fixture

Two more goals for ‘Biggsy’.

The Saints ran out comfortable winners this afternoon against a battling Dolgellau FC.

Goal scorers were Jack Biggs(2), Matty Tong, Liam McNally, Adi Lawford and Greg Preece

On a roasting hot day the Saints took control of the game from the off. Striker Matty Tong opened the scoring in the 14th minute, a Brendan Hackett corner was cleared to the edge of the area where Tong drilled it into the bottom left corner 1-0.

Top scorer Jack Biggs added another to his seasons tally to put us 2-0 up and youngster Liam McNally got on the score sheet again netting the third to see ‘The Saints’ go in at the break 3-0 up.

Ht 3-0

‘Dol’ had a chance early in the second half to pull a goal back which could of changed the outcome of the game but the chance went begging! The Saints got a bit sloppy resting on their laurels with a three goal lead.

Replacement Adi Lawford netted not long after coming on and that was quickly followed by Biggs’ second of the match. 5-0

Striker Greg Preece finished off the scoring with the sixth of the game in our final league home game of the season.

Ft 6-0

Weekend Fixtures

The first team play their last home league fixture of the season tomorrow when they host Dolgellau FC.

The reserves are on their travels hoping to build on last weeks performance, they are away at St Harmon FC

Both games kick off at 2.30pm

The first team match has been kindly sponsored by Jamie Evans.

There is a race night after which has been organised by first team manager Gareth Jenkins.

Reserves Win at Home

The reserve team won 4-2 yesterday against visitors Newcastle Upon Clun FC.

Harry Ratcliffe netted a brace, Darren Horrigan(1) and youngster Jack Cook scored from the penalty spot.

Ft 4-2

First Team Win at Home

The Saints beat a depleted Machynlleth FC side 8-0.

The goals were scored by Jack Biggs(3), Liam McNally, Matty Tong, Greg Preece, Will Goodwin and Harry Hooper.

We started sloppy and could of been a couple of goals down if it wasn’t for keeper Tom Bevan, the one a great save when the Machynlleth number 9 was in on goal.

After a few words from the sidelines we upped the tempo and soon went 1-0 ahead from the impressive Liam McAnally who headed in a rebound.

Top scorer Jack Biggs took centre stage scoring with his head to double our lead (2-0), before netting two more which were both flagged offside. Biggs did score his second just before the break to put us 3-0 ahead, that was also his 30th goal of the season in all competitions.

Ht 3-0

‘Mach’defended well for the next fifteen minutes but were opened up when Callum Maddy slipped a ball through for Matty Tong to run on to, the striker scoring from the edge of the box to make it 4-0.

Biggs finally got his hat-trick scoring from close range for 5-0, a well worked goal saw striker Greg Preece finish well with a first time shot for 6-0.

Captain Will Goodwin started a move out on the left, after several passes it found Tong on the right he crossed the ball in first time to Goodwin who smashed it home from 16 yards for 7-0.

Youngster Harry Hooper showed quick feet to get on a loose ball to finish off the scoring blasting past the busy Mach keeper.

Ft 8-0

To their credit the visitors battled from start to finish with several first teamers missing but ran out of steam in the second period. I thought we over played it early on instead of getting the ball forward quicker, once that was sorted we played well.

A second clean sheet for the defence and a special mention to keeper Tom Bevan who pulled off an incredible save on 70 minutes to deny the visitors a goal. Youngster Liam McAnally had another excellent game but it’s hard not to give the man of the match award to hat-trick man Jack Biggs.

Machynlleth The Visitors

The first team are in league action tomorrow when they host Machynlleth FC.

The visitors have had an up and down season, however, they had a good 5-0 win in the week against ‘Aber Uni’ so will be full of confidence.

The match kicks off at 2.30pm, hopefully the rain will stop so the game can go ahead.

Saints v Machynlleth FC Kick off 2.30pm

First Team Beat Abermule

The fist team beat their bogey side of recent years Abermule FC 3-0 with striker Matty Tong netting a hat-trick.

Matty Tong

Steve Goodwin

Brendan Hackett

Liam McNally and Brendan Hackett

Steve Goodwin

Tom Bevan

Jack Biggs

Brendan Hackett

Jack Evans

Greg Preece

Liam and Frazer McNally

Frazer McNally

Match report by Stuart Townsend

Forest Road: MMP with Norman Lloyd Mid Wales League Second Division

This was my first visit to Forest Road for about a month when I watched the border club’s ladies’ team entertain Ludlow Town in the semi-finals of the Herefordshire FA Women’s Challenge Cup under the floodlights. I had previously watched the men’s first team on a couple of occasions at the end of February, when they visited Four Crosses and recently-crowned champions Montgomery Town, with both matches concluding in defeat for the Saints and effectively ending their own title ambitions. Hay St Mary’s came into this afternoon’s fixture still in second place in the MMP with Norman Lloyd Mid Wales League Second Division table despite having seen their last two fixture postponed due to waterlogged pitches. The Breconshire club’s last outing was some three weeks ago when they enjoyed a 6-2 home victory over Waterloo Rovers to virtually end the Welshpool outfit’s own promotion hopes. Abermule found themselves just below the halfway point in the Second Division table but had lost their previous fixture 4-2 at Borth United a fortnight ago. Although the Montgomeryshire club have become somewhat of a bogey club for Hay St Mary’s over the past 12 months. Mule won the corresponding fixture last season, before enjoying victory in the home league encounter back in September and then recorded a penalty shoot-out victory over the Saints at Forest Road in the E R Jenkins Cup in early November. The hosts knew that victory was imperative this afternoon to maintain their promotion drive as Four Crosses, who were due to visit mid-table Borth United this afternoon, remained hot on their heels with three matches in hand on the Saints.

The home team made the perfect start to the afternoon when Matty Tong latched on to a seventh minute though ball and calmly guided the ball past the Abermule goalkeeper. The visitors had a good opportunity to equalise only three minutes later but volleyed over the crossbar from close range when a deep free-kick was pumped into Tom Bevan’s penalty area. Despite that close call, the Saints doubled their advantage in the 17th minute following by good work by Greg Preece on the byline to find Matty Tong, who feinted a couple of times before finding the corner of the net with a quality finish. Bevan was forced to parry a low shot from the edge of the penalty area seven minutes later before pushing the ball behind for a corner as the Abermule forwards looked to pounce on the loose ball. Tong saw his fierce drive turned behind the near post for a 26th minute corner before Bevan punched a deep Abermule free-kick just a couple of minutes later and was relieved to see the follow-up shot put wide of his goal. Greg Preece saw his low shot from the edge of the penalty area turned behind for a corner bu the visiting custodian on the half-hour mark before Abermule broke down the left five minutes later and saw a shot easily saved by Bevan following a cross into the penalty area. The Montgomeryshire men made a strong start to the second-half and forced Bevan to make a smart savve in the opening minute after breaking quickly from their own half. The Saints extended their lead 13 minutes after the interval, following good work by Brendan Hackett on the left side of the penalty area, as he picked out Tong and the striker duly completed his hat-trick. Jack Biggs had a great opportunity to net a fourth goal on the hour mark when Jack Biggs was played in on goal but was denied by a combination of the Abermule custodian and his defence. The experienced Abermule striker Dave Anthony struck a 25 yard effort at Bevan before the visitors broke clear in the 74th minute but Bevan was alive to an attempted chip. Hay St Mary’s placed further pressure on the visitor’s goal in the closing stages as the Abermule players tired without having an substitutes to bring on to the pitch. Anthony latched on to an 88th minute through ball but fired wide of goal under pressure from the Saints’ defence. Tong nearly scored a fourth in the final minute of the match, following good work by strike partner Preece to find him, but saw the attempted lob drift narrowly wide of the far post.

Sponsors man of the match Matty Tong

Many thanks to loyal supporter Glyn Collins for sponsoning the game.

Weekend Fixtures

The first team play host to bogey side Abermule FC tomorrow in a league fixture.

The reserves are away at Presteigne in the quarter final of the league cup.

Both games kick off at 2.30pm

Match sponsor Glyn Collins

Both Matches Off

Both first team and reserve team games are OFF tomorrow(Saturday) due the bad weather causing waterlogged pitches.

Otway Cup

Game Off

Today’s first team game v Dolgellau FC is OFF due to a waterlogged pitch.