Aberystwyth Uni FC 0 Saints 7
Goalscorers –
Greg Preece (5)
Jack Biggs (1)
Jack Cook (1)
We were 0-3 up within the opening quarter of an hour, another goal in the 33rd minute saw us go in 0-4 at half time.
We added another three goals in the second period.
Man of the match Greg Preece after his five goal haul.
The First Team head to the coast on Saturday for a league fixture against Aberystwyth Uni FC.
Manager Gareth Jenkins will be without Matty Tong(suspended), Rob Snedden(unavailable). Jack Biggs is a major doubt with a hamstring problem and Will Goodwin is ill at present. Jack Evans returns after missing the draw at Presteigne, Brendan Hackett is also back to full fitness.
Saturday
Aber Uni FC v Saints Kick off 2pm
Presteigne St Andrews FC 3 Saints First Team 3
Adi Lawford 1) Jack Biggs (2)
The first team were left frustrated after a 3-3 draw away at Presteigne. We took the lead in the third minute when a cross from Rob Snedden was spilled by the home team keeper and tapped in by Adi Lawford. Five minutes later there were strong appeals for a penalty for a handball by a Presteigne defender but nothing was given. After some poor defending, but decent finishing the home side scored two goals to find themselves ahead. We saw another penalty appeal turned down, hit the bar and had a goal disallowed before Jack Biggs eventually equalized to make it 2-2. Some more bad decision making from the Saint’s back line was capitalized on once more and finished well by Neil Walmsley to put the home side 3-2 ahead at the break.
The Saint’s started the second half much better and leveled the game again through Jack Biggs. We piled on the pressure throughout the half and had a lot of good chances to win it but all credit to Presteigne they battled hard and earned a point.
Reserves 2 St Harmon FC 1
The first team head to Presteigne for a quick turnaround in a league fixture having played at Forest Road on Boxing Day.
Striker Matty Tong starts a three match suspension, Brendan Hackett is a major doubt with a pulled hamstring and Jack Evans is also a doubt after struggling with the flu all week. On the plus side striker Greg Preece returns and manager Gareth Jenkins hopes to include a new signing in the squad.
The reserves are at home to St Harmon looking to turn better performances into wins.
Presteigne St Andrew FC v Saints First Team Kick off 2.30pm
Saints Reserves v St Harmon FC Kick off 2.15pm
The Saints are through to the last 16 of ‘The CWFA Cup’ after a comfortable 3-0 win over visitors Ffostrasol Wanders FC.
Two goal Adi Lawford.
Scorer Matty Tong
Striker Matty Tong opened the scoring with a strike from the edge of the area which he hit on the turn.
Winger Adi Lawford added a second midway through the first half.
Ht 2-0
The second half saw us pile on the pressure and we were awarded a penalty after a foul on Tong. However, top scorer Jack Biggs saw his effort go over the bar.
Lawford wrapped things up late on with a tap in from a Jack Evans cross to put us through to the last sixteen of the competition.
Ft 3-0
Saints first team v Ffostrasol, 2.00 kick off – Central Wales Cup
Knighton Res v Saints Res, 2.30 kick off – League
The first team take on Ffostrasol at home in the Central Wales Cup this weekend. Greg Preece has returned to the squad after 4 weeks out but we will be without Richard Meredith, Steve Goodwin and Jordan Ingram who are all out injured.
Bar and Tea Room will be open.
Match Sponsor is Williams Beales and Co.
The annual Christmas Raffle was held on Boxing Day in the clubhouse. The match sponsor (David Cope) drew the tickets out and the winners were as follows –
1st prize a Smart TV went to Sandy Pryde.
2nd prize Bottle of scotch went to Carl (Tigs) Lewis.
3rd prize a case of lager went to Luke Colcombe.
4th prize a bottle of spirits went to Sara Miles.
5th prize a box of chocolates went to Will Goodwin.
Thank you to everyone who took time out to sell tickets which will help the club in developing the ground. And a big thank you to everyone who bought tickets making the fund raiser a success.
Winner Sandy Pryde
Rhayader Town FC 1 Saints 3
The Saints won 1-3 at Rhayader Town FC in difficult conditions.
Leading 0-1 at the break from a Brendan Hackett goal in the 38th minute.
Ht 0-1
Rhayader equalised with a goal from a corner in the 51st minute. The rest of the half we played well and were awarded a penalty on 56 minutes when Matt James was pulled back in the area. Jack Biggs netted from the spot to put us 1-2 up, that was Biggs 21st goal of the season to date.
Adi Lawford added a third to make it 1-3 on 70 minutes and that’s how the score stayed until the final whistle.
Ft 1-3
Saints 5 Presteigne 2
Goal Scorers –
Matty Tong (2), Jack Biggs, Brendan Hackett and Matt James.
We started quick and were in front within two minutes, Jack Biggs won a header on the half way line which put in striker Matty Tong who let the ball bounce once before volleying in from 22 yards past the diving Presteigne keeper (1-0).
The lead was doubled in the 21st minute when Tong turned in the area and fired a low shot past the visitors keeper. (2-0).
Biggs made it 3-0 on the half our mark scoring from 16 yards out after a good passage of play. Biggs then won a penalty after the referee had warned Presteigne captain Neil Walmsley about shirt pulling at a corner. The Presteigne keeper saved after guessing right, the follow up was scored by Tong but disallowed due to encroachment.
Half time 3-0
The second half became scrappy as the pitch got heavier, we had chances to add more to the tally but we couldn’t find the back of the net in the opening 15 minutes.
Presteigne were awarded a free kick out wide right, it was pinged into the area and a mix up with keeper Tom Bevan and his defence saw the ball go direct into the goal. (3-1)
Presteigne had their best spell of the game at this point and substitute Jamie Blythe hit the bar from a free kick some 25 yards out.
We netted our fourth goal in the 73rd minute when a mistake by the visitors keeper saw Brendan Hackett score from 25 yards out with the custodian way off his line. (4-1). Just two minutes later Jack Evans rounded the keeper after a mazy run but the winger pulled his effort wide.
Matt James scored our fifth and final goal on debut after a season away, the midfielder netted from close range. (5-1).
Presteigne had the last say when a deflected free kick from the edge of the area left Bevan flat footed. (5-2).
Full Time 5-2
A good first half dominant performance but second half we became sloppy and made life hard for ourselves.
Many thanks to match sponsor David Cope who chose Jack Biggs as his man of the match.
Photos from Stu Townsend.
Team –
Tom Bevan, Tom James, Frazer Mcanally, Adam Finn(c), Liam Mcanally(Will Goodwin), Jack Evans(Adi Lawford), Callum Maddy, Jack Biggs, Matt James, Brendan Hackett, Matty Tong( Jack Cook) Jordan Ingram, Gareth Jenkins
Merry Christmas to everyone involved with our club from Hay St Mary’s Committee.
Don’t forget on Boxing Day we host Presteigne FC in a league fixture.
BOXING DAY
Saints v Presteigne FC Kick off 2.30pm
Followed by the Christmas Draw in the clubhouse.
SATURDAY
Rhayader Town FC v Saints Kick off 2.30pm
