The Saints won an end to end derby last night beating Radnor Valley 2-1 with goals from Greg Preece(24) and a penalty from Jack Biggs (49).
Joey Price(65)replied for the visitors with a trademark free.
The match started in damp conditions on a grey and dull evening with the match well-attended by supporters of both clubs. The home team had a great opportunity to open the scoring in the ninth minute but Greg Preece did not meet a low cross from out on the right with the best connection and Fowden saved.
Elliot Morris nearly opened the scoring at the other end of the pitch when he headed wide of the far post from a 15th minute corner.
Preece went on a driving run towards the Radnor Valley penalty area in the 22nd minute but saw his low shot saved by Will Fowden. The former Hereford FC youth team forward found the net two minutes later though after a counter attack saw Matty Tong find Preece, he cut in from the left flank and curled his shot into the far corner of the Goats’goal to hand Hay St Mary’s the initial advantage.(1-0)
The visitors pressed for the equaliser and earned a number of corners and free-kicks around the Hay St Mary’s penalty area. Radnor Valley talisman Joey Price saw his low 25 yard free-kick parried by James Barker in the home goal before the Saints custodian made a smart save from a follow-up effort in the 41st minutes.
Jack Biggs went close with an instinctive long-range effort three minutes later before Jack Evans saw his stoppage time effort deflected wide of the target for a Hay St Mary’s corner.
Ht 1-0
The hosts made the perfect start to the second-half when Goats defender Matthew Venables tripped Tong in the penalty area as the striker was about to shoot on goal. Jack Biggs stepped-up to convert the spot-kick awarded by Steve Bradford. (2-0)
Despite going 2-0 behind for the third match in succession, the New Radnor visitors never gave-up and looked to find a way back into this derby, with Callum Matthews finding a way through on goal but denied by the legs of Barker in the 63rd minute. The Goats halved the deficit just two minutes later when Joey Price found the bottom corner of Barker’s goal with another of his trademark free-kicks from 25 yards.
The visitors were now pushing for an equaliser with Price cutting in from the left flank in the 75th minute but saw his effort deflected wide of goal and saw his near post effort turned behind for a corner by Barker three minutes later. Hay St Mary’s defended resolutely in the closing stages of the match, despite the pressure applied from the Goats’ forward line, to claim the derby spoils under the Forrest Road floodlights.
A very good game to watch for the large crowd which in all honesty could of gone either way but on the night we took our chances and put bodies on the line to stop Radnor scoring. The average age of last nights squad was 20 which is great for the future.
I thought we were good right throughout, besides Joey Price giving me a few more grey hairs with his free kicks (always on target) we defended so well as a team.
A massive thank you to Stuart Townsend for sponsoring the game, Stu chose striker Greg Preece as his man of the match.
Preece defending last night
Team –
James Barker, Harry Hooper, Liam McAnally, Frazer MAnally(c), Liam Pike, Jack Evans, Callum Maddy, Jack Biggs, Darren Horrigan(Adi Lawford), Matty Tong and Greg Preece
Harry Ratcliffe, Gareth Jenkins
