Hay overcame a steady Bronllys side at Forest Road this evening courtesy of a first-half penalty from Kevin Jones. The striker was felled in the box by ex Saint Ben Bevan, and readily picked himself to dispatch the result spot-kick. The majority of the encounter was scrappy, with neither side settling on a bobbly and dry pitch.
Hay had the better, albeit few, chances of a lacklustre first-half. Jones curled a free-kick past the far post, whilst Josh Davies was superbly denied by B. Bevan on the line following a corner. The only goal of the game came towards the end of the half, Jones controlled in the box before he was hauled down by B. Bevan, and the striker sent his spot-kick straight down the middle past Tom Bevan.
Hay warmed in the second-half, but were still unable to start their usual passing game, with the away side coming extremely close to an equaliser. Sub James Smith used his pace to get in behind the back-line before clipping a shot past Mike Ward, but he was denied by the post. At the other end, Brendan Hackett’s mazy run wasn’t matched by his finish, when he shot straight at T. Bevan, whilst John Sly hit the post after cutting in from the right wing. In the final moments, a low cross from the left deceived the Hay defence, and B. Bevan slid in at the back-post but cleared the crossbar with his shot.
Ultimately, it was a game that lacked quality and there were few decent chances at either end. At the end of the day though, three points is three points, regardless of the performance, and gives Hay their fourth win out of five so far. Next up is a trip to Newbridge Reserves on Saturday.
Hay: Ward, Bradley, Preece, P. Williams, Davies, G. Williams, Weaver, S. Jones, Hackett, Goodwin, K. Jones.
Subs: Wilkes, Snedden, Sly, D. Jones.