Sam Williams of Knighton Town was the difference between the two teams today, the striker netted a brace in another tight game between two evenly matched sides. The hosts winning 2-1 after going down to 10 men with 20 minutes to go.
Sam Williams and Stu Davies.
Before the match started there was a minutes silence for Tegwyn Evans MBE who passed away this week, Mr Evans was the Chairman of the Central Wales Football Association.
For once we started bright, we got the ball down and played some neat one touch football in the opening ten minutes but never really tested Dave Exhall in the Knighton goal. The home side came more into the match and began to get on top, striker Sam Williams who was a pest all afternoon turned and hit a shot which went wide, on 16 minutes Mark Jones skipped past Sam Bradley on the left, Bradley gave chase and slid in to win the ball but clipped Jones legs, Referee Rob Evans had no other choice than to award a penalty. Williams who doesn’t miss many hit the post with his effort, the ball was then cleared from danger.
Up the other end Exhall made a double save from Brenden Hackett to keep the score 0-0, Williams soon made amends for his penalty miss, he received the ball on the edge of the area turned his marker and drilled a low shot past the diving Josh Davies to put the home side into a deserved 1-0 lead. The rest of the half was similar to the first game, Knighton seemed content with their lead and sat back, we huffed and puffed but never really caused any major threats on their goal. Ht 1-0.
Manager Tom Weaver made a couple of positional changes in the second half which seemed to work as we got on top from the off pegging Knighton back into their own half. In the 48th Rob McNamara went close after the hard working Will Goodwin sent in a deep cross, McNamara’s header went inches over the bar. A few minutes later the impressive Steve Goodwin who had been moved into midfield went on a mazy run his cross was met by Jack Biggs, how the ball never went in is beyond me, a gust of wind must have blown it wide!
In the 61st minute Exhall saved again from Biggs, this time the striker got on the end of a Phil Davies cross. The equalliser finally came after Goodwin and Hackett combined to set up Biggs who finished from close range 1-1.
While we still dominated possession the home side were dangerous on the counter attack and that man Williams went close after a cross from the left the striker sent a powerful header inches wide.
With 18 minutes to go the Knighton left mid (Jones) was shown a second yellow for bringing Goodwin down on the edge of the box, it could have been a straight red as the midfielder was in on goal, the resulting free kick came to nothing.
The hard working Will Goodwin.
In the last 10 minutes and it looked as if only one team was going to win the game as the Saints pushed forward, an attack broke down and the hosts broke at speed, in fact they had 4 on 3 but the ball was cleared for a corner, while we were strolling back and taking a breather they took a quick corner and there was that man Williams out jumping everyone and burying a powerful header past Davies. 2-1
The Saints had one last chance but McNamara’s header from R.Hacketts cross went over after being under pressure from the Knighton centre back. FT 2-1.
This game was similar in many ways to the league game, Knighton were the better side in the first half and us in the second, in fact we were dominant in the second period. I’ve watched Knighton 3 times this season and to be fair they are a very well organised side and in Sam Williams have a striker who is clever and knows where the back of the net is. If he had played for us today we would of won comfortable with the amount of chances we created, he was the difference!
The gaffer was more than pleased with the performance but disappointed with the result, he said “we need to finish teams off when we are on top”, he picked Will Goodwin as stand out player.
Rhosgoch away next.