The First Team won 4-9 away today at Penybont FC goals from Rob McNamara(3), Matt James(3), Jack Biggs(2) and Phil Davies.
The Saints were slow starting and could of gone behind in the first few minutes, a long range effort was tipped over by Tom Lewis and the following corner had to be cleared off the line by Matt James.
In our first attack Rob McNamara flicked a header on to Jack Biggs who put us 0-1 up in the 7th minute, just 3 minutes later an Adi Lawford cross was volleyed in at the back post by winger Phil Davies to make it 0-2.
The Saints were now dominant and pegged Penybont back into their own half, Brendan Hackett was pulling the strings in midfield whilst playing a deeper role which saw Matt James play further up the field and it was James who made it 0-3 with a poachers goal from close range.
Jack Biggs got his second of the afternoon after another good cross from Lawford, up the other end a mistake at the back saw the “Bont” number 9 roll the ball into an empty net. We responded immediately and within seconds it was 1-5, Hackett found midfield partner James who also netted his second of the afternoon.
The sixth goal was the best of the first half, Biggs beat two players and with a reverse pass found McNamara who smashed the ball home to send the Saints in 1-6 to the good at the break.
Gareth Jenkins had to make a change just before half time due to Hackett limping off with a hamstring injury, he was replaced by Jake Davies.
The second half started as the first ended with us well on top and it wasn’t long before Rob McNamara scored a goal of the season contender, he flicked the ball over two players heads and smashed a shot from the edge of the area into the top corner to make it 1-7.
Defender Tom James whipped in a peach of a cross from the left and it was met by brother Matt with a glancing header for his hat-trick which put us 1-8 up.
Penybont’s Phil Ruell hit a 30 yarder in the 75th minute which flew into the top corner for 2-8 but again we responded and within 2 minutes McNamara scored his hat-trick goal with another good finish from the edge of the area for 2-9.
We became very sloppy in the last ten minutes and another defensive mix up saw the home side pull another goal back for 3-9 and just before the end they scored again after a lack of concentration from us. Ft 4-9.
We played excellent for 70 minutes, the game was well won but we need to concentrate for the full 90 minutes, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to put the ball in row z when defending. On the plus side we scored 9 and could have had more, the passing was very good by our young side, I thought Adi had a good game on the wing, Matty was excellent again but man of the match this went to the big man up top Macca.
Team-
Tom Lewis, Sam Bradley, Jake Atkinson, Tom James, Brendan Hackett(Jake Davies), Adi Lawford, Phil Davies(Josh Davies), Stu Davies(c), Matt James(Gareth Jenkins), Jack Biggs, Rob McNamara.
