Tiny Harding’s Reserve team recorded their first back to back victories with a 6-2 defeat of nine man Llandrindod Wells Reserves at Forest Road. Hay took the lead through Kyle Harding, but were soon pegged back through goals from Stu Williams and Scott Davies. Just before half-time however the visitors ‘keeper Reece Symmonds was sent-off for a professional foul and soon after Rob Saunders headed into his own net. Hay used the additional man to their advantage in the second-period and capitalised through goals from Will Goodwin (2), Jack Cripps and Harry Ratcliffe. Llandrindod’s misery was compounded late on when Saunders was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Hay took the lead fairly early on when W. Goodwin’s through ball was raced onto by Harding and he placed the ball into the near post with his right-foot. The visitors responded well though and were soon level; a mix up at the back allowed Williams to get in behind his man and tuck a right-foot strike past the dive of stand in ‘keeper Tom Lewis. Llandrindod then found themselves ahead; a corner from the left was swung into the near post and Davies looped a header over Lewis. Hay had a few half-chances to equalise with Kevin Goodwin curling a left-foot shot over the bar from 20 yards and Harding also trying his luck from the edge of the area but his bending effort was off-target. The changing point of the game occurred when Harding raced onto a through ball and was felled by the ‘keeper Symmonds on the edge of the area. The referee had no option but to send the ‘keeper as he was the last man. The visitors were hoping to get to half-time still ahead but Ratcliffe’s powerful run down the right-wing and superb cross was headed into his own net by Saunders.
With Hay having made a number of changes due to injuries to Dan Jones, Stu Rees and Harding, the second-half team had a different look to it with Tom Weaver dropping from his midfield role into central defence. Darren Horrigan’s hard-work to retrieve the ball on the by line and then run into the box was impended by a defender, and a penalty was awarded. W. Goodwin stepped up and despite the ‘keeper getting a strong hand to it, the ball squirmed over the line and Hay were in front. Llandrindod were defending well with ten men though and frustrating Hay. Their best opportunity to increase the lead fell to K. Goodwin, who cut in from the right-wing to go past two men inside the area but his powerful strike rebounded off the crossbar. At the other end, the visitors were limited to half-chances and failed to trouble Lewis in between the sticks. It was becoming scrappy with Llandrindod finding a foothold in the game until Cripps came up with some magic to give the home team some breathing space. His burst from central midfield saw him go past two defenders before a crisp low strike beat the ‘keeper from an acute angle. Further goals were to follow too but not until after Horrigan had again been upended in the penalty area once again. Rory Hackett this time stepped up but saw his penalty pushed away by the stand in ‘keeper. Hay finished the game strongly though with Ratcliffe collecting the ball inside the box, turning past his man and lashing a shot into the back of the net. The final goal of the night went to W. Goodwin; he collected pass from Ratcliffe inside the box, spun his man and fired home from a tight-angle to make it 6-2. In the closing stages, frustration looked to have kicked in for the visitors as Saunders was given his second yellow for a late tackle after Horrigan had spun away from him.
All in all, a good evening for Hay Reserves, although the game would have been much closer had there not been a red card for the visitor’s goalkeeper. The Saints used this to their advantage in the second-half, using the width and breaking at pace. There was a number of good performances throughout the team but injuries to Jones, Rees and Harding could leave Tiny with a bit of a selection headache for Friday’s home match against Builth Wells Reserves.
Hay: T. Lewis, H. Gilbert, Jones, Rees, Cripps, K. Goodwin, Weaver, Emmett, Hackett, W. Goodwin, Harding.
Subs: C. Lewis, Ratcliffe, Workman, A. Gilbert, Horrigan.
Manager Harding had this to say after the game:
“Man of the match for me was Harry Gilbert – he worked like a dog”
“Well deserved win considering the side picked up injuries to three main lads in Stu, Dan and Kyle; hopefully a few day’s rest they will be good to go on Friday against Builth, before we go into the three week break”
“On the plus side, tonight showed the strength and depth of the squad which ultimately brought home the points”