The Saints beat local rivals Gwernyfed 7-1 yesterday in a crunch league game at Forest Road in front of a very large crowd.
Saints Captain Chris Preece won the toss and decided to play into the wind and right from the kick off The Saints dominated the early exchanges with Ben Bevan and Kevin Jones causing panic in the Gwernyfed defence, after 10 minutes Bevan went around his marker and crossed to the back post where striker Josh Wisniewski fired in to make it 1-0. Price made another good save to deny Bevan tipping his shot over the bar, The Saints carried on dominating until a long Steve Price kick on 15 minutes deceived I. Jones in the Saints goal he pushed the bouncing ball onto the crossbar and Preece under pressure from Macnamara headed into his own net to score an own goal 1-1. There was a change in the balance of the game after this with the Saints panicking at times under the high ball from Gwernyfed, from a corner I. Jones got his hand to the ball but it flew to Potts at the back post whose header went over the bar when he was in a good scoring position, veteran Scott Powell should of also done better with a headed oportunity but missed the target. ht 1-1.
The Saints were now playing with the wind but again from a Gwernyfed attack panic set in which resulted in Russ Jones bringing down Powell and referee Rob Evans awarded a penalty to the away side, I.Jones made amends for his earlier mistake diving to his right to save Kev Lloyds spot kick. From this moment on there was only one side in it with the Saints taking total charge of the game but it took until the 68th minute to get the second and it was centre half Mike Havard who scored a great solo effort finishing with his left foot and he was then swamped by every one of his team mates. Steve(Becksy) Price then made two great saves in the 69th and 70th minute the first from a Wisniewski bullet of a header which he tipped over the bar then he somehow got to a Kev Jones shot which had goal written all over it once he hit it but Price at full stretch tipped it around the post, on 71 minutes it was 3-1 when Bevan took a quick throw and Jones burst through the middle and blasted a right foot shot past Price giving him no chance. It took just 60 seconds for the 4th again Price saved from Wisniewski but Bevan was the first to the rebound smashing it past the keeper, on 75 minutes Price made yet another quality save this time from the rampaging Rob Snedden who burst past 2 men and hit a left foot rocket the keeper somehow tipping around the post to safety, just one minute later Josh Wisniewski got the better of his marker Mellor chipping the ball over his head and shooting low past the diving Price for 5-1. Price made further saves from John Daw and Kevin Jones, on 90 minutes centre half Steve Potts was lucky to only receive a yellow card after a two footed lunge on Bevan, Havard answered in the best possibe way hitting a 25 yard free kick into the box which the keeper was waiting for the 2 Saints strikers to get their heads to but both missed and the ball sailed past all into the far corner for 6-1. Stuart Davies then sent a powerful header towards goal which Kevin Jones got on the end of and again blasted a right foot shot past the diving Price to make the final score 7-1.
An outstanding second half performance from The Saints which blitzed Gwernyfed who had no answer to the pace and power of the constant attacks, who knows what the score could of been if Becksy hadn’t made numerous outstanding saves for Gwernyfed.
A great day all round for the large Saints support which inclued Jimmy Jenkins an ex Saint from the 60’s who made his first visit in 30 years to the ground plus a loyal Saint supporter from Peterborough called Glyn Collins who rented a cottage to watch us, hope you both enjoyed your day.
Again a great all round team performance by all but special mentions to 2 players who I thought were outstanding on the day, Mike Havard and Sam Mayglothling take a bow sons!
Special thanks to Chris Preece, Kevin Jones, Mike Ward, Kat Nicholson, Cliff Havard, Graeme and Garry Keeble who all helped to get the pitch looking immaculate and the new dug outs in place for the big game.
Team- I.Jones, R.Jones, C.Preece(c), M.Havard, G.Williams, B.Bevan(S.Davies), S.Mayglothling, S.Powell, R.Snedden(O.Cooke), K.Jones, J.Wisniewski(J.Daw).