The Saints won 5-2 against Carno FC in today’s semi-final tie at Forest Road.
Goal scorers were Matt James(2), Jack Biggs, Brendan Hackett and Rob Snedden.
Carno FC scorer – Peter Rees (2).
We started the game slow and let Carno dictate the pace during the opening fifteen minutes. Their only chance during that period was from a corner when striker Greg Brown saw his glancing header fly across the six yard box but nobody was there to get a touch on it.
Captain Stu Davies got his men to up the tempo after that scare and we started to get on top, in the 18th minute the visitors keeper pulled off a brilliant double save from top scorer Jack Biggs.
On times our link up play through striker Ryan Davies, the midfield and wingers was a joy to watch, Carno struggled with our pace.
Our pressure finally told when we were awarded a free kick out wide on the left, midfielder Brendan Hackett crossed into the box for Biggs to head in the opener. 1-0.
Just two minutes later Hackett scored a brilliant solo goal, he outpaced the Carno defender and bent his shot around the diving keeper to put us 2-0 up in the 22nd minute.
In the 30th minute a Hackett pass found winger Rob Snedden who crossed into the area, Matt James who had timed his run to perfection scored from close range to give us a 3-0 lead.
To Carno’s credit they kept coming at us but Croose, Goodwin, Atkinson and James dealt well with their strikers threat.
Ht 3-0.
Carno manager Chris Davies must have gave his side the hair drier treatment at half time because they came out on the attack and within two minutes of the re-start had pulled a goal back through Peter Rees.
The next ten minutes was end to end but we got our three goal cushion back after Hackett threaded a ball into the box to Biggs who beat his marker and then squared to Matt James who again had timed his run perfect putting us 4-1 up.
In the 70th minute Snedden scored from 35 yards out on the right, the ball flew over the keepers head into the top corner. I asked him if it was a shot or a cross, he replied “I was knackered so I just hit it”. Anyway the goal put us 5-1 up and we had one foot in the final.
Rees got his second after a Matt Croose header fell to him some 20 yards out, the striker hit a beaut of a shot through a crowd of players giving Saints keeper Steve Jones no chance. 5-2.
We had one more chance to score when Matty Tong got on the end of a lovely through ball from defender Jake Atkinson but the 16 year olds shot hit the inside of the post and was cleared to safety.
Another good win against a good side, we started slow but once we got going we were excellent and scored five good goals against a side who don’t concede many. The match sponsor chose Brendan Hackett as man of the match, he wanted a mention for Matt James and Matt Croose who he also thought were excellent throughout.
In the final we will play either Rhayader Town FC or Knighton Town FC. No date for this game has been arranged yet.
Team –
Steve Jones, Jake Atkinson, Steve Goodwin, Matt Croose, Tom James, Stu Davies(c), Jack Biggs, Matt James, Rob Snedden(Adi Lawford), Brendan Hackett, Ryan Davies(Matty Tong) Harry Ratcliffe and Tom Bevan.
