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Huwsi's view..............
United dumped out of Barritt Cup by Gwynedd League’s Leader’s Gwalchmai
Although this encounter was quite evenly matched over the full 90 minutes, United paid the price for the lack of finishing. This coupled with the blinkers the Anglesey based referee was wearing, meant that United could not muster the needed win to progress to the third round.
Back in the United squad came Andrew Williams following an absence of three months following the three match suspension he acquired against Rhydymwyn in September, which has been extended due to the severe weather of late. Dave Ball was back between the posts following a brief stint by Iwan Price as custodian at Llanberis on Boxing Day.
The first half was pretty dire as far as United were concerned, and I don’t think Gwalchmai’s keeper had a save to make. Throughout the encounter, United were second to nearly every ball, with Gwalchmai’s Paul Tilbury (7) seemingly having an easy time in the centre of the park, and this reflected in the chances that Gwalchmai had in the first half. The were threatening from the beginning a throw in the 5 th minute, was knocked on to the left side of the penalty area, but the shot was blocked for a corner. The corner was floated in and a Gwalchmai head got in front of Dave Ball at his near post but the effort went a foot over. A couple of minutes later and there was a bit of a scramble in the Gwalchmai box, Carl Wayne’s shot from 18yds hit David Noel Williams, however he controlled and released Mathew Phillips in the six yard box, but Mathew’s effort was deflected for a corner.
United’s best move of the half came after 26 minutes, Mathew Phillips made a fine run from his own half down the left flank, but despite getting the better of Gwalchmai’s defence, his cross was blocked by a Gwalchmai head with Gareth Eifion Jones, Rhys Roberts and Carl Griffiths unmarked in the area waiting to pounce. With 30 minutes gone and Gwalchmai playing attractive football and advancing regularly at United, their No. 9 got a shot at pace on target but was directed straight at Dave Ball, and within a minute another effort was directed at Ball, this time a high lob but Ball was not threatened.
Gwalchmai’s breakthrough came in the 43 rd minute, when Craig Evans had an easy tap-in following a fine block by Dave Ball from a ten yard effort on the right side of the area, but the ball fell to the feet of Evans who made no mistakes from six yards. Half time and 1-0 to the home side, the referee was not giving United any decisions up field, but similar unfair challenges on the half way line were being punished!
United got the first chance of the second half, within two minutes Carl Griffiths won the ball on the half way line and released Mathew Phillips into the left side of the area but his thunderous strike from 15 yards went 3 yards over. Gwalchmai came close to doubling their lead in the 56 th minute; a free-kick awarded some 25 yards out, cleared the United wall but was a foot wide of the left upright.
On the hour mark United were denied a clear cut penalty, Carl Griffiths advancing into the area was clearly brought down a yard in Gwalchmai’s box on the right side, but referee Hugh Jones from Amlwch saw nothing wrong with the challenge and awarded United a corner kick. Andrew Williams was introduced on the hour mark, replacing Gareth Eifion Jones, and what a difference his introduction made. The width provided by Andy changed the game and from thereon United were the stronger side and the majority of the play was now in Gwalchmai’s half of the pitch.
Within a couple of minutes Andy, Carl Wayne, Mathew Phillips and finally Carl Griffiths advanced and linked up well but Carl Griffiths’ final effort went a yard or so over. Carl Wayne had a fine strike from 20 yards tipped over for a corner in the 65 th minute, a shot resulting from some fine work by Rhys Roberts to keep the ball up in Gwalchmai’s area. Carl Griffiths came close in the 72 nd minute, when Andy won the ball on the half way line and found Carl on the edge of the area who in turn got free, but his effort across goal was a matter of inches beyond the upright.
United were now playing really well, and deserved something from the game, a good move in the 78 th minute saw Chris Joyce knock forward to Carl Griffiths, who’s cross eluded all of Gwalchmai’s defenders and left Andy to collect on the right flank, but his effort across goal from just within the area was more of a cross into the six yard box than an effort on goal. Within seconds, and Andy nearly brought United level, a crowded six yard box saw Andy chip a fine effort from the 18 yard line on the right side of the area, and although the keeper was well and truly beaten a Gwalchmai head appeared from nowhere and cleared off the line preventing a wonderful goal to the top left corner.
Gwalchmai’s counter attack saw the ball knocked into United’s half, but with United pressing for an equaliser, only Dave Ball was left in United’s half, he hesitated slightly but then committed to a run for the ball some 35yards out, but by this stage he was always going to be second and Gwalchmai’s Corry took the ball beyond the advancing Dave Ball, and with Eifion Williams in hot pursuit with a 40 yard sprint, Corry took the ball too wide and deep which allowed Eifion time to reach the near post and deny Gwalchmai their second with a fine block to keep United’s hopes alive.
The last minute of normal time saw Ceirion Williams put the ball over the bar from 2 yards out following a throw when he should have left it as Rhys Roberts was in a better position, and in the second minute of injury time a scramble in Gwalchmai’s six yard box resulted in a free kick for some infringement the referee saw – if he saw an infringement through all those bodies how he never saw that penalty we will never know!
The final effort of the match, well into injury time saw Rooney advancing down the right flank and into the penalty area, but his shot went straight out for a goal kick.
Based on the final 30 minutes, United definitely deserved something from the match, however the lack of first half chances coupled with a good Gwalchmai side meant that this was not to be. United can now concentrate on the league, lying 14 th with a few games in hand United must now push for a top half finish, especially considering the restructuring at the top tier of Welsh Football next season, which could see three or four sides being relegated from the Welsh Alliance. Up next Amlwch Town at Eithin Duon on 23 rd, followed by a trip to Llandyrnog before league leaders Rhydymwyn come to Eithin Duon.
LLANRUG UNITED: Dave Ball, Gethin Phillips, Chris Joyce, Ceirion Williams, Eifion Williams, Carl Wayne Jones, Carl Griffiths, David Noel Williams, Gareth Eifion Jones (Andrew Williams – 60 mins), Rhys Roberts, Mathew Phillips.
SUBS (Not Used): Martin Bohana, Gavin Rogerson, Aled Owen.
MOTM: Mathew Phillips
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2009/2010 