Huwsi's view...........
Another brace for ‘Matty’ Phillips as United progress in the Welsh Cup
Mixed feelings before the start of last Saturday’s clash with Nefyn at a sun drenched Eithin Duon, a minutes silence as a mark of respect for the family of Llandudno Junction’s Maurice Naylor who died suddenly following an accident, and some bad news for Chris Joyce and his family as his son Ryan had been knocked down the night before at the square in Llanrug, and was in poor condition in hospital, lets hope he has a speedy recovery.
With Chris missing Gavin Rogerson started with the massive task of trying to fill the gap left by his absence, and with Joyce’s form of late it was obvious he was going to be missed, and with no disrespect to his replacement, he was greatly missed. Gareth Eifion Jones failed ‘that’ late fitness test, and so Rhys ‘Rooney’ Roberts got his first start for the first team.
Things could hardly have happened any quicker, United were one nil up within a minute, when Iwan Price floated a free-kick from his own half and Neil Perkins in the visitors’ goal came out to claim, but Gethin Phillips had other ideas and got his head in the way and the ball was in the back of the net. The lead only lasted three minutes, Nefyn’s Gwyn Williams levelled things in the 4 th minute when United’s stand in left-back was caught out, and in turn Gwyn Williams collected the ball just outside the area and scored across Dave Ball from the left side.
Mathew Phillips came close to regaining the lead after eight minutes, when on the edge of the area he chipped the advancing Neil Perkins but his effort went a yard wide. Nefyn took the lead in the 12 th minute when Gavin Rogerson gave away a cheap free-kick some 40 yards out, the ball was floated in, headed back across goal and Gwyn Williams made no mistake from six yards or so shooting low to Dave Ball’s left side. With only a quarter of an hour played and parity was restored through Carl Griffiths, Gethin Phillips’ throw some 30 yards up field found it’s way to Carl Griffiths who headed goal bound, but Perkins got a hand to muffle the effort, but Carl followed through and got the ball a yard out before Nefyn’s defender.
Eighteen minutes played and United were back in the lead, Matty Phillips stood strong to a foul from the advancing Neil Perkins, the referee had his whistle in his mouth ready to award a penalty had the advantage not paid dividends, but Mathew as always kept a cool head and slotted home at an acute angle passed the right upright, 3 – 2 with only 18 minutes played, talk about vale for money! United had the chance to extend the lead after 22 minutes when Carl Griffiths and Mathew Phillips linked well, but Mathew’s fine cross across the 6 yard line was directed a yard wide of the right post by Rhys Roberts. Nefyn got the next chance, Perkins’ goal-kick released a Nefyn player into United’s area but Dave Ball made easy work of claiming the ball from his feet.
Gethin Phillips was back in the fold with 27 minutes played, David Noel Williams floated a free-kick from the half way line, but Gethin header went straight at the visiting keeper. Within five minutes Dave Ball pulled off a fine save, Charlie lost the ball cheaply in the centre which saw Nefyn try a 30 yard effort which Dave tipped over the bar for a corner which saw Nefyn’s effort go a yard high and wide. The 33 rd minute saw Carl Griffiths and Mathew Phillips link up well again, but this time Mathew’s cross from the left wing was a yard too forward for Rhys to connect.
Mathew’s second came in the 37 th minute, Carl Wayne Jones won the ball deep in his own half, delivered a fine ball over the top to Mathew who lobbed advancing Perkins with ease and confidence. Andy had a chance within seconds to increase United’s lead, but dejavue, it would have been easier to score than miss (had he hit the target that is!), an acute angle on the right side, Andy mistook the far post for the corner flag it would appear! A couple of minutes from the interval and Carl Wayne got a head injury, when the chairman realised who it was down in the area, he was relived it was Carl Wayne as he said his head was hard enough, however he was a bit concerned for the playing surface, but it was an opponents arm that was the culprit not the grass!
Just before the ref called time on the first half, Mathew Phillips had a chance to increase the lead, an effort from just outside the area was directed low, but proved an easy save for Mr Perkins. I don’t know what this mental block Matty has, for some reason he loves the number two, but can’t get his head round the number three – might buy him an abacus for Christmas!
The second half started well for United, but once again this season the were trying to walk the ball into the net, within a minute Carl Griffiths and Rhys Roberts had a nice one-two but came to nothing. Eifion Williams was in the opposing area within four minutes, a short corner found it’s way to him, but he though he had all the time in the world, and his customary shot hosan again came to nothing! Nefyn came close to clawing one back after 55 minutes, on the break a cross from deep on the right side into two advancing Nefyn players, but neither could connect. Carl Griffiths went high and wide a minute later with a 25 yard effort, and Mathew Phillips came close in the 63 rd minute when he tried a cheeky chip from 20 yards but he was a foot or so wide of the top left corner.
Charlie was the next to come agonisingly close, his low powerful effort from the edge of the area struck the inside of the right upright and somehow came out of the danger zone. Whilst at the other end of the field, Gethin Phillips and Iwan Price were working well and hard to thwart increasing pressure from Nefyn’s forwards. Ex-Llanrug forward was brought on by Nefyn in the 65 th minute, to try and work some of the magic we all know he’s capable of, but fortunately for Llanrug the only magic he delivered was a vanishing act as he only last five minutes at most, as he seemed to have pulled his hamstring? With 70 minutes on the clock Nefyn had three corners in quick succession but the United defence coped well with the advances. They did come close in the 74 th minute however when a long throw from the half-way line was in turn lobbed a foot or so over Ball’s bar. Three minutes later and Dave Ball saved an effort but the ball was creeping in, in similar fashion to Carl’s earlier goal, but Gethin Phillips got there first and cleared the danger.
With eleven minutes remaining, Charlie delivered a great ball from the centre circle to the right flag for Carl Wayne to chase, he returned the ball to Charlie who in turn found Mathew Phillips but his goal bound effort was deflected and resulted in an easy take for Perkins. The final 10 minutes and Nefyn were looking for free-kicks in the danger zone and the referee was more than obliging. One of which was 25 yards out slightly to the left, the powerful effort was deflected by the wall and was creeping in, but Dave Ball had other ideas and pulled off a fantastic save fully stretched to his right, the ball did not cross the touchline, but Nefyn took it upon themselves to take a corner, which met a Nefyn head in the six yard area, which in turn hit the underside of the bar and thankfully out.
Mathew Phillips had a chance with five minutes remaining, a solo effort but with tired legs he could not deliver the goods. Charlie and Aled Owen (who came on for Mathew Phillips in the 87 th minute) advanced well with only a couple of minutes remaining, but the final ball by Carl Griffiths went over the bar. The 90 th minute and the referee gave Nefyn a controversial penalty for hand ball, and Caron Williams made no mistake from the spot, but thankfully for United it was too little too late, and it will be United’s name in the hat for Monday’s draw for the second round.
LLANRUG UTD: Dave Ball, Gethin Phillips, Gavin Rogerson, Iwan Price, Eifion Williams (Capt.), Carl Wayne Jones, Andrew Williams (Martin Bohana – 80 mins), David Noel Williams, Rhys Roberts (Marvin Pritchard – 72 mins), Mathew Phillips (Aled Owen – 87 mins), Carl Griffiths.
SUBS (Not Used):
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mathew Phillips
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2009/2010