Huwsi's view...........
A rare win in the borough of Wrexham see’s United through to Round 3 of the Welsh Cup
It was a long time coming, but on Saturday, United finally broke the double duck of not winning a competitive match when travelling with a bus / minibus (must have been the calming effect and influence of the driver!), and winning a match against a Wrexham based outfit! It was disappointing to read the press prior to the Welsh Cup games on Saturday, that the main concern was Caernarfon Town’s visit to unbeaten Rhydymwn, who I hasten to add are not unbeaten as Llanrug Utd have beaten them 4-1 in the Cookson Cup!
Absent from the squad were still injured Iwan Price & Mathew Phillips was still feeling the effects of ‘that’ challenge by the Llandyrnog keeper the previous week. But, back into action came much missed Maltese Man – Andrew Williams, fresh and tanned ready to provide some much needed width.
The first half was very much all United, both sides had chances with 30 yard free-kicks within the opening minutes but neither troubled the custodians. The first real chance fell to United after only six minutes when Carl Griffiths delivered a fine high ball into the six yard box from 35 yards out, but with only the keeper to beat, Man of the Match Rhys Roberts miss-controlled. Gresford came close in the ninth minute, when a right sided corner was delivered into the six yard box and being late to see Gresford’s striker connecting well, Dave Ball pulled off a fine save with his feet.
Despite a couple of half chances for United’s Carl Griffiths and Rhys Roberts, the deadlock was broken in the 20 th minute by a fine Andy Williams finish. Dave Ball quickly released (let’s face it, he didn’t like holding on to it did he!) Andy over the top, and his pace left Gresford’s defence standing and Andy’s cool finishing to the keeper’s left gave United a deserved lead.
Four minutes later it was David Noel Williams who was advancing on goal, he stood strong to an unfair challenge advanced passed a couple of defenders from the right and with only the keeper to beat, the referee, for some reason halted the advantage and called back play for a free-kick some 25 yards out, which saw Charlie’s low effort slightly deflected for a corner. The corner was taken short and then out to Carl Wayne Jones who got his customary wayward shot from 25 yards and narrowly missed (the pigeon sitting on top of the 20 foot fence protecting the Bowling Green that is!).
Rhys Roberts had a chance to double the lead in the 33 rd minute when he was through on goal, but with only the keeper to beat in typical Rooney (with an ‘R’) fashion, he scuppered the shot wide (Chris [with a ‘C’] Joyce [with a ‘J’] insisted that I included a comparison to Wayne Rooney in the match report, so I hope that’s mission accomplished!). The chances that were falling to United were not being taken and we on the sidelines were wandering if United would pay in the second half for our failings. The 39 th minute saw Gareth Eifion Jones win the ball in his own half and with Rooney on the left and Andy on the right in support, Gareth chose Andy, but his lack of urgency and a slight thought of walking the ball into the net the chance was soon gone. The last minute saw Gresford’s left back try a cheeky chip from the by-line some 35 yards out, but it proved easy for Dave Ball who immediately released up-filed and saw Charlie through on goal but the defender threw himself at the effort which was deflected for a corner, Half Time and 0 – 1, United should have been three or four up!
It didn’t take long for United to rue the missed opportunities of the first half, three minutes in fact when Gresford obviously had received a stern talking from their manager during the interval and came out of the blocks on full throttle. A corner was half cleared saw the ball being whipped back from the right flank and Centre half ,Graham Sutcliffe unmarked on the far post made no mistake heading home to bring the scores even, and without doubt, game-on!
Parity only lasted six minutes though, Rooney resorted United’s lead when he back-headed the best cross on the match into Gresford’s net. To this day I don’t know how Chris Joyce stopped his cross from deep on the left side from crossing over for a goal-kick(!), but somehow he managed to wrap his foot around the ball and delivered an inch perfect cross for Rooney to convert from three yards out. Gresford still maintained the pressure and came close a couple of times on 57 and 58 minutes, a high ball from the right on 57 minutes saw a sliding effort directed wide, and a free-kick again on the right side on 58 minutes was floated in towards the far post but Aled Owen (on for the second half as Carl Wayne was another still feeling the effects of a challenge the previous week) read the danger and diverted the ball for a corner.
Two minutes later, on the hour and Gresford were back level, a floated ball from the left flank was headed back into the danger area from beyond the far post, and with Dave Ball rooted on his line he could only watch, as Einion Edwards, who was unmarked two yards out blast into the net. Parity was once again short lived however, this time within seconds United restored their lead, from the resumption, Rooney advanced well into Gresford's area, passed two defender’s en-route and kept a cool head when he slotted home through the keeper’s legs.
With 25 minutes remaining there were some tired legs out there, and it would seen that Dave Ball had been eating the post match sandwiches at half time and forgot to wash the butter off his gloves when he re-appeared for the second half. If I had a camcorder I would have made a fortune on You’ve Been Framed or ‘People do the funniest things’!
Gresford came agonisingly close in the 68 th minute, when strong shouts for goal were quickly dismissed by the referee. A right sided corner was toe-poked from the six yard line but with the Gresford players thinking it had crossed the line, it was in fact cleared off the line by Carl Griffiths. The 72 nd and 73 rd minute saw United advancing well, and eventually United were awarded a free-kick some 25 yards out on the right side, and although Charlie rounded the wall, it was an easy take for the home keeper. The next seven minutes or saw, with Gresford staring at a home defeat, they once again upped the ante and pressed for an equaliser, Ceirion Williams was adjudged to pulled a shirt a yard outside the area on the left side, but the free-kick was driven too high and went out for a corner. Five minutes later and it was Eifion Williams who was adjudged to commit a foul, this time two yards out of the area slightly to the right, the ball cleared the wall, but Dave Ball stood strong, and although the butter was working against him he managed to block, drop and collect just before the ball crossed the line!
The Andy Williams miss of the match must be awarded to Carl Griffiths on this occasion, Gethin Phillips long throw from ten yards from his own goal-line was flicked back by a Gresford defender and released Carl down the centre on goal, and with only the keeper to beat he went across goal but missed his target from eight yard out. A minute later and Carl was felled just outside the area, but Charlie floated in over everyone. The final five minutes and Gresford came close to equalising and actually winning (with some help!), with four minutes remaining the referee played advantage when he felt Andy Williams had fouled, the forward advanced to the by-line and delivered a fine cross into the danger zone, but Gresford’s number 9 headed a foot over. Two minutes later and Dave Ball was again lucky, he went to collect a cross in from the left side, and once again fumbled, played with the ball on the ground a bit and on his third attempt collect to stop the ball from crossing the line!
All in all a very good result against opposition a league above us, and thanks to the staff at Gresford for the warm welcome we received. Although I wont repeat anything, the banter on the way home, between stopping at every other lay-by, was very entertaining to ay the least (if you could hear them over one particular person’s voice!). We were at the Plough in St. Asaph when we were made aware that we had drawn Bala away in the third round, this an hour or so before the live draw on sgorio! No doubt a tough encounter, but I’m sure United will give them a good game, as they have done so on previous encounter in the Welsh Cup against Bangor City and Llanelli, albeit at Eithin Duon.
LLANRUG UNITED: Dave Ball, Gethin Phillips, Chris Joyce, Ceirion Williams, Eifion Williams, Carl Wayne Jones (Aled Owen – 45 mins), Carl Griffiths, David Noel Williams, Gareth Eifion Jones, Rhys Roberts (Gavin Rogerson – 70 mins), Andrew Williams (Martin Bohana – 87 mins).
SUBS (Not Used): n/a
MAN OF THE MATCH: Rhys Roberts
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2009/2010