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Huwsi's view..............
Wellmen get revenge for Welsh Cup exit
Two early strikes from Holywell’s man of the match, Steve Thomas was enough to shake United into submission at Eithin Duon on Saturday, and even though David Noel Williams pulled one back before half time it just wasn’t happening for United as chance after chance went begging, it was just one of those days – again!
Still nursing an injury was influential top marksman Mathew Phillips, and although he did make the squad, he was not fit enough to make an appearance. Iwan Price had an outing with the Reserves at Talysarn and David Noel Williams was back for the only change to the team that started at Vale the previous week.
The pre match warm-up had the Holywell manager rallying their squad, claiming that they were a different side to the one that were beaten by United on the opening day of the season, both in personnel and confidence, and how right he was. It only took three minutes for Holywell to make their intentions known, Steve Thomas went through United’s defence like a hot knife through butter, claiming an over the top ball and rounding advancing Dave Ball to tap in for their opener. Within seconds Holywell were back in the danger zone, a cross from the right went to an unmarked Holywell forward but Eifion Williams threw himself at the goal bound effort to thwart the effort.
It didn’t take long for Holywell to double the lead though, in the 7 th minute Holywell were awarded a free-kick 22 yards out to the left side, Dave Ball placed his wall well but then decided to stand behind the wall instead of guarding his unprotected right side and so up stepped Steve Thomas and curled around the wall and into the open net.
The early strikes seemed to waken United, following a free-kick for a high boot which tried to knock some sense into Chris Joyce, Joyce delivered a fine ball to Andrew Williams by the right corner flag, but his final effort was deflected for a corner. Gareth Eifion Jones found himself free on goal in the 12 th minute, but instead of going across goal he went for the near post which was saved for a corner. Charlie took the corner short and won another corner whilst trying to walk the ball into the net, he again took it short, but lost out to a goal-kick the second time, whilst once again trying to walk the ball into net – what’s wrong with long corners?
Andy had his customary miss in the 22 nd minute when he advanced following a Gethin Phillips long throw, but he fluffed his shot from the edge of the area. Two minutes later and Charlie had one of his trademark free-kicks some 25 yards out slightly to the left, but he failed to clear the wall. The 25 th minute saw Holywell display one of their strengths, attacking on the break they were very fast, this time it was four against one and with Dave Ball blinded by the strong sun, he was slow to react, but did enough to put the Holywell forward off his header as it went a couple of yards wide.
Charlie was brought down by the keeper in the 27 th minute, but the referee was having none of it, but he noticed when Chris Joyce made an illegal challenge on the half hour mark in an identical position from where Holywell scored their second, but this time the wall did it’s job. Holywell maintained the pressure in United’s area but couldn’t get that final ball on target, which led to United braking in the 38 th minute, Andy kept a cool head with a fine cross from the right edge of Holywell’s penalty area which saw Charlie convert from just within the six yard box. This goal was much needed and gave United some renewed belief, which saw them pile on the pressure in the final minutes of the half with Andy and Charlie rooted in the visitors area, and Rhys Roberts got a shot from just inside the area on the right side saved for a corner. Gareth Eifion was also working hard (!), he had a tame high effort blocked by the keeper and had a second chance from the edge of the area but was deflected for another corner.
The half ended following a 30 yard effort from United’s man of the match Carl Griffiths but was directed straight at the keeper. Although I was in Hell’s Kitchen I did notice through the corner of my eye that Gareth Eifion made one or two runs up filed, I’m sure he must have slept well on Saturday night, knackered and exhausted, but I was told that I should see him in the training sessions if I wanted to see some darting runs! Yes, I did say training sessions – I believe some players are unaware of these!
From the resumption, Rhys Roberts made his way on goal he beat the keeper but a defender got in the way of his effort. Within three minutes Holywell’s Steve Thomas found himself free on goal, and with only Dave Ball to beat to claim his hat-trick, but his effort went way wide of the mark. Holywell’s keeper pulled off a fine save two minutes later when Eifion Williams got a strong head onto a right sided corner, some ten yards out but a fully stretched keeper tipped over the bar for another corner. United did have the ball in the back of the net in the 52 nd minute when a cross from the by-line was headed in but Assistant Referee Will Morris flagged for off-side even though the cross came from the by-line!
Holywell’s third came in the 73 rd minute, Dave Ball was too casual when he misjudged the height of Holywell’s Shaun Pritchard, Ball tried to lift a clearance over the advancing forward, but caught his shoulder and effectively enabled Pritchard to round Ball and tap home into an empty net.
Aled Owen who came on for injured Eifion Williams in the 68 th minute was caught out in the 78 th minute and nearly resulted in Holywell in extending their lead, but a fine cross from the right was booted from the edge of the area a couple of yards over the bar. With only ten minutes remaining Andy was through on goal, but the keeper pulled off another fine save, this time close range with his feet. Carl Griffiths was denied by the keeper in the 83 rd minute, a wonderful strike from 25 yards out was met by an equally wonderful save from the visiting keeper, fully stretched and high to his left.
United struck the upright in the 85 th minute, a Gethin Phillips strike was blacked and fell kindly to Andy who struck the right post from 18 yards out. Another couple of minutes and David Noel showed some magic, claiming the ball in his own half, he skipped past a couple of midfielders and delivered a fine ball to Ceirion Williams in the ‘D’, and although Tat was denied by another fine save by the advancing visiting keeper, Mr Morris thought he was off-side!
The last minute of normal time saw a fine move by United, started from a Dave Ball goal-kick, he found Gareth Eifion who checked to Carl Griffiths and Carl got a good cross into the six yard box, but Holywell defended well, and once again caught United out on the break, but one of the league’s top marksmen, Wayne Edwards had the miss of the match to rival one Andy’s misses, when from ten yards out facing and open goal he directed a couple of yards wide.
That was pretty much it, a day to forget for United, we knew it would be tough against second placed Holywell but United must take their chances if they are to improve on the fine start to the season they enjoyed, with difficult trips to Rhydymwyn and Bala Town to come in the next fortnight.
LLANRUG UNITED: Dave Ball, Gethin Phillips, Chris Joyce, Ceirion Williams, Eifion Williams (Aled Owen – 68 mins), Carl Wayne Jones, Andrew Williams, David Noel Williams, Rhys Roberts, Gareth Eifion Jones, Carl Griffiths.
SUBS (Not used): Martin Bohana, Marvin Pritchard, Mathew Phillips.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Carl Griffiths.
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2009/2010 