Llantwit Major welcomed Taffs Well to Windmill Lane who were lying just 2 positions below them in the League Table. Karl Lewis the Llantwit manager, again had to make changes to his starting lineup due to players unavailability but he made a few positional changes following last week’s disappointing result away to Cwmamman United.

It was Taffs Well who made the better start to the game and soon put Llantwit under pressure with Jack Lansdown in the Llantwit goal being called upon to make a fine save after just 10 minutes play when he had to tip the ball over the cross bar from a header by the Taffs Well striker. In the 35th minute Taffs Well had a golden opportunity to open the scoring when they were awarded a penalty when Jack Lansdown fouled a Taffs Well player in his goal area. However, he made amends when he made a very good save when he got down low to his left-hand post to push the ball away to save the penalty. Llantwit a few minutes later created a half chance of their own when a cross into their opponent’s goal area by Rob Jones found Anthony Rawlings at the near post but unfortunately, he was unable to get a good connection on his header and the chance was missed and the game remained 0-0 at half time.

Taffs Well immediately started the second half on the attack and applied early pressure but it was not until the 59th minute when they created a chance to score when from a cross into the Llantwit goal area their centre forward Jason Bertorelli headed over the cross bar from around 6 yards out. Llantwit had an opportunity a few minutes later when from a free kick into the Taffs Well area a header from defender Sean Williams was just wide of the Taffs Well goals.

It was not until the 82nd minute that the game came alive when Llantwit managed to score when a ball played into the feet of Nathan Jones who was on the edge of the Taffs Well goal area saw him flick the ball past the Taffs Well defenders to Anthony Rawlings who from 10 yards out coolly slotted the ball home to give Llantwit the lead. The goal rejuvenated Llantwit and a minute later defender Jamie Miller was unlucky not to score when his shot from around 20 yards out brought out a fine save from the Taffs Well keeper when he just managed to push the ball away for a corner. With only a minute left of normal time Llantwit sealed their win when a long ball out of defence found Anthony Rawlings clear of the Taffs Well defenders and he rounded the goalkeeper to score his second goal. In injury time Llantwit conceded a goal but they managed to see the game out and secure a fine win which was badly needed after two previous defeats. This win now moves Llantwit up to 7th position in the League Table.

Llantwit’s next League game will be away to Ammanford on Saturday 13th October with a 2.30 pm kick off.

Llantwit Major: Jack Lansdown, Jonathan Butler, Sean Williams, Darren Robinson (Captain), Jamie Miller, Jonathan Fletcher, Kristian Smith (Mike Hartley 84), Nathan Jones, Rob Jones (Nathan Renfree 76), Dale Stephenson (Ben Cripps 56), Anthony Rawlings;

Substitutes not used: Glyn Davies, Kyran Gardner;

Llantwit Major travelled to fellow Division 1 side Goytre for the 2nd Round of the Nathaniel Car Sales League Cup. Karl Lewis the Llantwit manager, again rung the changes to his starting lineup due to suspensions and players unavailability following last week’s draw against Undy Athletic.

With an excellent playing service and overcast playing conditions, Llantwit made a very bright start and could have scored after only a minute played when some fine inter passing down the left from Kyran Gardner & Luke Cox led to a cross into the far post where Josh Jones was unlucky not to score when his shot was pushed away for a corner by the Goytre keeper Joseph Massero who is on loan at Goytre from Barry Town. It was all Llantwit in the opening 10 minutes as their attacking play was causing problems for the Goytre defenders and it was not until the 13th minute from a rare Goytre attack that Jack Lansdown in the Llantwit goal had to save down low to his right from a shot from the Goytre striker from 6 yards out.

In the 23rd minute Josh Jones who was causing problems to the Goytre defenders with his pace broke into the Goytre area and his shot was cleared off the line and ended up at the feet of Luke Cox but from 15 yards out his shot went over the cross bar. Again 4 minutes later another attack from Llantwit created confusion in the Goytre goal area which led to a corner. From the resulting corner the Goytre keeper then had to make a fine save from a header by Dale Stephenson by pushing his header around the post for another corner to Llantwit. Then 4 minutes later the Goytre keeper had to make another fine save to deny Luke Cox a goal when from 30 yards out a fine strike by Luke saw the keeper push his shot around the post for yet another corner. Just before half time another fine run into the Goytre goal area by Josh Jones saw him drill a pass right across the 6 yard box but Dale Stephenson was just unable to meet the pass and another chance was just missed. Half time arrived with the score 0-0 and Llantwit who were playing their best football of the season to date must have been wondering how they had not managed to score with all the chances they had created in the first 45 minutes.

The second half began with Llantwit again taking the game to their opponents and from a corner 3 minutes into the half were unlucky not to score when a misjudged back header from a Goytre defender was cleared off his own goal line by a fellow defender. Llantwit were then nearly caught out when from a rare Goytre attack when their striker Lewis Sommers was left unmarked in the 6 yard area but luckily for Llantwit his header went over the cross bar. Llantwit were still creating chances and from a fine run into the Goytre goal area by Luke Cox saw his cross then met by Jonathan Butler at the far post but his shot across the face of the goal was again deflected for another corner. Finally, in the 68th minute Llantwit managed to convert one of the many chances they had created when a pass over the top of the Goytre defenders by Nathan Jones was met by Luke Cox just outside the Goytre goal area and after rounding the keeper his shot from wide out went into the far corner of the goals to give Llantwit a well deserved lead.

Llantwit kept up the pressure as they knew a second goal would seal the game and again the Goytre keeper pulled off another fine save from Kristian Smith in the 75th minute when he pushed away a shot from just outside the goal area for another corner to Llantwit. Goytre tried to respond and in the 82nd minute from a Goytre corner their defender headed over from 10 yards out. In the 87th minute a free kick taken by Kyran Gardner from just outside the Goytre goal area saw the Goytre keeper make yet another fine save his 5th of the game when he again deflected the ball away for a corner. Llantwit had a scare in the 88th minute when Goytre who were trying to equalise in the dying minutes saw a free kick into their goal area being met by the Goytre striker but again his header went over the cross bar. The game ended with Llantwit thoroughly deserving their first win of the season having played some very good football against their fellow Division 1 opponents.

Llantwit now return to Division 1 League action when their next game will be home to Port Talbot Town at Windmill Lane on Saturday 15th September with a 2.30 pm kick off. Please come along and support the Major.

Llantwit Major: Jack Lansdown, Jonathan Butler, Darren Robinson (capt), Glyn Davies, Kyran Gardner, Nathan Renfree (Jamie Miller 75), Nathan Jones (Mike Hartley 64), Kristian Smith, Luke Cox, Josh Jones, Dale Stephenson (Ben Cripps 58),

Substitutes not used: Jonathan Fletcher, Jake Roberts;

J. Lansdown, J. Miller, G, Davies (K. Smith 70), N. Renfree (j. Fletcher 65)

S. Williams, K. Evans, N. Jones J. Butler,

M. Hartly (L. Jones 75), B. Cripps, A. Rawlings

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