Holywell Town 2-1 Llanrhaeadr YM

The Wellmen started brightly and won an early free kick, Sam Jones takes and the ball lofted into the area and flicked on by a Llanrhaeadr defender for a corner, and from the corner, Matthew Kendrick’s looping header falls over the crossbar and onto the roof of the net.
Llanrhaeadr’s first attack saw Marc Griffiths shoot which was blocked, then shortly afterwards, matthew Evans fired wide of Andy Metcalf’s left hand post. Tony Roebuck then went on a run through the middle and was fouled by Joe Vaughan, and from the resulting free kick, Sam Jones’ free kick into the box found the head of Connor Litler but his flick on went wide of the post. Then a good move saw Matthew Cole cross he ball low into the box and the on-rushing Sam Jones was unlucky not to get a good touch on the ball and steered the ball past the post.
Sam Jones then shot slightly over the crossbar before the ball went up the other end and Khytam Wytton saw his shot saved by Metcalf. Another good move down the left saw Wytton get to the byline, but his low cross was intercepted by Matty Kendrick, who fed the ball out to Sam Jones before he was brought down by Dan Weaver who picked up the first caution of the afternoon. Town then won a corner and the ball came out to Jon Jones, and his lay off to Lee Davey saw him fire in a shot which was deflected by the Llanrhaeadr Centre back and took the pace out of the ball and it was easily gathered by Connor Lee with Damien Ketley putting him under pressure. Connor Littler then forced the Lee into a good save, and he was able to gather at the second attempt with Ketley looking for the loose ball.
With minutes remaining in the first half, the visitors won a corner and Wytton saw his header flash past Metcalf’s left hand post, and the score remained goaless at half time.
The second half got underway and wioth a minute on the clock, Town won a free kick on the edge of the box. Sam Jones stood over it and his free kick flew into the top corner with the goalkeeper beaten, and the Wellmen were in the lead. The goal lifted Town, and a minute later, another good move saw Ketley run into the box before being brought down and the referee pointed straight to the spot. Up Stepped Sam Jones and he fired in the penalty to increase Town’s lead.
Llanraeadr YM looked to get back into the game and with an hour on the clock, Khytam was tackled in the box by Mathew Harvey and the referee pointed to the spot, and Iwan Matthews pulled one back for the visitors to make it 2-1.
Littler was then brought down a few meters from the penalty area, and Sam Jones drove the resulting free kick into the wall and it was cleared, before a great cross by Cole saw Littler inches away from connecting to head the ball goalwards. Ketley then went on a good run down the right, beating 3 defenders before laying the ball off to Davey but his shot was blocked, then Llanrhaeadr had two good chances to equalise, firstly Dan Kelly’s header was cleared off the line by Matthew Cole, then Matthews headed over the bar from a corner.
In the closing minutes, the visitors Dan Graham broke clear and his effort was blocked by a last ditch tackle by Matthew Kendrick and the ball went out for a corner. Deep into injury time, the ball fell to Llanrhaeadr’s Iwan Matthews, and his shot was saved brilliantly by Andy Metcalf to keep the score at 2-1 to the Wellmen. A tense few minutes prevailed until the referee blew for full time and the Wellmen got their first win of the season. Great battling performance and we are now up and running………