A second win over Llanelli within a week is the ideal start to 2012 for the Eagles

In truth, even before Morris`s dismissal the visitors could well have found themselves trailing by a far greater margin other than Lee Trundle`s superb 8^th minute strike, as the home side failed to capitalise on a number of gilt-edged chances.

     The Reds welcomed back Lee Surman in central defence after his home suspension against Neath, but both Ashley Evans and Scott Evans were absent from midfield, and they found themselves chasing the game early on when a clearance only found Trundle some thirty yards from goal, and he despatched a delightful volley which flew past a despairing Morris.

     This success set the pattern for the remainder of the first period with the Eagles playing some attractive one-touch football, forcing their opponents on to the back foot for much of the time.

     It seemed almost inevitable we would extend our lead, but Surman brought off a saving tackle on Chris Jones when he threatened to pull the trigger, while Bowen wastefully blasted over the top when Trundle played him in on the edge of the box.

 The same two players were involved again with Morris on this occasion denying Jones, while he got down safely to gather another low drive from Bowen.

     A rare Reds attack led to Rhys Griffiths firing just over the bar, while there were loud appeals for a penalty by the visitors when a Chris Thomas cross appeared to strike the hand of a Neath defender, but their only reward was a corner kick.

     Williams directed a low free kick towards the home goal, forcing Kerry Nicholas to push it around the upright, but it all went pear-shaped for the Reds in the closing five minutes of the half.

     It all stemmed from a ball by Jones which sent Bowen clear, and he made inroads into the area and was bearing down on goal before Morris flung himself at his feet causing him to crash to the ground, and referee Bryn Markham-Jones had no hesitation in brandishing the red card at the Reds keeper while awarding the home side a spot kick.

     There was a delay while Williams took over in goal, but he had little hope of keeping out the powerfully driven penalty by Jones on 44 minutes, ensuring the Eagles went in at the break with a two goal cushion.

      Comprehensively outplayed in the first half and with their numerical disadvantage, the visitors must have been fearing the worst after the restart, but to their credit they at last began to assert themselves and display far more of the style of which they are capable, and the home side were to a large extent confined to the occasional chance.

     Trundle saw his shot on the turn from close range produce a great catch by Williams on the line, but Chris Venables had an opportunity to reduce the deficit when Griffiths set him up but took too long over the shot, allowing the defensive cover to do its job and Nicholas eventually gathered.

     At the other end, Williams produced another save to deny Bowen, pushing his fierce near post shot around the upright, and when Antonio Corbisiero lofted a free kick into the box, the loose ball was met by Martyn Giles but his attempt went narrowly over.

     An offside flag denied Griffiths when he did get the ball into the net from a Corbisiero assist, but the game ended with Neath full value for the three points to consign their opponents to their first back-to-back defeats of the season.

                                                        MATCH STATS.

     NEATH;   Nicholas; Cummings; Lewis; Edwards ©; Rees; Collins; Chris Jones; Harris;

                     Bowen; Trundle; Morgan (Preen (21); Toby Jones (85); Subs. not used;

                    Hillier; Hughes; Wood; Marsh; Whatley.

     LLANELLI; Morris; Thomas; Jones ©; Surman; Grist (Giles, 71); Venables; Corbisiero;

                        Bowen (Holloway, 51); Griffiths; Moses; Williams; Subs. not used; Llewellyn;

                        Follows; Bond; Houlihan.

     SCORERS;    Neath – Trundle, 8; Chris Jones (P), 44.

     YELLOW CARDS;   Neath – Harris; Preen.

                                    Llanelli – Surman; Holloway; Thomas.

     RED CARD;           Llanelli – Morris.

     LLANELLI STAR MAN;   Stuart Jones.

     REFEREE; Mr. Bryn Markham-Jones (Wrexham).