LLANELLI AFC 0-0 NEATH FC – League Cup Quarter Final: First Leg

And it’s all to play for at the Gnoll next Wednesday as the first leg of the League Cup quarter final at Stebonheath last night finished 0-0 between Neath FC and Llanelli AFC.

Match Report by Sam Roberts

The away side made five changes to the starting line up who had beaten Bala Town at home. Lee Trundle, Craig Hughes, Adie Harris, Kai Edwards all took a spot on the Eagles subs bench while Chris Jones served the first game of his suspension after his red card against Bala. Coming into the side for his Neath FC debut was Rhys Kelleher previously of Carmarthen Town. Also welcomed back into the starting eleven were Luke Bowen, Joe Holt, Ian Hillier and Toby Jones.

The home side began the stronger with Lee Kendall performing miracles in the Neath FC goal to keep them at bay. The former Port Talbot Town stopper firstly saved fantastically from a Chris Thomas header, and from the corner that followed the save he dived to his right to stop a Lee Surman attempt.

On 18 minutes it looked as if Kendall was going to be beaten, Rhys Griffiths looked to run onto the end of a low Ryan Batley cross only for Kendall and Griffiths to both miss the ball completely. It was a rather good opportunity for the striker to give the home side the lead and uncharacteristic of Griffiths to not finish off the well worked move. 

It was a very dominant first half display from the Reds who controlled the game well and looked very threatening in attack whilst also counter acting the pace of Luke Bowen and Toby Jones. And it was Jones who had Neath’s only real shot of note in the first half. The forward fired just wide from 20 yards.

HALF TIME: LLANELLI AFC 0-0 NEATH FC

The second half began with the Eagles looking to make a bigger mark on the game than they did in the first half. The introduction of Lee Trundle in place of Rhys Kelleher on 64 minutes did seem to have an effect on the game. The forward nearly scored with his first touch, a Joe Holt corner into the box found Trundle who poked the ball towards goal, Ashley Morris making a fine save.

Lee Kendall in the away goal was having a fantastic game but he could do nothing about Ryan Batley’s bullet header on 79 minutes. But luck was on the big keeper’s side as the attempt bounced back off the crossbar and out. Kendall deserved that piece of luck after his fine performance but his best save was yet to come as a minute later he really did perform heroics.

The ball had fallen to Rhys Griffiths on the edge of the Neath penalty box, and for once the goal threat scuffed his shot. But it rebounded straight into Matthew Collins and flew goal-wards at a real pace, it looked a certain own goal only for Kendall to somehow push the ball over the bar at an awkward angle. A superb save from what would have been a very unfortunate own goal.

Nobody would argue that the home side had controlled the game only to see a stumbling block in Kendall, as 90 minutes came onto the clock the Eagles could stolen the win only for Ashley Morris to make a great save of his own. Lee Trundle was put through one-on-one by Udo Nwoko on the left, the forward seemed to have too much time though and delayed for slightly too long, long enough for Morris to stop his left footed attempt. A winner for the away side in the last minute would have been more than unfair on a Llanelli side that had played fantastically.

FULL TIME: LLANELLI AFC 0-0 NEATH FC

The Eagles came up against a very impressive Llanelli side, and lived to survive another day. I am sure Andy Legg would have been very disappointed to not take at least a one goal lead into the game at the Gnoll next Wednesday night. A game in which is side constantly bombarded the goal of Kendall but came up short every time. Neath though can pick themselves up from this game and have confidence they can still make the semi final. They improved dramatically when Lee Trundle came onto the pitch and even though he did miss a chance at the end the forward will have definitely made a big case he should start the return leg.

Two big home games in five days follow for Neath. A home league game against Prestatyn Town on Saturday, 14:30 kickoff, and also the return leg against Llanelli, Wednesday with a kickoff time of 19:30.

My star man of the day won’t surprise anybody. This man stopped everything the league’s top scorer could throw at him, as well as every single attempt Griffiths’ team mates made. Even when his own team mate Matthew Collins had accidently deflected an attempt towards goal he was more equal to it. A fantastic performance from the Welsh Premier League legend that deserves all the plaudits he receives from the game.  My star man of the day was Lee Kendall.  

Llanelli AFC: Ashley Morris, Chris Thomas, Ryan Batley, Chris Venables, Stuart Jones, Lee Surman, Scott Evans, Antonio Corbisiero, Rhys Griffiths, Chris Holloway (Jason Bowen, 45), Craig Williams.

Subs Not Used: Craig Richards, Jordan Follows, Andy Legg, James Secker.

Yellow Cards: Chris Thomas (90) Rhys Griffiths (90)

Red Cards: None

Neath FC: Lee Kendall, Ian Hillier, Jack Lewis (Kai Edwards, 56), Luke Cummings, Matthew Rees, Matthew Collins, Joe Holt, Toby Jones, Udo Nwoko, Luke Bowen, Rhys Kelleher (Lee Trundle, 64).

Subs Not Used: Craig Hughes, Adie Harris, Kristian O’Leary, Kerry Nicholas, Laurie Marsh.

Yellow Cards: Matthew Collins (54) Matthew Rees (57)

Red Cards: None

Attendance: 134

Referee: Brian James