 |
|
Match reports
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CITY V NEATH
3 MARCH 2012
MIKE SMITH'S MATCH REPORT
 Bangor were well beaten by a slick Neath side who from the kick off outpassed and outplayed City with midfielder Joe Holt and Lee Trundle to the fore.
The first chance came when Lee Trundle turned on the edge of the box but his low shot was turned away at the foot of the upright by Lee Idzi. But on four minutes Neath did find the net when Luke Bowen turned home Jack Lewis's left wing cross. Two minutes later Michael Johnston was yellow carded for a lunge on Holt which was something and nothing.
On nine minutes loud appeals for a handball against Matty Collins in the box from the City fans behind the "Farrar End" but Referee Morgan waved play on. Lee Idzi had to dive at the feet of Toby Jones as Neath's neat passing play opened up the blues defence.
Bangor's first real threat came on 18 minutes from Peter Hoy's long throw from the right, half cleared and crossed from the right by Dave Morley but Les Davies's header was comfortable for Lee Kendall, who was excellent throughout. It would be misleading to opt for Kendall as Neath's outstanding player but his willingness to come for every cross put a huge dampener on City's hopes.
Another penalty shout by the home fans for a push on Chris Jones was waved away and his namesake in black raced clear but Lee Idzi saved. A corner followed which Lee Trundle fired goalwards but Brewerton blocked. Les Davies clashed with Joe Holt on half way, the hairy little battler might have seen red for a two footed lunge but a yellow was shown instead. Lucky boy.
Ten men for the remaining 70 minutes might have yielded a different outcome. On 25 minutes a fierce strike from Peter Hoy was pushed over by Lee Kendall who then overstretched from the corner and conceded a second. But on the half hour Luke Bowen side footed his second as Lee Trundle passed to Toby Jones whose back heel invited a low finish from the former Port Talbot striker.
With just five minutes to go Luke Cummings crossed from the right and Toby Jones capped a fine first half with a sweet volley into the roof of the Bangor net. Bangor won their sixth and final corner of the first period, Chris Jones croosed but Kyle Wilson fired just over, but in reality it was Neath's half and the whistle couldnt come soon enough. What could or would Nev Powell and Marc Limbert say?
HALF TIME 3-0
At the interval Bangor made a double change as Craig Garside and Mark Smyth came on for Dave Morley and Sion Edwards. As far as the second period went it worked - City fought back - but not enough to change the outcome and prevent the visitors from taking the points back to The Gnoll.
City struck back two minutes after the restart. Peter Hoy's long throw from the right Les Davies hooked home left footed from eight yards with Lee Kendall for once silent and still. Immediately Bangor won a corner on the left, Kendall punched as far as Damien Allen but his shot was cleared. Moments later Kendall cleared with his feet and then Kyle Wilson lofted well over from twenty yards.
Bangor forced a couple of corners, Jamie Brewerton headed narrowly wide at the back post. Lee Trundle broke down the right but his left footer hit the post, then Luke Bowen shot on target but Chris Roberts blocked on the line. Meanwhile Jamie Brewerton lay prone on half way - no one else involved - after turning awkwardly. Kyle Wilson turned but lifted over from six yards.
By now Neath and in particular Kendall had timewasting on their mind. Bangor took the corner count up to ten but Kendall came and claimed or punched effectively. By now Trundle by name was trundle by nature, the game touch more stretched, the Neath midfield deeper and less supportive.
City sent on Eddie Jebb for Chris Jones on seventy minutes, with Toby Jones likewise for Craig Hughes four minutes later. Bangor won a couple more corners but again Kendall, aided by the shaven headed Matthew Rees, cleared. One blues supporter betrayed his age with a "c'mon Kojak" shout at Rees who probably wondered what he was talking about!
Prompted by Damien Allen and substitute Garside the home side pressed but did not quite threaten enough. With twelve minutes left Cummings was yellow carded for booting the ball out of the ground. Another corner and captain Jamie Brewerton headed over as time began to ebb away. Kerry Morgan came on for goalscorer Bowen, then after Les Davies had been climbed all over Mark Smyth fired into the side netting.
With three minutes left Jamie Brewerton clashed with substititute Morgan, both needed treatment but once he stood up Brewerton was shown a red card before Morgan was stretchered off.
Referee Morgan added ten minutes but played five as Neath celebrated an impressive victory. The dozen or so Eagles supporters swelled by the friends and parents of North Walians trio Edwards, Lewis and Toby Jones.
4 March 2012
|
|
|
|
