CARMARTHEN Town stretched Bangor City’s winless Welsh Premier League start to seven games after a hard-earned 2-1 win at The Book People Stadium.

Two goals early in the second half put Town in the driving seat, and although the hosts were fortuitously given a way back in with a penalty, they fell short of forcing a point.

Goalmouth action was at a premium during the opening 20 minutes,  with a Carmarthen Town penalty appeal after seven minutes the first big incident.

Tempers frayed on 16 minutes when Cortez Belle kicked Les Davies, but despite the home fans’ calls for an early bath, Icelandic official IO Kristjanssen opted for a yellow card.

City found it hard to break through the robust defence of the visitors, but did go close on 35 minutes when Jack Laird found Chris Jones, only for his shot to be saved by Lee Idzi.

At the other end, Liam Thomas curled a dangerous low shot just wide, moments before he had another effort cleared off the goal line by Declan Walker after some suspect goalkeeping under the high ball from Jack Cudworth.

Ryan Edwards forced Idzi into a near post save just before the interval, with Declan Walker heading the resultant Chris Jones corner just over the bar.

City failed to keep that momentum early in the second half as Town broke the deadlock on 50 minutes with Luke Prosser nodding in a Cortez Belle cross from close range.

The goal gave the visitors the boost they needed and after Lewis Harling fired a 25 yard piledriver just wide, they doubled their advantage on 59 minutes, when a long ball caught out City’s Joe Culshaw, and Liam Thomas latched onto possession and coolly sent Cudworth the wrong way with the finish.

The hosts looked shell-shocked and found it hard to break the visitors, until an unlikely candidate gave the hosts a glimmer of hope.

Skipper Michael Johnston slalomed between player after player, eventually finding himself in the box before being felled; Jack laird squeezed in the resultant penalty underneath Idzi.

The goal prompted a siege from the Citizens, as they pumped ball after ball into the box.

They came closest when Jack Laird had an awakward shot deflected to the far post – but Idzi gratefully clung onto the ball as the visitors rode out the storm.

Match report courtesy Tomos Hughes (North Wales Chronicle).

Photo by Andre Pepper