Football: Llangefni Town crank up campaign effort

Feb 3 2010

LLANGEFNI TOWN 5 BERRIEW 1

CYMRU ALLIANCE LEAGUE

FOUR very productive days in Llangefni's season can be built upon with victory at struggling Llangollen Town this Saturday.

Cefni followed up last Wednesday's highly impressive 3-2 NWCFA Challenge Cup success at league title rivals Flint Town United by thrashing mid-Walians Berriew at Talwrn Road at the weekend.

The latter triumph kept Lee Dixon's side within five points of leaders Flint with a game in hand and they will fancy their chances of another maximum haul when they visit third bottom Llangollen on Saturday.

Llangefni took an early lead against Berriew when Leigh Craven found the net with just seven minutes on the clock, but there were no further goals before half time.

After the break the islanders took total command, Danny Glyn Roberts making it 2-0 on 52 minutes before Marc Evans added the third goal on 56.

Neil Price briefly revived Berriew's hopes of an unlikely comeback with a 68th minute goal, but Cefni sealed it with two goals in the last 10 minutes from Kevin Lloyd and Darren Gowans.

Last Wednesday's battle at Cae-y-Castell saw the Anglesey outfit progress to the last 16 of the Challenge Cup where they now travel to fellow Cymru Alliance side Denbigh Town.

Both Flint and Llangefni rested key players but still put out strong teams. The Silkmen started well with the cross-wind against them and applied considerable aerial pressure.

Early threats from top scorer Shaun Beck were well dealt with by Cefni keeper Shaun Pearson, but after an even opening 20 minutes, Carl Hodgens headed the hosts in front from a corner.

Undaunted, Llangefni kept to their game plan and on 35 minutes Kev Roberts sent a wide right ball to Kevin Lloyd, who turned his man only to be felled in the box. Roberts stepped up to confidently put the spot-kick away.

Pearson pulled off a top drawer save from a dipping shot to ensure it remained 1-1 at the changeover.

With the wind in their faces in the second period, Cefni began to get the ball down and pass it around.

But things went against the visitors when Marc Evans was hauled down, only for the free-kick to be given the other way, and from a quick break Beck put the Deesiders 2-1 up.

Llangefni rallied to no avail, until in the 93rd minute a corner was cleared to Ywain Gwynedd whose superb 25-yard half-volley flew into the net to force extra time.

In added time Pearson produced a remarkable fingertip save from Beck and as play wore on into the second period, penalties looked likely, only for Warren Gibbs to rise high and nod Cefni's winner from a flag-kick.

There was still time for Pearson to concoct another stupendous save in injury time to ensure the visitors progressed after a thrilling tie.

Saturday’s Llangollen v Llangefni match will be the first clash between the teams this season. They were due to meet at Talwrn Road back in November but an unfit pitch caused a postponement.