LLANGEFNI KEEPER PREVENTS TOTAL ROUT
SAINTS moved smoothly into the last 16 of the Welsh Cup, but Llangefni's goalkeeper, Richard Harvey, prevented a total rout with a man of the match performance. The former Porthmadog stopper produced a string of fine saves that enabled the Cymru Alliance outfit to leave Treflan with pride intact. The gulf in class had been apparent from as early as the second minute, when Jamie Wood found Martyn Naylor in acres of space on the right. His cross was returned across goal by Scott Ruscoe, for David Bridgwater to head home at the far post. Wilde missed a great chance to double Saints' lead when he blazed over from five yards after Holmes and Wood had combined on the left to set-up the chance. Harvey then denied Bridgwater from a free kick after 25 minutes with a good save to his left, before Llangefni rocked TNS with a shock equaliser. After good work by Aled Owen and Alan Jones, Nigel Barry swept a great shot from just inside the box past Dean Williams and into the far corner. The home side created several chances before Aggrey was brought down 20 yards out and Scott Ruscoe sent a curling free kick round the wall to give Harvey no chance. The keeper produced another great stop after Naylor's shot was deflected, to keep the Anglesey men in the game at the break. But the roof fell in soon after the restart as TNS scored twice in three minutes. King's cross from the left was headed in by Wood at the far post and Ruscoe then grabbed his second with a well taken shot from 12 yards, after Wilde and Bridgwater had worked the opening from Aggrey's long clearance. The Llangefni keeper could hardly be blamed for any of the goals and twice saved well from former England U-16 international, Steven Beck, who gave a cameo performance after being introduced on the hour. Wood had a 'goal' ruled out for offside but Saints' fifth goal duly arrived in the 78th minute after Brabin and Wilde put Ward through to net from 10 yards. Ward should have added number six in the final minute, but he somehow missed a yawning goal-mouth from close range. Llangefni battled bravely throughout and both Jason Saddler and Jason Roberts shot wide during rare second half attacks. |