North Wales Coast Reserve League – Pen nine clear after Bont win, Nefyn also triumph

NORTH WALES COAST RESERVE LEAGUE – MATCHES PLAYED DECEMBER 4-5

Penmaenmawr Phoenix Reserves 3 (Troy Crompton Yates, Joe Williams, Cameron West)
Bontnewydd Reserves 2 (Terry Watkinson, Ianto ap Rhun)

Phoenix stretched their lead at the summit to nine points as they made it seven wins in nine matches with this success over Bontnewydd.

Before kick off, Pen were 12 points clear of their visitors but Bont had four games in hand, so both sides knew this was an important fixture.

Penmaenmawr started on the front foot and Bont struggled to cope with the high press from the off.

In the second minute Grady Walding played a through ball that found Troy Crompton Yates, who finished calmly past young on rushing keeper Jack Lindley.

It was looking like Phoenix had picked up where they left off last week in the second half against Nefyn, totally dominating play and creating a number of chances.

Darren Hughes hit the crossbar in the 25th minute.

The Phoenix pressure paid off in the 31st minute after a passage of play where every home player touched the ball.

It was worked through to Joe Williams who made no mistake, firing into the roof of the net from just inside the box.

Half time Penmaenmawr 2 Bontnewydd 0

After the break the Phoenix started slow and this young Bontnewydd team needed no encouragement.

In the 51st minute they won a corner which resulted in Terry Watkinson scoring direct from the set-piece.

Bontnewydd continued to press and looked to yank themselves back into the game, but it was Penmaenmawr who got the next and most important goal of the contest.

In the 56th minute Harry Benjamin was fouled on the right hand side, Hughes delivered a delightful cross into the box and Pen’s big centre-half Cameron West rose above everyone to score with his head.

Three minutes later Bontnewydd’s Ianto ap Rhun picked the ball up on the halfway line and after a fine solo run finished well from outside the box.

Midfielder Morgan Roberts had entered the field of play and it was from here Phoenix dominated possession and did not allow the Caernarfon-area visitors any more chances. Final score 3-2.

Llangoed and District Reserves 1 (Boyes 21)
Nefyn United Reserves 3 (Trenholme 22, Thornicroft 69, G Roberts pen 90+1)

Despite going a goal down at Tyddyn Paun, Nefyn fought back to win and edge up to second.

Robert Boyes handed the Anglesey hosts a 21st minute lead, but soon after Carwyn Trenholme levelled and it was 1-1 at half time.

Lionel Thornicroft put the Penwaig ahead for the first time on 69 minutes and Guto Roberts settled it with an injury time penalty.

Pwllheli Reserves 2 (Roberts-Jones 54, J Williams 82)
Llanrug United Reserves 2 (R Jones 66 S Griffiths 86)

Visitors Llanrug twice came back from a goal down to clinch a point at the Rec.

After a blank first half, Iwan Roberts-Jones edged Pwllheli in front on 54 minutes.

Ryan Jones equalised after 66, but eight minutes from time Jac Williams nudged the hosts back into the lead.

Four minutes from the end, Sam Griffiths made it two apiece.