Seth Evans hat-trick inspires Ruthin Town Colts to hard-fought victory

NORTH EAST WALES LEAGUE RESERVE DIVISION 2

Ruthin Town Colts 4 (Evans 3, Lloyd-Thomas)
Coedpoeth United Development 2 (Lloyd 2)

A proper wet and wintery day saw the Colts welcome a Coedpoeth side which sat only three points behind them despite playing three games less than their hosts.
Jimmy McNally’s youngsters were aware they would face a well-drilled side, who only last season had absolutely dismantled them in a pre campaign fixture.
The Colts knew they’d have to start fast and be positive from the off, and in fairness, after some fantastic football saw themselves ahead through Seth Evans, with only seven minutes played. Ben Jellicoe provided the superb assist from the flank after some neat build-up play.
The visitors, rallied, with a cry of calm from their veteran player Kevin Breeze, who looked to settle the Coedpoeth side.
Ruthin looked to build on their early lead, and were buoyed by their start, going two-up up on 16 minutes, with Seth Evans again on target, this time with in form midfield maestro Daniel Jones providing the assist.
The game had barely settled down when Ruthin incredibly added a third. This time, Aron Evans’ cross found the head of Morgan Lloyd-Thomas, who netted his first ever senior goal, and the visitors looked shell-shocked to find themselves 3-0 down after only 22 minutes.
Ruthin then looked to have scored a fourth. Aron Evans turned in celebration after his effort beat the away stopper, Mykel Woollett, but the referee claimed the ball had not crossed the line. It was hard to make the call in fairness to the match official, but Woollett later stated that even he had felt it was a goal.
It wasn’t all one-way though, Coedpoeth played some nice football, and posed a threat down the right hand side, with left back Isac Gwyn finding himself embroiled in a battle with Adam Thomas, and Josh Partington giving Gwydion Lloyd problems down the left hand side.
Young custodian Llywelyn Fitzsimon pulled off some nice saves and provided great handling from crosses to keep a clean sheet into the break.
HT 3-0

The second half started with a bang for Coedpoeth, with Adam Lloyd scoring a screamer within three minutes of the restart, letting the young hosts know that this game was far from over.
Fitzsimon managed to make a couple of brilliant saves to keep the game at 3-1, before Harri Austin launched a ball forward, for Seth Evans to latch on to and despatch beautifully for his hat-trick – and give the hosts a three-goal cushion again.
The game looked to be phasing out, but Adam Lloyd again was clinical,and made it 4-2 to set up a nervy finale.
Coedpoeth pushed to punish Ruthin, who had gone into their shell in the final 10 minutes after the second away goal, and Fitzsimon pulled off an absolutely massive save to deny a cliff hanging end to the game,