TWO weeks ago Carmarthen opened their Cymru South League home programme with a very disappointing defeat against Llantwit Major.
They returned to Richmond Park to face Taffs Well, a team that had finished the previous season (2019-20) close to the relegation places.
However, if the faithful gathering of Town supporters were hoping to see a much improved performance from their side leading to a comfortable victory then sadly, despite creating a number of scoring opportunities, that never materialized.
The match began brightly with both sides breaking forward at every opportunity – yet with the defences looking quite comfortable under pressure there was no early threat to either goal.
However after 7 minutes the Old Gold went close to opening the scoring when ‘keeper Scott James launched a huge clearance upfield which reached Liam Thomas deep inside the penalty area – Town’s top all-time goal-scorer, from a very sharp angle, struck a fierce drive which clipped the base of the post before a defender cleared the ball to safety.
Then on 12 minutes the visitors responded when a fine pass from midfield set Jan Maertins free just inside the penalty area – but while his smart strike flew beyond James’ reach, the ball went just wide of the post.
Soon afterwards Town again went near to taking the lead – Kieran Howard, from the right flank, sent a searching free-kick into the packed goalmouth where Lee Surman rose highest and saw his powerful close-range header take a slight deflection before ‘keeper Eddie King managed to claim the ball on the goal-line.
For the remainder of the first-half the match continued as an open, end-to-end affair conducted at a fast pace on Richmond Park’s accommodating 3G surface. Carmarthen’s experienced midfielders Greg Walters and Howard were particularly influential in driving the hosts forward at every opportunity but despite the impressive pace and movement of strikers Thomas and Noah Daley they were unable to penetrate the visitors’ defence, in which Lathan Garrett excelled, in any meaningful way.
After the interval the same pattern of play quickly emerged yet the Old Gold created the better early chances. On 52 minutes Walters fired an inviting cross to the edge of the penalty area where Dion Phillips struck a smart drive which King expertly turned over the bar.
Shortly afterwards Tom Dyson, from the right flank, sent his free-kick into the packed goalmouth but saw Daley contrive to fire his close-range shot too high. And then Daley once more failed to find the back of the net when his 20 yard strike was deflected over the bar by a defender.
Then Taffs Well responded and went close to taking the lead in the 61st minute when Jamie Owen drifted in from the left-wing to the corner of the penalty area before releasing a delightful curling shot that defeated James only for the ball to strike the post and bounce safely away.
Moments later it seemed inevitable that the visitors would score when Maertins found himself in clear space well inside the penalty area with only James to beat – however Surman, arriving with immaculate timing, produced a remarkable sliding tackle and cleared the ball to safety.
That was just one of many instances already this season when Carmarthen have been thankful for the presence of the burgeoning central defensive partnership of Surman and Lewis Rocke – a partnership of contrasts. The pairing of the highly experienced Surman, so powerful in the tackle and in aerial challenges, alongside Rocke, not long out of the youth set-up but positionally alert and quick on the ground, is working well – so far.
The Old Gold were soon putting the opposition defence under pressure once more – on 69 minutes Jordan Vickers sprinted along the right-wing before firing the ball invitingly into the goalmouth where Daley’s close-range effort was comfortably claimed by King.
From there on the match drifted along to its almost inevitable goal-less conclusion with neither side managing any worthwhile scoring opportunities.
Carmarthen’s next fixture is away against near neighbours Llanelli Town on Frida, August 20, k/o 7.30pm; then the following fixture is against Goytre United at Richmond Park, on Tuesday, August 24, k/o 7.30pm. Both are Cymru South League matches.
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