Caerwys Reserves v Llandudno Junction Reserves

Today was the start of a series of four away fixtures for the lads and the first time we had faced this Caerwys side. With the usual Friday night phone calls being a little later than usual due to work commitments and a late home furnishing shopping trip to LL30 land some of the lads were worried if the performance they had put in the week previous had got them shelved for this week’s fixture. With the first team desperate for some quality Evo said they wanted Hobbo to go with them this week, although this was disappointing for the reserves it makes us feel proud that since the start of the season SIX players from last season and the beginning of this one have found themselves playing for the first team, so with Hobbo off to the first team, Matt’s one match ban and along with work commitments this week the squad was as follows: -

Mike Hughes

Sion Watson, Scott Jones, Aaron Jones MOM, Matt Hunt 1

Chris Lloyd, Nathan Watson © Danny Parry 1, Chris Darbey 1

Ross Stevens 4 and Craig Evans 1

James Lyons 1 on for Chris Darbey

Chris Chapman on for Chris Lloyd

 With the boys changed and out of their pink garments, the game got under way, just to explain the Captain had decided to try and generate more money into the player’s pool by informing all players that they must wear one item of clothing that was pink in colour. Only Scott failed to turn up wearing anything that could be remotely passed off as pink, so this week only £2 was put in the pot.
Now back to the game, it was obvious in the opening minutes of this game that Caerwys were lacking in pace at the back and this was highlighted in the 3rd minute when the ball was played forward with some pace which Ross chased after and left the defence for dead only for the keeper to come out and clear. One minute later Scott controlled a difficult ball well, then turned inside but also into trouble, which he lost and Caerwys ended up shooting goal wards, which was deflected, for a corner. The swirling conditions didn’t help the players as the ball was very hard to judge and moving about quite a bit in the air, when Caerwys were awarded a corner they whipped it in with lots of pace but Mike punched well and cleared his box.
 In the 14th minute we played some decent football and when Nathan was given a free header in the middle of the park, he picked out Ross who passed to Darbey who crossed which Ross controlled, turned and shot but his effort was blocked but Beef got hold of the ball and with a fierce drive found the back of the net, 0-1. The Caerwys team kept presenting the lads with the ball and when Mike knocked a hopeful ball forwards Ross headed out to Darbs who drilled a hard shot goal wards but was denied by the keeper. Another indecisive moment in the Caerwys defence saw a poorly attempted back pace be intercepted by Ross who rounded the keeper and slotted home 0-2. Another gift from Caerwys saw us go on the attack again, when Ross picked up the ball went on a run and with a nice little flick inside left the defence flat footed and Nathan should have made it 3 nil after having two bites of the cherry as they say. This was soon forgotten as we witnessed the best passage of play, which was started with Scott who played out from the back then found Danny who had time to turn and pick out Nathan who instantly found Darbey on the left hand side of the pitch who controlled neatly and threaded the ball through to Ross who opened his body and passed the ball into the net 0-3.
Caerwys went on the attack and when the ball was played to their number 10 who quickly turned Scott, but their number 10 was sent to the ground by a late tackle, which put a stop to the attack. Lloydy then went on one of his runs and played a good one – two with Beef then passed to Ross who took the ball into the corner and play the ball back to Lloydy who waited for Ross to get in a better position and then released a clever little ball which resulted in Ross hitting a shot just wide. Sion started our next attack by putting in a cracking tackle just inside our half then played a great ball to Ross who then clipped the ball to Beef whose shot was blocked but the ball bounced to Darbey who slotted home to make it 0-4. As we had obviously put last week’s disappointment behind us, we attacked at will and in the 40th minute the referee stopped yet another attack by blowing his whistle strangely for half time, so the first half finished 0-4 in our favour.

Although we were 4 nil up we hadn’t played any where near what we were capable of, so we needed to get the point across that he ball had to be played a lot more on the floor and our football and pace would gain us more goals with this we should stay focused and keep our discipline and try and keep a clean sheet. The second half began very slowly and after a bout of poor football we created a chance when Darbs crossed into the box, Lloydy tried to get on the end of it but their keeper managed to clear the ball. In the 59th minute Scott took control of the ball and played a good ball to Lloydy who controlled the ball and ran at the Caerwys defence then he pulled the ball back to Nath who switched the ball to Darbs who delivered a first time ball into the box but Lloydy just failed to get on the end of it. Caerwys then attacked down the left hand side but were denied when the referee judged their number 10 to be offside. Sion then played a ball to Ross who clipped a nice little ball to Darbs who cut inside and shot straight at the keeper.
Then came a bit of Caerwys pressure where for several minutes we couldn’t get hold of the ball, they took a quick throw in which their number 9 controlled then he turned sharply but shot just wide, Caerwys were much better and managed to create an opportunity were they crossed into the box but a free header was put wide, then in the 75th minute Caerwys had a great shot saved superbly by Mike. This seemed to spur us into action and Mike knocked the ball long towards Beef who held off his marker well then laid the ball off to Danny who shot low and hard but was denied by their keeper. Again the ball found its way back to Mike who again delivered a great kick this time to find Ross who headed into Darbey’s path who but he could only shoot into the side netting. Our play was more purposeful and we were creating more and more chances as we were preparing to make a change or two Ross managed to gain some space and get his hatrick to make it 0-5. The football was now much better and when Darbey collected the ball on the half way line, he ran to the dead ball line and knocked a great cross to Lloydy who passed to Ross who netted his fourth of the game to make it 0-6. With this we brought on James Lyons and Chris Chapman for their senior debuts and it wasn’t before long that Lyons was celebrating his debut with a goal this was slotted home with his first touch and the score line stretched to 0-7.
Then in the 87th minute the ball was knocked forward, which Nathan headed side ways into Mathew’s path which he flicked over the defender and smashed home to make it 0-8. Caerwys managed to get into our half and with a good bit of play they created some space but this was wasted when they shot well wide. In the dying minutes we were awarded a free kick just outside of their box, which Scott was clever enough to slot into the feet of Ross who controlled well but he was clattered and we were awarded a penalty, after some fun and games Danny got hold of the ball and coolly slotted home to make it 0-9.

On a cold, windy Saturday afternoon nine goals were a warm welcome, the football wasn’t the best but the finishing was of the highest order and another three points on the road was a good start to a tough run of fixtures. Next Saturday we travel to Aston Park where we will be tested to the limit, hopefully we will be up to the test and gain another 3 points away from home.