Neyland avenged their recent 3-0 midweek home defeat to Hakin United 2nds by winning 2-0 at the Observatory ground in a game which was an excellent advert for Pembrokeshire League Division 2 football, on Saturday (Sep 14).
With little wind and a warming sun both teams endeavoured to play football, with chances created throughout in the attacking areas, visiting captain Mike Chandler orchestrating his musicians from central midfield alongside an impressive performance from teenager Dylan James, who took every opportunity to drive forward with ambition combining seamlessly with wideman Mason Morgans-Hurley.
It was a hard fought but fair encounter in the centre of the park, Hakins Leon Letherby the fulcrum for the poise and penetration from his side, where the Nomads back four of Jack John, Lewis Page, Sean Hannon and Theo Davies defended as a unit. Teenagers Corey Riley, Bobby Jenkins, Ethan Dawes, Henry Mayhew and Evan Rutherford probed relentlessly from Letherby’s vision, visiting goalkeeper Oliver Vaughan-Harries a commanding presence between the sticks despite his ‘boy band’ youthful looks.
After a goalless first half Neyland central midfielder Aidan Rees drew a foul twenty five yards from the Hakin goal ten minutes into the second period, the man of the match then delivering a perfect free kick for veteran Hannon to bravely meet the ball with his head to put it firmly beyond the advancing home goalkeeper, Josh Lewis, to break the deadlock.
The Vikings manager Mathew Howell responded immediately as Geroge Wheeler replaced an impressive Jenkins and Tom Edmonds, who arrived from Merlins Bridge this season replaced the skilful Riley on the left wing, epitomising the home sides mantra of trying to win the game, which saw them play a higher line up field. The final ball in transition and the Nomads back five kept the score at 1-0, the young visiting goalkeeper superbly turning a goal bound drive from Letherby around his post on 75 minutes.
The third home substitute with fifteen minutes to play, saw another youngster enter the field of play, Tommy Powells adding ingenuity as his side as he tried to find the elusive equaliser, Howells changing his formation as he withdrew Sam Houston, to having three defenders holding the line.
It evoked a response from Nomads manager Gavin Rowland who used all his experience to move players around positions as they tired, substitute Jo Campondonic had replaced frontman Ben Gale after the youngster led the line with aplomb against a well marshalled defence led by skipper Tom Evans, his fellow full back Lewis Llewellin and commanding centre halves, Garin Gardiner and Houston, before his withdrawal. Campondonic’s introduction to the fray gave the visitors the midfield energy they required, as the game thundered into the final quarter.
As the game anything but ebbed into added time, Referee Jonathan Twigg played an advantage for Neyland down the left wing and the ball was played through by Campondonic for the man of the match Rees to find Lazarus type energy to stay ahead of Gardiner. Rees composed himself to bury the ball with his right foot beyond and advancing Lewis, at the Gelliswick Bay end in the eight minute of added time, before the final whistle was greeted with euphoric cheers from the Nomads black and white army of supporters, a minute later.
Both sides have ten points from their opening five games, three points adrift of leaders Camrose who visit the Observatory Ground next Saturday (Sep 21). Rowlands will hope to have a full complement to players after twenty were unavailable across the Club for the weekend fixtures, as he looks ahead to a home game at the Athletic Ground to Carew Reserves.
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