FAW Reserves Central round-up: Roberts fires winner for Dolgellau against new boys

DOLGELLAU Athletic Reserves secured a narrow 1-0 win against their Hay St Mary’s counterparts, who were making their FAW Reserves Central debut on Saturday afternoon.

The Breconshire hosts had previously plied their trade in the Watson Financial Mid Wales League (South), having defeated champions Newcastle to lift the League Cup in May, but had now changed leagues following the first team’s promotion to tier three of the Welsh pyramid.

The visitors had made the long journey south with only 12 players in their squad and the Saints were hopeful that they could benefit from the lack of personnel in their opponent’s ranks.

It was the hosts who had the first clear goal scoring opportunity in the third minute when Ricky Lynes headed over from a deep free-kick played into the Dolgellau Athletic penalty area.

Dol responded 13 minutes later when Ioan Hughes saw his 25-yard free kick fly narrowly wide of Alex Horsley’s goal before Harri Davies went close with a low 20-yard effort in the 18th minute.

Hay St Mary’s defender Gabriel Moor saw his 20-yard free kick deflected for a corner six minutes later before the visiting Wasps finally opened the scoring in the 26th minute.

Ioan Roberts ran on to a well-timed through ball from Wasps’ captain Darryn Jones before squeezing it past Horsley in the host’s goal despite the efforts of a couple of defenders attempting to clear the ball off the line.

The hosts looked to respond to this setback, with Ed Walkden picking up the ball and driving towards the penalty area in the 34th minute, but seeing his low 25-yard strike fizz the wrong side of Darren Andrews’ goal.

Home manager Jwil Hewitt knew that his team had plenty of work to do after the break, particularly in front of goal, if they were going to collect anything from their opening encounter of the campaign.

Summer signing James Jeffreys, who arrived at Forest Road from Brecon Corries, went close with an effort from the edge of the penalty area five minutes following the restart.

Dolgellau Athletic responded in the 59th minute with skipper Jones seeing his low 25-yard shot fly narrowly wide of the target as the Saints struggled at times to make an impact in the attacking third of the pitch.

The closest that the Saints came to levelling the scores was when a 20-yard free kick was played short to Moore in the 71st minute and his fierce drive was parried before an ensuing close-range header from Daniel Cornish was turned over the crossbar by Andrews from point blank range.

The visiting Wasps came close to causing an even greater nuisance of themselves five minutes later, after Horsley came out of his penalty area to clear the ball, but was nearly beaten by Ioan Roberts’ attempted lob that drifted narrowly wide of the unguarded goal.

Player of the match Hughes had another good opportunity to double his tally in the 82nd minute.

The Dolgellau Athletic forward saw his driving run come to an end by a well-timed challenge but Hughes managed to get off the turf and fire a shot narrowly wide of goal.

Moore tried his luck with a 25-yard free kick in stoppage time, but could only find the arms of Andrews, as the visitors headed back to Meirionnydd with all three points on the opening day of the season.

• Bow Street began their defence of the title when they welcomed a strengthened Llanuwchllyn to Cae Piod on Saturday.

Iolo ap Dafydd gave the Magpies an early lead from the penalty spot with Iolo Jones equalising for the visitors on the stroke of half time.

Both teams had opportunities to win the game, but a draw was a fair reflection of proceedings in the end.

It was the same scoreline in the other game played with Thomas Evans 55th minute strike for Llandrindod Wells being cancelled out by Kejan Foryszewski’s equaliser for Builth Wells moments later.