LLANGOLLEN TOWN 0
LLANGEFNI TOWN 4
SEVEN days after being hit by a late sickener, an early goal knocked Llangollen Town out of their stride at home to Cymru Alliance high-flyers Llangefni.
Mike Garrod’s late spot kick denied Gareth Lloyd’s side a point in the home tussle with Ruthin Town at the end of January – but against the title-chasing Anglesey side, it was two strikes in the opening 25 minutes that effectively put pay to the home side’s hopes.
While Llangefni were impressed by the setting on their first ever trip to Tower Fields, that was the only bit of kindness they showed their hosts!
From the off Llangefni meant business as they pushed forward at pace and on three minutes a deep cross fell to Ywain Gwynedd, who rifled home to put the visiting side one-up.
That was the worst possible start for Llangollen, and Llangefni were to have the better of play in the opening period.
Pressure continued on the home side’s backline as Llangefni utilised plenty of width in the first half and they looked to stretch their league with Marc Evans, Darren Gowans and the returning Darren Thomas all having opportunities.
Llangefni also forced a flurry of corners and as the pressure mounted, the visitors doubled their advantage.
Robbie Williams released Marc Evans, who sidestepped his man to lay a superb ball out wide right to Darren Gowans.
He then produced a delicate far post cross that the inrushing Danny Glyn Roberts gleefully headed home.
While Llangollen were down at this point, they were far from out and they were handed a glimmer of hope of forging a second half comeback when Llangefni were reduced to 10 men.
Robbie Williams picked up a yellow card following a tackle and then was given a second booking for a reaction to a challenge.
This resulted in a tweak in the Llangefni formation for the second period and just a minute after the restart, the islanders found themselves three goals to the good.
Good work down the wide right by Steven Kehoe gave Danny Glyn Roberts the chance to get the ball into the dangerzone, and from his fine centre Marc Evans guided a header in for goal number three.
The best was left until last as Llangefni completed the match in some style.
It was Marc Evans who instigated the fourth goal with a dozen minutes left to play, taking the aerial route to chip the ball into the net from all of 45 yards.
Llangollen did create a couple of late opportunities to bag a consolation, but there was to be no way through as Llangefni closed the gap on league leaders Flint down to just three points.
It is the lower reaches that is taking Llangollen’s attention at present and they really need to start to string together some positive results if they’re Cymru Alliance stay is to stretch beyond one season.
The latest loss - Llangollen’s 11th of the season – saw Gareth Lloyd’s side slip into the Cymru Alliance bottom-two.
With only the top-eight likely to be safe from relegation, Llan are now 11 points adrift of eighth-placed Denbigh in the standings, but the Tower Fields side do have games in hand on all of the sides above them in the table.