Llansawel - 1

Goytre - 1

IN a match where unfavourable weather conditions were the only true winner, Goytre were happy to return from Saturday's outing to Llansawel with a draw.

Club chairman Paul Greenhalgh told the Chronicle, "After two pitch inspections the ref deemed the pitch playable, but we knew from the weather it was never going to be a day of flowing and attractive football - the conditions were not conducive to it.

"From the off it was more a case of two teams locking horns and trying to grind out a result."

Playing with the elements behind them, Goytre created their first chance after ten minutes, when some good play by Simon Ritter saw him pass the ball to Adam Roberts who beat his marker and crossed the ball into the box for Andy Walsh.

Unfortunately, Walsh's header beat the keeper, but was denied by the woodwork.

Shortly after a lovely pass by Carl Evans split the Llansawel defence, and Phil Melville fired home to make it 1-0 to Goytre.

For the remainder of the half, the Plough Road outfit dominated, but their only other surefire chance came when Carl Evans was denied by an exceptional save from the Llansawel keeper.

Greenhalgh said, "After a pleasing first 45 minutes the second-half started with quite literally a bang. The wind blew the top of our dugout off, and all our subs were sent by the ref to sit in the stand on the other side of the pitch, whilst manager/player Ian Rosser was left on his own, which isn't the best situation to be in."

For the first 20 minutes of the second-half Goytre soaked up some heavy Llansawel pressure, until the visitors made a break through Craig Jollife on the left, who beat two or three players, cut inside, and made a shot from 18 yards out which beat the keeper, but hit the woodwork.

Goytre lost their lead on the game not long after when a Llansawel corner was floated into the box and an unmarked midfielder headed in from six yards out to make it all square.

The last noteworthy incident of the game saw Goytre keeper Gareth Williams make a superb save from a Llansawel strike that seemed destined for the top corner of the net

Greenhalgh added, "For the final 20 minutes the weather took a turn for the worse and we were happy to come away with a point. It was important going into this Saturday's Gwent Senior Cup game against Welsh League Division One side Newport YMCA that we were coming in of the back of a solid performance. Last year they beat us in the same cup 3-1, so this time around we'll be hoping to rectify that."

Goytre's crucial cup encounter will kick-off 1.30pm this Saturday at Plough Road.