ANDY Preece’s reign as director of football at Airbus UK Broughton got off to the perfect start with a handsome 4-1 victory over Bala Town in the League Cup first round first leg.
However, it was a dismal night for Preece’s opposite number Colin Caton as Bala played nearly the whole match with 10 men after substitute ‘keeper Terry McCormick was sent off eight minutes after coming on the field.
His introduction came when first-choice goalkeeper Mark Pullman was stretchered following a collision with Wingmakers striker Craig Whitfield only two minutes in.
Pullman was left unconscious by the impact and taken to hospital in Chester. Happily, the Australian, who was making his first-team debut on Friday, was given the all-clear and discharged that night.
Stand-in stopper Mark Connolly couldn’t prevent Airbus running riot and his first task was to pick the ball out of the net from Mark Cadwallader’s penalty which McCormick had conceded prior to his red card.
Cadwallader doubled his tally on the stroke of half-time and was unlucky not to bag a third. Glenn Rule made it 3-0 on the hour before Gavin Cadwallader hit the fourth soon after.
A Mark Allen own goal on 75 minutes was the only highlight of an otherwise disastrous night for Bala, who will be clear second favourites when the teams meet for the second leg.
Striker Jack Christopher was the man responsible for giving new Carmarthen Town boss Paul Aizlewood a win in his first game in charge against Port Talbot Town at Richmond Park.
The Old Gold forward struck on 37 minutes to give Carmarthen a slender lead going into the second leg next week.
Port Talbot could have come away with a draw but Martin Rose’s penalty was easily saved by Town ‘keeper Mike Lewis early in the second-half.
Where Rose failed, Afan Lido’s Andy Hill succeeded in his side’s tie with Aberystwyth at the Marstons Stadium. Hill’s strike was bettered by Mark Jones midway through the opening period and 2-0 was how it finished.
Aberystwyth did have a gilt-edged chance to halve the deficit in the last minute but Ricky Evans’ penalty was saved by Chris Curtis.
And in the other first-round clash, a goal by Newtown’s Callum Wright cancelled out Jon Fisher-Cooke’s first-half effort for Prestatyn Town in a 1-1 draw at Bastion Gardens.
The first-round second legs will be played next Tuesday (January 31), apart from the Aberystwyth-Port Talbot game which is on the Wednesday.
By David Williams
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