Saints and Carmarthen through to Word Cup final

THE NEW Saints will face Carmarthen Town in the final of this season’s Word Cup but only after a controversial dismissal at Park Hall last night.

With the semi-final level at 2-2 midway through the second-half, referee Lee Evans red-carded Airbus keeper Ben Chapman after Saints striker Jason Lampkin was brought down when in on goal.

Chris Seargeant converted the penalty past stand-in stopper Kyle Armstrong and the Saints went on to score twice more in injury-time to win 5-2.

The visitors had taken the lead in the 13th minute when Tommy Holmes headed in Toby Jones' free-kick against his former club. But the Saints surged ahead before the interval with strikes from Ryan Fraughan and Chris Marriott.

That came moments after the Wingmakers saw calls for a penalty fall on deaf ears after Connell Rawlinson appeared to push Mike Hayes in the box. However, just two minutes after the restart Hayes equalised.

But, when Chapman was sent-off on 63 minutes the whole complexion of the game changed and as well as Seargeant’s successful spot-kick, Alex Darlington and Lampkin gave a flattering look to the scoreline with late goals.

In the other semi-final, both of which were not being played at a neutral venue, Carmarthen beat Llanelli 2-1 at Richmond Park thanks to Julian Alsop’s second-half winner.

The Reds went in front on 17 minutes courtesy of Antonio Corbisiero but it wasn’t long before the home side were level with Casey Thomas equalising. It was nip and tuck during the second period but former Swansea City striker Alsop struck with 20 minutes left to send Carmarthen through to January’s final.

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Caton's keeper misfortune causes chaos

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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