Carmarthen Town vs Cwmbran Celtic

What is it with Carmarthen and Celtic this season? Three games 22 goals – scorelines 5-3, 4-3 and this weekend another 4-3? One thing is for certain neither manager, ex-Wales international Mark Aizlewood or James Kinsella can have been satisfied with their defences on the day.

Town were immediately into their stride, getting down the flanks at will and putting dangerous crosses into the box and they took the lead in the 5th minute when Delaney planted a free header into the net from Parsons’ cross from the left. Celtic equalised on 19 minutes when a short pass from Kean Bodenham allowed Tom Meechan a shot which found the corner of the net. On 26 minutes Town were again in front when a cross from the right was diverted into his own net by debutant right back Harrison Lewis.

Town came out for the 2nd half on fire. They battered the Celtic defence but the visitors withstood the onslaught through 3 excellent saves by Lewis Watkins, the woodwork and some dreadful finishing by the home strikers. Eventually the dam burst, Noah Daley scoring on 76 minutes and Andrew Larcombe conceding a 2nd Celtic own goal in the 85th minute, his desperate lunge to clear the ball eluding the keeper’s equally desperate attempt to keep the ball out. Celtic emptied the bench and ended with a rag tag line up which included sub keeper Josh Winstone up front but they forced 2 goals in the closing minutes. On 88 minutes Lewis Iles skilfully drew former Celtic keeper Scott James and slipped the ball to Luke Archer to slide home his first senior goal. Then on 90+1 Jordan Meaney unleashed a cracker into the corner of the net to reduce the arrears to 4-3.

Celtic slip to 10th place in the table. The final score flattered them but it was another example of their determination this season to keep going right to the end which has helped give them a much better goal difference than their rival teams in the bottom half.