Football: Red card adds to Llandudno FC worries

Aug 21 2008 By Tim Channon

LLANDUDNO joint manager Grant Montgomery says his side now face a "must win" situation away to Lex on Saturday after taking only one point from their two opening home games.

And their problems are not helped by Joe Morgan facing another suspension after being red carded in Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw against Flint Town United.

That followed a shock 2-1 home defeat to Ruthin last Saturday and Montgomery commented: " I just didn’t see this coming. We’ve been a shadow of the side that did so well in the pre-season games and for some reason we’ve played with no confidence.

"Saturday is now a must win game for us at Lex and we will be having a tough training session on Thursday to try and sort things out."

He felt that injuries to key players had badly disrupted the team’s final preparations, and although Craig Hogg and Gwyn Peters both came back on Tuesday, both were still not 100 per cent fit.

Both sides missed chances in the first half as they struggled to combat the strong wind, with Alun Roberts firing over the bar after a great run from his own half, and then sliding another chance wide of the post from a Jason Sadler cross.

Sadler also failed to score in a one-on-one with Flint keeper Adam McGhee..

Caerwyn Roberts had a shot tipped over the bar by McGhee, while at the other end Llandudno were lucky to escape when the wind took Phil Lloyd’s chipped shot wide of an open goal after keeper Shaun Pearson had slipped making an attempted clearance kick.

Llandudno eventually took the lead on 58 minutes when Sadler scored at the far post from a Gwyn Peters cross, but Flint were level six minutes later when Ian Parry scored from a corner.

Morgan was then red carded and three other players booked after a mass flare-up sparked by a clash between Llandudno substitute Lee Thomas and Flint’s Paul Davies.

Llandudno, however, could have won it in injury time when Sadler put Lee Thomas clear, but his chip over the advancing keeper dropped wide of the target.

Last Saturday Llandudno struggled to find any spark against a Ruthin side who played most of the second half with 10 men after Mike Garrod got a second yellow card.

He had put Ruthin in front, scoring from a rebound after his first shot had been saved by Pearson, but although Joe Morgan equalised with a good header, Ruthin won the game with a goal from substitute Kevin Breese 15 minutes from time.