Football: Llandudno FC in the red again

Dec 24 2008 By Tim Channon

HAVING sorted out one red card controversy, Llandudno find themselves embroiled in another after striker Jason Sadler was red carded after the final whistle for swearing in last weekend's 1-1 home draw with Gresford Athletic.

The club are this week trying to check on the legality of the dismissal.

"Jason was swearing at a team-mate in frustration at the result and not at the referee and we are trying to check if he can be red carded for that after the game has finished," reported joint manager Grant Montgomery.

"What made it worse was that one of Gresford's players swore directly at the referee during the match and didn't even get cautioned."

A referee's assessor at the game was clearly uncomfortable with that inconsistency, but the club will have to wait for the reports to go through and at the moment are expecting Sadler to get a two match ban.

That adds to a four game ban imposed on Lee Thomas who was sent off in the previous game.

The referee on that occasion wrongly submitted the name of Leigh Craven as the player red carded, but the club were finally successful in their appeal to get that changed after a lengthy process, and Craven was cleared in time for him to play last Saturday.

But although he came on as a second half substitute he couldn't inspire Llandudno to victory in another hugely disappointing home result against a side currently in the bottom three.

Llandudno totally dominated the game but couldn't find a way past a determined Gresford defence, who threw legs and bodies in the way of everything that Llandudno fired at them, while goalkeeper Gareth Rowlands was in inspired form behind them.

Llandudno did hit the bar, had two goals disallowed and missed a succession of chances. Yet, after being camped in the Gresford half for most of the second half, they looked like being beaten when the visitors broke away with 10 minute left for Danny Hughes to blast them in front with a great finish.

Fortunately for Llandudno, Chris Boulton rescued a point six minutes later, direct from a free kick, for his sixth goal in the last six games.

But this was another two points dropped at home in a game Llandudno should have won comfortably.

Llandudno are away to Flint on Saturday.