Damage in the Box!: LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH (Maes Eilian)

After a hectic Saturday undertaking four games in a day on the Central Midlands Bonanza, it was back to normality today with just the solitary game! It was a rare chance to witness some action in a league which doesn't normally play on the Sabbath.

Due to the international between Wales and England, and the blanket ban on games imposed by the FAW, this game was switched to the Sunday so Llanwrst didn't have to make the journey in midweek. The club were also hoping that it would attract a few more paying spectators through the turnstile, well gate in this case.

It has been a few years since I visited LlanfairPG at their old Gors Field ground and since then they have moved (as the crow flies) across the road to a new ground, Maes Eilian. It is pretty basic but an improvement on the old ground, in that there is now more cover and a seated stand.

After a decade in the Cymru alliance, the 2010 re-structuring relegated LlanfairPG back to the Welsh alliance, where they are 7th at the start of play. Llanwrst were down in 12th, but just 7 points behind their hosts.

What the game lacked in quality, it certainly made up with goals and incidents. Llanfairpwll went nap and won comfortably by five goals to nil. After a slightly delayed kick off, due to the nets not being in place (see photo below) it was a pretty even opening until the 18th minute when The Rwsters had a player sent off for a 'professional' foul, Richard Owen converted the resulting penalty.

Kelvin Fraser doubled the homesters advantage with a goal in the 34th minute before Owen took over, making it three in the 38th minute and completing his first half hat-trick with another penalty in the 44th minute.

The second half was pretty much a non-event. The only additional goal of the game came from a own goal in the 58th minute, when a Fraser corner was deflected in. Llanwrst did have a chance to get themselves back in the game with a penalty, but it was skied high over the crossbar.

They did attract a crowd of over 150, according to official reports, but i’d say there were no more than 90 present. This still however represents a bigger crowd than normal. All in all, an enjoyable afternoon out in the glorious Welsh sunshine.