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Druid Sport & Leisure Welsh National Div One
Coedpoeth Vs. Gresford Athletic Reserves

Saturday 30th. October

COEDPOETH 4 GRESFORD ATHLETIC RESERVES 1
By Captain Web Jones

For most players it was just their fifth outing of the season on Saturday so when you think the campaign is ten weeks old, it didn’t help our cause facing classy Coedpoeth, one of the best sides in the league and us being pretty ring rusty.
The conditions were excellent with Coedpoeth now ground sharing at Brymbo Broughton but a late withdrawal by Ollie meant Pricey took over the gloves at the eleventh hour and Ady had to reshuffle his pack.

Ady and Sam had already assessed the quality of the opposition and opted to play with a back three pushing on Jeff Hennesey and Chal as wing backs and using Richie Carr, Haggis and Matt Williams as our flat three.

I stayed down at Clappers Lane to participate in a minutes silence for Alfie James as a mark of respect for one of the clubs finest gentlemen. The corner spec behind ‘The Codgers’ will never be the same again. On behalf of everyone connected with the Rezzies, I send our deepest sympathy to Phil and Helen and their family, I know how Alfie was so proud of their achievements and wouldn’t it be terrific if we could break our duck on the silverware front in his honour.

Cap’n Web was therefore 8 minutes late for the kick off at ‘The Crick’ and to my astonishment, I was told on arrival that we had conceded two soft goals and were already chasing the game.

We really were at sixes and sevens and totally disorganised and on the half hour mark, Geoff under pressure failed to reach Pricey with a back pass and Chris Hughes completed a first half hat-trick for the hosts.
Shame faced, we at least did finish the stronger of the two sides at the end of the first half when Matt Davies reduced the arrears with a splendid close range header.

There was no ‘cup throwing’ in the changing room but Ady and Sam were quite frank and open with their criticism. Poor young Darren Jones came off at the break and taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose which thankfully later in the night was confirmed as untrue. His place went to Chris Hughes with Matt dropping into midfield.

The second half started just like the first and under very little pressure, Haggis ot caught on the ball and sold Pricey short and Mike Williams made it 4-1 and it was game set and match with Coedpoeth just shutting up shop.

Both wing backs made way for teenagers Luke Peate and Jared Tindle and at least they got 30 minutes to impress.
It will be a match we will all want to forget and wipe out of our memories but there were a few positives. Richard Carr played one of his best games and Huw Jones worked tirelessly but had little to show for his tenacity.

Man of the Match was Robbie Jones. Ady commented “The one player who came through with credit was Robbie up front. He gets stronger by the week, his first touch continues to improve and he has a great attitude”

The TWA Tea Award went to Chal, eagle eyed team-mates apparently witnessed him getting hold of a handful of a Coedpoeth players ‘Cream Crackers’.

Team: 1. Mike PRICE (6) 2. Geoff HENNESSEY (6) 3. Paul CHALONER (6) 4. Richard CARR (7) 5. Steve HALLIWELL (6) 6. Matt WILLIAMS (6) 7. Darren JONES (6) 8. Paul JONES (6) 9. Matt DAVIES (6) 10. Hugh JONES (7) 11. Rob RobJONES (9)
Subs: 12. Chris HUGHES (6) 14. Luke PEATE (6) 15. Jared TINDLE (6)