Gardiner delighted with Llywcoed win as STM Sports maintain promotion push

STM Sports player-manager Dale Gardiner was pleased with his team’s “good result”, as they dispatched AFC Llwydcoed 5-0 in wet and rainy conditions in Llanrumney on Saturday.

The result sees them move to fifth in the table ahead of next weekends home game with Swansea University, who lie in third place, two points ahead of STM.

“It was a good result, I thought we were going to worry about the conditions, going to be dragged down to a level we didn’t want to be at, we managed to get the result in the end and get through.”

“It’s difficult as it showed at times, the passing that we usually put together wasn’t coming off at times, getting frustrating but in all fairness to the lads they stuck in there. We managed to get the result and that was the most important thing.”

“We love it home, we love it on that surface out there as you can tell.” He added. “We got to take full advantage of it. It’s no good dropping points at home if we want to compete for this title or promotion we’ll have to get our points at home, we have to get three points constantly.”

“Again conditions didn’t help us but we’ve got to be happy, we’ve gone on to win 5-0. It’s a clean sheet and we move on to a massively important game next week now.”

Goals from Josh Graham, Ben Ah-Mun, Marcus Jones, Andy Gardiner and Dale himself helped his side claim the double over Rhondda side.

“We seem to come through with some good goals, we played some good football at times, I was obviously glad to get on the score sheet as well and get seventy minutes under my belt. I was pleased with that.”

“The game’s closed out at the end with Andy (Gardiner) scoring at the end it was a good goal, a good move.”

With his side having only played eleven games, four less than leaders Croesyceiliog, Gardiner knows that every game is crucial as they aim to achieve promotion to Welsh League Division One.

“It’s just about racking up the points now, we are behind in games, we need to catch up and the most important thing was just to get the three points regardless of who we’ve played.” He continued.

“We just keep our heads down, keep nice and quiet, keep getting the results as they come along now.”

“We are chasing the pack this year, we were kind of ahead of the pack last year and we were being chased.”

“It’s nice to start chasing the pack and getting the three points. We’ve got a run of home games now and hopefully we’ll keep getting three points and start chasing people.”

(Featured image: Mike James)