Llangollen Town 1-1 Overton Recreational: Honours even as Kristian Jones salvages a point for Llan in season opener
Llangollen and Overton Recreational battled to a 1-1 draw on the opening day of the North East Wales Football League Premier Division at Tower Fields.
O’s debutant James Parry opened the scoring for the away side after a goalless first half. The former Guilsfield man showed great composure to give Overton the lead.
Llangollen were able to wrestle control of the game away from the visitors as Overton began to tire. Captain Kristian Jones was left unmarked to nod the ball into the net and set up an action packed end to the game.
Despite having chances to win the game Llangollen could not find a winner and both sides will be pleased to avoid defeat in the first game of the season.
The visitors were the side doing most of the running in the opening exchanges. Tom Huxley playing in the number 10 role was finding lots of room in front of the Llangollen defence. His free kick whipped in from the right only needed a touch to give Overton an early lead. Right winger Peter Thedens was also proving to be a thorn in Llangollen’s side but Overton’s deep tactics meant their advances were snuffed out before the ball could reach lone striker Parry.
Ben Realey had the first half chance for the home side with a quarter of an hour gone. The centre back found himself unmarked in the box from a looped free kick but his header was well over the bar. Llan were finding it difficult to stamp any authority onto the game.
Llangollen new signing Jake Hayward, playing his first senior game, was a bright spark in the first half. On the half hour mark he was set free down the left and chopped his way past Oliver Nelson but his shot was blocked. A wonderful piece of skill by the 16 year old playing on the left.
Overton’s best chance of the first half fell to Tom Huxley when his cross-come-shot from a free kick could only be tipped onto the bar by Ricky Bennett. Llangollen meanwhile should have taken the lead five minutes before half time when Hayward beat the offside trap and bore down on goal. The impressive Barry Sheehan did his best to put the Llan attacker off and his effort was straight at Lee in the O’s net.
A moment later Lee would almost go from hero to zero as Luke Riley nicked the ball past him but he found himself too far wide of the goal for a shot and his clip back was out behind for a corner and the first half remained goalless.
James Parry making his first start since signing from Cymru North outfit Guilsfield showed his class to put Overton in the lead. The ball was hit long over the top and the O’s number 9 streamed through and outmuscled Dan Bevan before composing himself and placing the ball into the top of the net. A great finish with his left foot.
As the second half wore on Llangollen began to shake off their rustiness as Overton continued to tire. The home side were now knocking on the Overton door and almost grabbed their equaliser when the visitors failed to deal with a corner and the bobbling ball was met by a Llan knee. But the goalwards effort was thwarted by an Overton head on the line. A minute later Kristian Jones, who had been making more forward runs in the second half, hit a fierce 25 yard strike at goal which stung the hands of David Lee.
Jones would not be denied a second time and the Llangollen captain netted his side their first goal of the season on 73 minutes. A Llan cross was poorly dealt with by the Overton defence and allowed to hang high in the air. Jones rose highest to head the ball past Lee into the net. A poor goal to concede for Overton but well deserved for Llangollen after a good spell of pressure.
Overton nearly made an immediate response when Huxley and Parry linked up again for the O’s. Huxley again burst forward from midfield and fed Parry who comes inside from the right before lashing an effort just over Bennett’s goal.
However it was all Kristian Jones now and the skipper was his showing quality. The Overton defence was all at sea and Sheehan could only head straight to the Llan skipper on the edge of the box. Jones caught the ball spectacularly and fired a volley inches over the bar.
Neither side were destined for a second goal and when a lengthy delay in proceedings was caused by a lack of a match balls, the intensity of the game had gone. Realey had one final chance to snatch a win for Llangollen but his header was steered over.
Both sides should be content with a point in a match fraught with rustiness and tired legs. Llangollen travel to Chirk Town on Wednesday, whilst Brymbo Victoria entertain Overton on Tuesday.
Llangollen Town: Ricky Bennett (GK), Oliver Bentley, Daniel Bevan, Benjamin Realey, George Fletcher, Kristian Jones (C), Luke Riley, George Roberts, Jake Hayward, Jamie Roberts, Daniel Smith
Goals: Kristian Jones 73′
Yellow cards: George Roberts 61′, Dan Bevan 65′
Overton Recreational: David Lee (GK), Edward Roberts, Oliver Nelson, Barry Sheehan, Piotr Krzan, Callum Hewitt (C), Alex Williams, James Parry, Aled Evans, Tom Huxley, Peter Thedens
Goals: James Parry 54′
Yellow cards: Piotr Krzan 90′
