Tale of two halves as Ynyshir Albion turn on style in win over Mumbles Rangers

Ynyshir Albions came from behind to defeat Mumbles Rangers 4-1 in the Ardal South West at Sketty Lane.

Mumbles took the lead through Alex Smith however an own goal from goalkeeper Tye Williams was the start of an onslaught of second-half goals from the Buns. Jacob Matthews gave the visitors the lead before Mason Evans netted a brace in the final quarter of the match. 

Ynyshir move up to sixth whilst Mumbles are second from bottom and two points adrift of safety with 13 games remaining in their season.

The hosts initially took the lead courtesy of an unlucky own goal when Alex Smith’s looping strike hit the crossbar before bouncing off of goalkeeper Harry Webber’s back and going over the line in the 23rd minute.

The rest of the first half was stale, with Mumbles sitting in a strong defensive shape and The Buns hoofing the ball aimlessly down the pitch to no avail. Both teams kept their defensive lines high, looking to catch the other offside and both teams found success using this tactic for the first forty five minutes.

Smith was then involved in an even stranger own goal down the other end, when his cushioned header back to goalkeeper Tye Williams somehow evaded the 18-year-old’s gloves and rolled into the back of the net to bring the scores level three minutes after the restart.

The Buns looked like a different team in the second half and were close to taking the lead just two minutes after their equaliser. Leon Anstee led a Buns counterattack, but his finish was well saved by Williams in the Mumbles net. Despite this, Mumbles maintained an attacking threat, with pacey winger Joseph Pelosi laying off Ricky Kerr, whose clean strike went just over the bar.

In the 65th minute, Zack Philpott delivered a perfect cross from a wide free kick for captain Jacob Matthews to nod home from inside of the six-yard box, giving the Buns the lead their second half performance deserved

The travelling side kept pushing for goals and came close again when Joseff Haig was put clean through on a counterattack, but his shot was well smothered by the young Mumbles goalkeeper from close distance.

The pressure soon told however, when the hosts’ high line was exposed by an incisive pass to Matthews, who calmly squared the ball across goal for 18-year-old Mason Evans to tap into an empty net and secure all three points for the visitors.

Last season’s JD Cymru South basement boys smelt blood. Substitute Deacon Greening’s half-volley from outside of the box was spilled by Williams straight into the path of Evans for his fourth league goal of the campaign, rounding off a strong second-half performance.

Mumbles host fellow strugglers AFC Llywdcoed in a relegation six-pointer in their next fixture, whilst Ynyshir’s next league match sees them travel to third-placed Cefn Cribwr FC.

Mumbles Rangers XI: Tye Williams, Craig Spring, Jordan Lloyd-Evans (C) (86’), Jake Simeone, Christian Allen, Tom Hole, Alex Smith (72’), Joseph Pelosi (86’), Alexander Holmes (45’), Alfie Brown (84’), Ricky Kerr

Substitutes: Jack Parkin (6’), Charles Porter (4’), Adam Jones (18’), Samuel Demery (45’), Samuel Opeseitan (4’)

Ynyshir Albions FC:
Harry Webber, Alex Rees (85’), Zack Philpott, Jago Norton, Scott Jones, Jacob Matthews (C), Josh Owen, Cody Moon (86’), Leon Anstee (88’), Mason Evans, Joseff Haig (88’)

Substitutes: Chad Goss (2’), Deacon Greening (2’), Cody Acock (4’),Kalium Williams (5’), Dane Williams (unused)

Yellow cards: Jake Simeone, Josh Owen, Leon Anstee

Goals: Harry Webber OG (23’), Tye Williams OG (49’), Jacob Matthews (65’), Mason Evans (79’, 90’)