Goytre owe it to Taylor's timely tackle (From Free Press Series)

Goytre owe it to Taylor's timely tackle

A LAST-ditch tackle from outstanding defender Dean Taylor saved Goytre from what would have been a cruel defeat at Fields Park on Saturday.

The tireless defender spared keeper Gareth Williams' blushes, after the young shot-stopper failed to clear the ball after coming off his line.

With an empty goal starring a Fields Park attacker in the face, Taylor raced in with the tackle of the season to stop a certain match-winner.

"It was a superb tackle that saved us," said club chairman Paul Greenhalgh. "If it had gone in, it would have been a terrible miscarriage of justice, because we really didn't deserve to lose. We've got a lot to thank Dean for."

Goytre had taken the lead after a bright opening 20 minutes saw Lee Grimes side-foot home Mark Langford's neatly placed cross.

Two costly mishaps let Fields Park right back in it, though, as Goytre's defence dozed off.

They equalised through the head of Mark Langford to make it 2-2 and pressed hard to get the winner, only to be grateful for a point after Taylor's heroics.

The result pushes Goytre to 13th in the table, and with a trip to bottom club Newcastle Emlyn this weekend, they'll be hoping to pick up their second win of the campaign.

"If we can get the win, then it will be a nice ride home, but if we lose, then it's going to be a very long one indeed. I'm confident we'll get the result we're looking for," said Greenhalgh.

That match kicks off at 3pm. The following Tuesday Goytre are away to Tredegar Town in the Gwent Senior Cup, kick-off 7.30pm.