Home side disappoint (From Free Press Series)

Home side disappoint

GOYTRE threw away the chance to climb up the Welsh League Division Three on Saturday, crashing 2-0 at home to Seven Sisters.

Goals from Richard Herdman and Richard Smith saw off the hosts, securing the double for Seven Sisters.

Goytre's club chairman Paul Greenhalgh was understandably disappointed with the results, especially after improved performances since the New Year.

But he admitted that for all his side's possession they never really looked like scoring.

He commented: "On Saturday we huffed and puffed but couldn't break them down in the last third of the pitch."

Goytre started with up and coming academy star Lee Williams, only for him to be adjudged to have brought down a Sisters' man in the first half. Herdman duly slotted home the resulting penalty".

Greenhalgh added: "We've got to give them their due - their back four did really well and snuffed out our attack and midfield created nothing."

Goytre's best spell came in the second half, with Mark Langford getting on the end of a Williams cross, but Smith's perfectly executed free kick from the edge of the area to give Ryan Mackernoff no chance ended hopes of a comeback.

l Goytre are again at home this weekend, taking on Treowen from 2pm, and buoyed by the fact that Joe Carlos has committed himself to Goytre until the end of the season.

The youngster had been considering a move to Cwmbran Town, but Greenhalgh is glad he is rejoining Goytre's frontline.

USK Town hosted Goytre's second string in the latest hotly contested derby between the two sides, with Usk emerging from this encounter 2-0 winners.

But Saturday's game was marred by the sending off of Goytre's Chris Perry, his first red card of his career, in an incident which club chairman Paul Greenhalgh later claimed was undeserving of a straight red.

Usk Town started with two teenagers up front, who caused considerable trouble to the Goytre backline. Goytre themselves hit the bar but failed to find the net.

The defeat has dented Goytre's promotion push, while Usk's tenth win of the season sees them close the gap on the leading pack in the Gwent Central League First Division.