Town step nearer to safety (From Free Press Series)

Town step nearer to safety

CARETAKER manager Wayne Samuels has revealed he is still looking to sign a new number one before this weekend's crucial trip to Treowen, as Chepstow Town look to continue their recent run of form.

Back-to-back wins against Goytre and Cwmammam since Samuels took over as temporary boss have seen Town climb nearer to safety in Division Two, leapfrogging Treowen in the process.

Instrumental in the revival has been Rob Moore, with the second team manager deputising in goal, but Samuels remains keen to secure a new shot-stopper to enable Moore to return to his off-field duties.

Samuels said: "Rob Moore has really come into his own. On Saturday, he made one mistake, but more than balanced that out across the 90 minutes. He's only there because our other two keepers are injured and he's come in and been tremendous.

"But he's got his managerial duties and his own injury problems, so we're still looking for a new full-time keeper - hopefully before Saturday."

Moore pulled off a great point-blank save in the second half against Cwmammam, atoning for a 20th minute error which had let United in for an equaliser.

That was after Nicky Vassallo scored the first of his hat-trick after just three minutes, capitalising on a defensive error. And Vassallo restored the lead before half-time from the spot, after the outstanding Dominic Connor was brought down.

His third, after the break, made it 3-1, but the game was then disrupted for a handful of injuries.

First Ben Harrahy - himself a first-half substitute for hamstring-afflicted Nicky Owen - was forced off, with former boss Chris Lilygreen replacing him. Then Aaron Kinecki followed both to the treatment room, with Phil Bailey coming on.

But the biggest delay came for a bad leg injury to a United man after an innocuous challenge, with Town wishing the hospitalised player well. Samuels added: "The ambulance took nearly two hours to arrive and the disruption has set us back and put a dampener on the game.

"We conceded a second, but Connor and Vassallo both had chances to score at their end and if we had scored four or five, it wouldn't have been unfair."