Trailing 3-1 with only two minutes of normal time remaining, a couple of dramatic late goals by Jordan Follows and captain Lee Bevan ensured the Reds` clung on to their unbeaten status at Ynysangharad Park, a result which leaves them within touching distance of promotion.
Joe Clarke had given them the lead after 16 minutes when a James Loveridge cross caused havoc in the Dragons` box, allowing Clarke to net from close range. Lee Trundle came close to increasing the advantage with some trademark free kicks, but Ryan Griffiths in the home goal was just about able to keep them out. Neither side offered any real goal threat, and with half time approaching it appeared as if the visitors would cling on to their narrow advantage, but two goals in the space of six minutes by their opponents changed the whole scenario.
Luke Gullick, who was a thorn in the Reds` side all evening, was the recipient, his first coming in the 37th minute when he chested down a teasing cross by James Hill before rifling a low drive beyond Craig Morris into the bottom corner. Six minutes later, he repeated the effort, picking up the ball wide on the right flank and getting past Kurtis March before netting with an angled drive at the near post. Rocked at these setbacks, the Reds` plight worsened eight minutes after the restart when they conceded again, with Hill meeting a well-worked corner from Robert Briars at the far post to bundle it over the line.
The visitors were not completely finished, however, and displayed their intentions of making a fist of things with Follows volleying just over, and when a Jordan Davies corner dropped into the box it led to an almighty scramble with Trundle going down under a challenge, but referee Wayne Tregonning was unmoved. Ross Jones did well to win possession before sending Trundle clear on a run, and his powerful strike on target brought out a decent save from Griffiths. With the clock ticking down and just two minutes remaining came the late drama as the Reds` inherent never-say-die spirit kicked in, and they were back in the contest on 88 minutes through Follows who arrived at the far post to steer home his finish. Two minutes later the comeback was completed when a great floated cross by Clarke found the head of Bevan who beat Griffiths to the ball before looping it into the vacant net. Even then they could have won the game with Liam Samuel seeing the keeper save his attempt, but the point earned places them back at the head of the table as league leaders ahead of Briton Ferry Llansawel on goal difference, but with four games in hand.
The match finished Ponypridd Town 3 – Llanelli Town 3
PONTYPRIDD TOWN; Griffiths; L. McCarthy; Hillman ©; Lewis; Allen; Briars (Rutherford, 69); R. McCarthy; Hooper; Gullick; Johns (Hibbs, 85); Hill; Subs. not used; Meyer; Cordle; Wheeler.
LLANELLI TOWN; Morris; Graves; March; Clarke; C. Thomas; Bevan ©; R. Jones; Davies; Follows; Trundle; Loveridge (Samuel, 61); Subs. not used; R. Thomas; Morgan; Wade. SCORERS; Pontypridd Town – Gullick, 37, 43; Hill, 53. Llanelli Town – Clarke, 16; Follows, 88; Bevan, 90.
YELLOW CARDS; Llanelli town – Bevan; Davies; Trundle. REFEREE; Wayne Tregonning (Merthyr).
ATTENDANCE; 250 (Est.). The Reds are on the road again next Saturday with a trip to AFC Porth, while on Easter Monday, 17th April, they have a re-arranged game at Garden Village, kick off 7.30 p.m.
