Oswestry 0 Caersws 2
By Webmaster/Rheolwr y Wefan
March 5 2003
Oswestry Town tossed away the Pancake Tuesday opportunity for valuable home points when visitors Caersws gained revenge for their 2 - 3 home defeat earlier in the season.
The match was played on a very sticky pitch following heavy rain, which made things very difficult and both sides struggled to come to terms with the conditions. The first opportunity fell to Caersws' Graham Evans, who's 15-yard shot flashed past the post in the second minute. Four minutes later midfielder Tony Draper broke well for the home team before unleashing an excellent 30-yard shot that flew over the bar. On the quarter-hour Oswestry keeper Danny Embleton produced a good save from a Sean Jehu close-range effort which arose from cross from Andy Marfell on the right.
The Salopians came back into the game and Phil Johnson's 18th minute effort was pushed wide by Caersws keeper Andy Mulliner, and Scott Williams had a shot deflected for a corner five minutes later. Mulliner was again called into action on the half-hour, making a good save to deny Kevin Leech's 20-yard effort.
The Bluebirds then took a firm hold on the remaining 15 minutes of the half. On 35 minutes a long-range free kick taken by Sean Jehu was well saved at full stretch by home keeper Embleton, the ball eventually being cleared for a corner by a defender. A good opportunity for the Bluebirds to open the scoring came five minutes later when Geraint Lewis headed over from Sean Jehu's free-kick on the left flank, when he really should have tested the keeper, but the opening goal in fact came in the 43rd minute when Colin Reynolds sent in a cross from the right which was flicked high to Graham Evans. Evans superbly turned and brought the ball down and under control, turning the defence inside-out, before coolly putting the ball into the net on the keepers left from 10 yards.
Five minutes into the second half Caersws midfielder Graham Jones denied Oswestry an equaliser when he cleared Tony Draper's effort off the line. The vital second goal came a minutes later when Caersws' Sean Jehu quickly took a free-kick, making a short pass to Colin Reynolds who then laid the ball into the path of striker Andy Marfell who netted at the far post from 16 yards, with keeper Embleton having no chance to stop it.
On 57 minutes Dean had a chance to pull one back for Oswestry, but shot over when well placed. Caersws' Graham Evans then made an excellent run down the right before delivering a sweeping low cross that, unfortunately, narrowly eluded his oncoming colleagues.
The last twenty minutes of the game certainly belonged to Oswestry Town, who penned the Bluebirds back into their own half, forcing them to defend in numbers and give away many dangerous free kicks in the process. On 76 minutes a Phil Johnson free kick was headed against the post by Mick Maloney before being cleared, and a minute later Geraint Lewis was called on to clear another Johnson effort off the line. On 80 minutes, following another Johnson free- kick, the dangerous Robinson saw an effort flash narrowly wide of the visitor's goal, and this was followed by Bluebirds keeper Mulliner holding onto Gary Curtis' through ball.
On 85 minutes a quick free kick by Caersws defender Andrew Thomas released Graham Evans, who's cross from the right cause panic in the home defence but with no result.
The game ended with Oswestry still pushing forward in search of a goal, which on reflection they deserved, but the Bluebirds managed to hold out for three valuable points.
Report by J Baker - taken from topica list.