Ammanford AFC returned back to JD Cymru South league action under the lights of the Recreation Ground after their recent exploits in the JD Welsh Cup.
A healthy crowd of 320 which included Swansea City Chairman Trevor Birch and Swansea City’s head of Media Communications Jonathan Wilsher who were guests of AmmanfordAFC
Ammanford had to reshuffle their defence with Elian Evans having to come in at centre back and a switch for Ammanford’s Tristan Jenkins to fill in at right back.
Manager Carl Shaw’s Briton Ferry Llansawel came into the game as a team in good league form and certainly hit their strides from the off.
Mark Jones and Stephen Davey were testing the home defence down the flanks creating good opportunities.
The game took a turn for the worse for Ammanford when striker Lee Trundle was shown a straight red card by referee Richardson after a challenge which was adjudged to be dangerous after the striker’s elbow apparently caught the defender.
With 70 minutes left in the game Ammanford certainly had to dig in.
However it wasn’t long before Ferry took the lead when Kieran Williams hit a daisy cutter of a shot which bobbled along the surface and deceived home keeper Craig Morris to nestle into the net 0-1.
Ammanford to their credit continued to play their football and pushed forward at every opportunity. Ammanford midfielders Mathew Fisher , Ben Soal and Brett Enoch were instrumental in taking the fight back to their opponents whist at the back the Ammanford defence were standing firm.
The best goal of the night came from an individual effort from Ammanford’s Brett Enoch who from some thirty five yards out on the left , hit a screamer of a shot which flew into the top right hand corner of the Ferry net to level the scores 1-1.
It was end to end action but there were no further goals as the referee brought an eventful first half to an end.
The second half saw Ferry continue to test the home defence and there were some fine saves from Ammanford’s keeper Craig Morris. Centre back Elian Evans along with his partner Euros Griffiths were battling to keep their team in the game and confidence was growing that they might just get something from this game.
The game turned when an Ammanford attack was flagged for offside and a quickly taken free kick saw the ball eventually arrive at the feet of Ferry’s Kieran Williams again who took aim from just outside the Ammanford penalty area and the ball took a wicked deflection passed Craig Morris to restore the lead to Ferry.
Ammanford to their credit continued to play their football and created some good chances. Ammanford’s Brett Enoch going close again.
Then once again the red mist descended over the Recreation Ground when a challenge from Ammanford’s Ben Soal was adjudged by referee Richardson to be worthy of a straight red.
Down to nine men, Ammanford continued to press and Ammanford’s Andy Robinson came close as his shot curled wide of the goal.
Ammanford tried hard to get the equaliser and won a couple of corners and with time running out it was Ammanford’s keeper Craig Morris who came up for the set piece. However the ball was cleared and unfortunately full back Richie Lewis lost his footing and Ferry’s Tyler Brock capitalised and had the easiest of tasks of running the ball into the Ammanford net to wrap up the game and the points 1-3.
The Ferry team were ecstatic at the win and for Ammanford a little heartbreaking for all the effort that they had put into the game.
Ammanford AFC now travel to Swansea University in another tough encounter in this highly competitive JD Cymru South league.
