Just days after completing his transfer back to Llantwit Major, Jack Lansdown returned to haunt Ammanford with a wonderful performance between the sticks to earn his new side a huge victory in their fight to beat the drop.
The keeper pulled off several important stops over the ninety minutes and produced a fine penalty save in second-half injury time to keep the Windmillers’ lead after Tomos Tweedy had given the visitors the lead just after the hour.
Despite starting the day in the relegation zone, Major had the first clear sight of goal in the opening five minutes of the game. Joel Woodington was played in on the edge of the area but couldn’t get a true connection whilst through on goal with just Luke Martin to beat.
At the other end, Lansdown had to be alert twice in the opening exchanges to stop Tristan Jenkins giving the Black and Whites the lead. Firstly, saving well at his near post before smothering at the winger’s feet after he was played in down the right wing.
Whilst both sides showed plenty of attacking endeavour, both were struggling to break down resolute backlines. In rare openings in the opening half, Lewis Reed saw a shot well pushed past the post and Callum Thomas sent an effort across the face of goal.
The best chance of the half was to come with practically the last touch of the first forty-five. An excellent cross from the right flank found top scorer Reed in the box but agonisingly, his header was inches over the bar.
Gruff Harrison’s charges started the second half well and created chances to take the initiative. Thomas Pratt forced Lansdown into a superb stop and Luke Harris was unable to direct a lofted pass towards goal.
But against the run of play, the visitors took the lead. The home defence was unable to complete a clearance allowing Tweedy an opportunity to strike from the edge of the area to give Llantwit the lead.
The goal stunned the hosts as they struggled to regain composure after falling behind. It took until the 71st minute for Town to create a clear chance as Pratt came within a whisker of redirecting a lovely lofted pass towards goal but couldn’t get a firm enough touch on the ball.
Ammanford were pressing for a leveller but the visitors were dangerous on the counterattack. They nearly doubled their lead when some excellent link-up play between their forward line teed up Mo Djallo but the substitute’s effort cannoned back off the crossbar to offer the men from Carmarthenshire some hope of getting back into the game.
And they were given that lifeline in stoppage time when the assistant referee flagged for a foul to give Ammanford a spot kick. Reed stepped up to take the kick but just as he did against Taffs Well and Trefelin in Town colours, Lansdown saved brilliantly from 12 yards, this time to thwart Ammanford to send the three points back down the M4 and dent the hosts’ chance of going level on points with fourth placed Afan Lido.
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Roedd Jack Lansdown yn arwr i Lanilltud Fawr wrth i gyngolgeiwad Rhydaman ddod yn ôl i’r Rec i sicrhau buddugoliaeth bwysig i’r ymwelwyr ar brynhawn oer yn Sir Gaer.
Ar ôl swaipo Rhydaman am ei gyn-club yn gynharach yn y mis, chwaraeodd Lansdown yn dda rhwng y pyst, gan gynnwys arbediad gampus o gic o’r smotyn yn hwyr yn y gêm, ar ôl i Tomos Tweedy roi’r Melynion ar y blaen ar yr awr.
Er i’r gwrthwynebwyr ddod i mewn i’r gêm yn y tri isaf, dechreuon nhw’r gêm yn dda ac aethant yn agos gyda chyfle cynnar trwy Joel Woodington. Yn anffodus i’r ymosodwr, methiodd e reoli’r bêl ar ymyl y cwrt gyda dim ond Luke Martin i’w maeddu.
Roedd brwydyr diddorol wedi dechrau rhwng Lansdown a Tristan Jenkins lawr yr asgell chwith ac roedd rhaid i’r dyn yn y manneg fod yn effro i atal yr asgwllwr ddwywaith. Yn gyntaf, stopiodd ergyd Jenkins cyn iddo mygu’r bêl oddi ar ei draed wrth iddo brysio mewn i’r cwrt.
Roedd y ddau dîm yn ceisio ymosod, ond roedd y ddau linell amddiffyn yn gadarn trwy gydol y hanner cyntaf. Aeth Lewis Reed yn agos gyda ergyd pwerys cyn i Callum Thomas flachio’r bêl ar draws y cwrt, ond nid oedd neb yn lliwiau Du a Gwyn yn gallu cael y cyffyrddiad roedd ei angen.
Gyda cyfyrddiad olaf y hanner cyntaf, cafodd Rhydaman ei chyfle gorau yn y gêm hyd at hynny. Croesodd Adam John y bêl yn dda o’r asgell dde at ben Reed, ond aeth ei beniad fudfeddu dros y trawst.
Yn yr ail hanner, dechreuodd dîm Gruff Harrison yn dda ac creuon nhw ddau gyfle da. Roedd rhaid i Lansdown arbed yn wych o Tom Pratt ac methodd capten Luke Harris i gywiro’r bêl tua’r gôl o gic gornel pryd methodd Llanilltud ei chlirio.
Yn erbyn llif y chwarae, aeth Llanutud ar y blaen. Methodd Rhydaman glirio’r perygl ac aeth cyfle cyflwyno ei hun i Tweedy ar ymyl y cwrt am ei drydedd gôl y tymor.
Wnaeth y gôl torri hyder Rhydaman ac aroson nhw bron ddeg munud am ymateb. Wnaeth y bêl gael ei croesi i mewn i Pratt, ond aeth ei ymdrech syth i Lansdown.
Roedd Rhydaman yn taflu popeth tua’r gôl, ond roedd y Melynion yn drefnus ac yn beryglus ar y gwrthymosodiad. Wnaethom nhw bron â ddwbli’r mantes yn hwyr.
Roedd cyd-chwarae dda rhwng chwaraewr y gwrthwynebwyr wedi setio Mo Djallo i fynnu, ond wnaeth yr eilydd taro’r trawst i rhoi obaith o ganlyniad hwyr i Rhydaman.
Ac daeth y cynnig yn wir mewn ateb ychwanegol. Wnaeth y llimanwr dyfarnu bod trosedd yn y cwrt, a wnaeth Reed stepio i fynnu a deuddeng llath.
Ond fel y gwnaeth e yn erbyn Trefelin a Ffynon Taff yn gynharach yn y tymor mewn lliwiau Rhydaman, arbedodd Lansdown yn wych o gic o smotyn, ond yn anffodus y tro hwn mewn lliwiau’r gwrthwynebwyr i roi’r tri phwynt pwysig i Lanilltud.
