Ammanford and Carmarthen shared the spoils in the first Carmarthenshire derby of the campaign.
Alex Giardelli’s goal before the break was cancelled out early in the second stanza by Tom Dyson in front of a healthy crowd of 512 at the Recreation Ground.
Only 15 miles separated the two sides geographically and there was even less to separate them in the opening exchanges with half chances that fell to Gavin Jones, Giardelli and Euros Grffiths being the only way of separating the two adversaries.
Ammanford took the lead with four minutes to go until the end of the half. A cross field ball found Gavin Jones in the corner of the penalty area. The striker, playing against his former employers, rolled the ball across the six yard box giving Giardelli, another ex Carmarthen man, a simple tap in at the far post.
There was a symmetry to the start of the second half with the end of the first. After Ammanford has opened the scoring four minutes before the break, Carmarthen equalised four minutes afterwards. A ball landed at the feet of Dyson who shot low into the corner, cancelling the host’s slender advantage.
Backed by vocal followings from both side, the two sides looked to get a go ahead goal. Giardelli came close to a second for the evening, cutting inside before flashing a shot inches past the post.
Wyn Thomas sent Dan John on to try and find a break through. The on loan Cardiff Met made an impact within three minutes of his introduction. His wicked cross from the left evaded everyone but Gavin Jones couldn’t get a telling touch at the far post.
Keane Whitmore, returning to the Recreation Ground after starting the season with the Black and Whites, came closest for the Old Gold. He cut inside and curled an effort narrowly over the bar.
Dan John went close again by heading into the side netting from a corner before he set up Ammanford’s best chance of the half. His delicious cross with the outside of the foot curled its way across the six yard area and missed Gavin Jones’ outstretched book by millimetres.
Town have made a habit of scoring late goals over recent weeks and this habit nearly came to fruition two minutes into stoppage time. Substitute Matthew Fisher tricked his way past two Old Gold defenders and found his fellow sub Callum Thomas at the far post.
With his first touch since coming onto the field, he headed straight at Lee Idzi who gathered at the second attempt to earn his side a share of the spoils in the Carmarthenshire derby, maintaining Ammanford’s unbeaten home start.
