Supersub Sable steals it for Camrose (From Western Telegraph)

Supersub Sable steals it for Camrose

Camrose 1 St Clears 0

Mid-way through the second half of this First Division clash, the sun broke through the cloud covered skies like a spotlight on the Camrose ground. As if on cue, home substitute John Sable, entered the fray and proceeded to play a starring role by scoring the only goal of the game.

Before he scored that all-important winner, the wind had spoilt this match as a spectacle and because of it, both teams failed to put their chances away. With the previous two weeks of football washed out due to the recent storms, both sides may have been a little rusty.

Camrose played with the wind in the first half and had enough possession to really put this game beyond doubt. They were the ones that played the football, attacking at every opportunity as the visitors sat back to defend their goal.

In Mike Venables, Camrose have a star in the making. The diminutive striker was a constant thorn in the Saints side as he proved that there is no substitute for pace, by scorching past the defence time and time again. The fact that he failed to score was down to visiting keeper Jason Windsor, who made a couple of close range saves to deny him any goals. Venables also delivered a series of fine crosses but sadly for him, and the Camrose team, no-one could really get on the end of them.

Chris Watts tried a speculative shot from distance for Camrose that flew inches over the bar and Dai Davies, another one for the future, shot just wide from a corner.

St Clears also had their chances in the first half with Eddie Wiggins looking their most dangerous player by having a shot well saved. But perhaps the best chance of a goal fell to Marco Siso, who saw his well-struck, curling free-kick, fly over the defensive wall, just past the uprights as Windsor was left stranded.

Scoreless at the interval, St Clears would have had high hopes of sneaking a first win of the season with the strong wind at their backs. They started the half brightly, with Mark Snelling going desperately close after they were awarded a free-kick for hand ball, and Paul Edwards heading the ball inches over the bar, from a corner soon after. The game needed something to bring it into life and home manager Bob Nelson had the answer in substitute John Sable.

Replacing the lively Steve James, the youngster was only on the field for a matter of minutes when he was put through by Venables and with the defence rushing at him, he nonchalantly chipped the keeper from distance.

Soon after and Windsor was pressed into action again as Venables sped away from the covering defence and unleashed a powerful shot that was well-saved.

It proved to be Camroses last chance of the game as the remainder of the half belonged to the Saints who tried valiantly to grab an equaliser. They deserved one in the final moments when Charlie Smith went close with a header following a good build up, but it wasnt to be, and it was Camrose who walked away with the points.