Wizards hot-shot McNabney bags four goals (From Western Telegraph)

Wizards hot-shot McNabney bags four goals

10:30am Thursday 18th October 2012 in Sport

Llangwm AFC 0

Merlins Bridge 4

Stephen McNabney grabbed four second-half goals to ease Merlins Bridge into the next round of the Senior Cup at the expense of gritty division five outfit Llangwm AFC.

This was supposed to be an easy ride for the Wizards, but it didn’t work out that way as Llangwm battled for every scrap of possession against their illustrious opponents.

The cup-tie was goalless for 70 minutes and the tie finally went in the Wizards’ favour when Llangwm’s Adam Banner was issued a straight red-card by referee Chris Stapleton for a reckless two-footed tackle on Gethin Roberts.

Referee Stapleton was left with little option and when down to ten-men the hosts were then put under the cosh by one of the cup favourites.

McNabney scored two goals within the space of a minute and then added further goals in the 80th and 84th minutes to wrap up the tie.

“They made us work really hard for our win,”

said Wizards manager Matthew Price. “The ground was heavy and they didn’t give us an inch. The game swung in our favour when they had a player sent-off. McNabney took his opportunist goals well, they were typical striker’s goals and all finished clinically.”

Llangwm goalkeeper Joel Codd said: “I can’t praise the boys enough they played superbly against a quality team.

“The referee was spot on with the sending off, but once we lost Adam we just could not live with them.”

Llangwm AFC: Joel Codd, Jack Mills, Adam Banner, Tom Sinton, Harvey Farmer, Anthony Sutton, James Ashman, Kieran Walker, James Ruloff, Liam Sheehan, Garin Scriven. Subs: Nathan Jones, Daniel Ridge, David Jones.

Merlins Bridge: Gary Thomas, Gareth John, Jonathan Sable, Paul Thomas, Peter Thomas, Dai Davies, Brett Shakir, Stephen McNabney, Nathan Thomas, Bradley Barrett, Gethin Roberts. Subs: Matthew Price, Gareth Williams, Simon Thomas.

Referee: Chris Stapleton.