Manderwood Pembrokeshire League Division One:

Herbrandston 5-3 Angle

STRIKER Scott Reid struck a hat trick as Herbie recovered from conceding an early goal to notch a crucial victory over Angle in the battle to stay in Division One.

With bottom club Milford United all but relegated, Oliver West’s men went into tonight knowing a win would see them draw level with their visitors in the table – with Angle also set to be deducted three further points for their non-fulfilment against Goodwick last weekend.

It was Reid who threatened first with a left foot shot from 20 yards that Angle keeper James Harries gathered comfortably – and it was the away side who then took the lead eight minutes in.

Angle forward Lee Brockway surged into the Herbie area, and his low cross was tapped in by an unmarked Sam Richards at the back post.

But within five minutes Herbie were level, as Reid had another long range effort pushed away by Harries, but from the resultant corner, Haydn Dimond’s in-swinging cross was headed in by Mark Jones.

Then came a flashpoint with Reid maybe fortunate to only see yellow after shoving Josh Richards to the ground off the ball, but the striker let his feet do the talking 20 minutes in when Ali Ouzman’s pass was diverted into his path, and he beat Harries from six yards.

Herbie midfielder Marc Gelona also fired wide after a driving run and both Reid and Ali Ouzman were thwarted by near post saves from Harries – while at the other end Ben Adams latched onto Brockway’s ball over the top, but his first touch took him too wide before firing off target.

But two minutes before the break West’s men increased the lead as Reid made ground down the left, and whipped a ball in that a diving Ryan Davies headed in at the back post.

On a deteriorating pitch already heavy from the severe overnight rain, the visitors did most of the pressing early in the second half, and Herbie keeper Gareth Marshallsay’s sliced clearance fell to Brockway, but his cross-shot was cut out by Adrian Rees.

Thomas Grimwood also shot wide from the edge of the area and Marshallsay saved well from Nicholas Willis, before Herbie midfielder Davies saw his stinging 20 yard shot palmed away by Harries.

Then on the hour mark, Andrew Thomas’ side got back into it when Brockway’s floated cross found its way through to substitute Jake Seaton, who buried his low shot.

But just five minutes later Herbie’s two goal cushion was restored, and it was Reid who curled home an 18-yard free kick that sailed to the right of a static Harries and into the top corner.

Angle seemingly set up a nervy last 10 minutes for Herbie though when Archie McCallum’s mistimed tackle gave Sean O’Connor little option but to point to the spot, and although Josh Richards’ effort was saved by Marshallsay, Willis was on hand to tuck away the rebound.

Those nerves were banished in the final few minutes though, when Herbie sub Dylan Hawkridge teed up Reid, and he duly smashed a shot home from the edge of the area to seal the most important three points of his side’s season.

Herbrandston: Gareth Marshallsay, Michael Ateyo, Adrian Rees, Mark Jones, Sean Williams, Scott Findlay, Ali Ouzman, Marc Gelona, Haydn Dimond, Ryan Davies, Scott Reid.

Subs: Lewis Nicholas, Archie McCallum, Dylan Hawkridge.

Angle: James Harries, Stuart Ferrier, Josh Powell, Josh Richards, Richard Williams, Josh Clark, Nicholas Willis, Ben Adams, Thomas Grimwood, Lee Brockway, Sam Richards.

Subs: James Balkwill, Luke Campbell, Jake Seaton.

Referee: Sean O’Connor.