CUP WOE FOR OFF-TARGET LILYWHITES

By Dave Jones on Apr 27, 08 11:38 PM

LLANELLI 2 (Mumford 15, Holloway 40) RHYL 0

WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE CUP FINAL 2008

IF Rhyl had worn their shooting boots for today's League Cup final at Newtown they would have beaten Llanelli by some distance.
But the fact they did not manage a single on-target shot until the 71st minute summed up their frustrating performance.
After establishing a 2-0 lead inside the first 40 minutes treble-chasing Llanelli were content to sit back and invite the Lilywhites to break them down.
Creating chances was not Rhyl's problem, it was taking them. Had it not been the final game of the season John Hulse would surely have called the players in for shooting practice on Tuesday.
Before the final Hulse had warned that the main difference between the sides was Llanelli's 50-goal plus hitman Rhys Griffiths. So when the pre-match news was delivered that Griffiths was unable to play due to hamstring trouble, it was the perfect tonic Rhyl needed.
The champions were also without key defender Wyn Thomas, the speedy Craig Jones, the suspended Jordan Follows and injured midfield playmaker Antonio Corbisiero - but still the Lilies could not take advantage.
Llanelli started the better and in the seventh minute a 25-yard rasper by Andrew Mumford flew just wide.
That was a warning that the ex-Swansea City midfielder cannot be allowed to shoot from distance, but Rhyl failed to heed it.
In the 15th minute the Lilies defence prepared for one of Andy Legg's missile long throw-ins into the box. But Legg saw Mumford unmarked about 22 yards out and wisely threw it in the direction of the midfield maestro who beat Lee Kendall all ends up with a crisp right foot drive.
Rhyl had a great chance to equalise from a Mark Connolly corner soon after but George Horan headed over from point blank range.
Then Llanelli upped the pace, Matthew Jones hitting a 25-yarder which Kendall was happy to bundle away for a corner.
In the 28th minute a cracking Legg cross from the left was met on the volley by Mark Pritchard, but this time Kendall produced a top drawer save.
The Reds made it 2-0 on 40 minutes when slack marking from a Gary Lloyd corner allowed Chris Holloway a free header to score with ease.
Steve Evans' overhead kick went just wide, but then moments before the break Rhyl had a fabulous chance when Paul O'Neill dispossessed Lloyd and put Chris Sharp clear on goal but he dragged his shot hopelessly wide - a real turning point of the final.
After the break it was all Rhyl. Great play up to the final third, but no end product from the Lilywhites.
Within a minute of the restart Sharp again skewed badly wide from eight yards, then Lee Hunt and Gareth Wilson blasted over from good positions.
Hunt did superbly to win the ball off Mumford down the left, send in a tantalising low cross, but Craig Jones was unable to connect and a grateful Duncan Roberts fell on the loose ball.
Rhyl were now getting frustrated. Within minutes Connolly missed the ball completely when involved in a promising attack on the right, put another pass into the stand when under no pressure and in an advanced position found only the trees when team-mates were screaming out for a good cross.
Llanelli were really not that good - it was just Rhyl were failing to punish them.
Finally, on 71 minutes, the Llanelli keeper was tested. Sharp let the ball drop over his head and connected with a fine volley which Roberts brilliantly finger-tipped past the post.
From the resulting corner Horan was unchallenged at the near stick but again he missed the target.
Sharp headed wide from another Connolly centre, then Hunt's effort looked destined for the far corner but Roberts flung himself to his left and managed to keep the ball out.
Try as they did there was not even a consolation goal for Rhyl and the Llanelli supporters, as they has done all match, sang loud and proud at the final whistle after seeing their team complete the second leg of what they hope will be a treble.
RHYL: Kendall, Ruffer, Graves, Connolly, Horan, O'Neill (Garside 55), Jones, Wilson, Hunt, Sharp, Roberts. Unused subs: White, Holt. Attendance: 510.