6 goal thriller at the Bridge

By Tigers Admin

Tigers take a well deserved point off unbeated Bontnewydd

The Tigers welcomed league leader Bontnewydd to the bridge on a lovely evening in May. Bontnewydd came into the game unbeaten in the league. We had played at Bontnewydd away earlier in the season losing 3 – 1, but made up for that defeat when we beat them 6 – 2 in the 2nd Round of the Bob Owen Memorial Shield. With one eye on the final on Friday night a bit of squad rotation was needed. Brendun Whitfield (under 18’s player) made his 1st start in senior football for the Tigers.

Both teams started the game trying to break each other’s defence down and in the 7th minute some great work from Jamie Aston released Dave ‘Ginger Pele’ Baston on the right and as he cut in he smashed the ball into the back of the net. (3rd goal in 3 games)

It then became a bit of a stop start game with the whistle getting blown every chance possible and the game lost a bit of the flow. On 31 mins Bontnewydd equalised when Rhys Roberts took advantage of a slip in the defence and made no mistake.

Tom Scorer winning everything in the air and Matty Kerr sweeping up anything else we started to get more and more into the game again.

Dave Roberts, Jamie Aston and Tom Parry were controlling the midfield and with every opportunity were releasing Brendun and Dave down the flanks.

Half Time – Menai Bridge Tigers 1 – 1 Bontnewydd

At halftime we had to make a double substitution when we lost Dave Baston (injury) and Tom Parry (illness), replaced by Gethin Davies and Guy Hughes.

On 49 mins a ‘dodgy’ penalty was awarded to Bontnewydd and Rhys Roberts made it 2 – 1 to Bontnewydd.
This goal was the wake up call the Tigers needed. Only some last minute tackles and a couple of good saves from the Bontnewydd keeper were stopping the Tigers getting back into the game.

60 mins Lance Williams replaced by Andy Wannop.

On 67 mins a defence splitting pass from Gethin Davies put Guy Hughes through on goal and in the form Guy has been in front of goal the ball finished in the back of the net.. 2-2.

Gethin Davies had the chance to put the tigers ahead when he beat the offside trap and rounded the keeper only for this attempt to be cleared off the line.

Guy was now full of confidence and was taking on the full back at every opportunity, on 73 mins with a drop of the shoulder he was passed the full back and whipped in a tremendous cross that Andy Wannop hit first time passed the keeper to make it 3 -2 to the Bridge.

Bontnewydd equalised on 81 mins when a shot from the edge of the box by Terry Jones took a wicked deflection and gave Lee Moore no chance.

As we entered the final few minutes the bridge had one more chance to win the game when Guy got the better of the right back (who tried everything to stop him) and whipped in a peach of a cross to the near post and in an attempt to clear it the left back sliced it towards his own goal only for their keeper to put off a brilliant save.

In added time Bontnewydd were reduced to 10 men when their left back was shown a 2nd yellow card.

Final Score – Menai Bridge Tigers 3 – 3 Bontnewydd

Menai Bridge Tigers Scorers
Dave Baston (happy birthday ginger pele for the 03.05.17)
Guy Hughes
Andy Wannop

Menai Bridge Tigers Man of the Match
Guy Hughes