Football: Three-goal lead lost as Treharris slip up

Apr 3 2008 by Our Correspondent, Merthyr Express

FOOTBALL

Treharris Athletic 3Tredegar Town 3

TREHARRIS let slip a three-goal lead and lost vital points in their battle against relegation from division two of the Welsh League.

With many of the games succumbing to the bad weather, Treharris were presented with a golden opportunity to pull away from the bottom of the table.

Christmas came early for Treharris as they took a commanding 3-0 lead within the first 20 minutes.

The opening goal came in the first minute when player/manager Kevin Bounds scored with ease for his 11th of the season.

Bounds then grabbed his second.

Visiting keeper Kris Morris hit his clearance straight to Bounds who planted the ball back in the visitors’ net from 35 yards out, leaving the keeper in no man’s land.

Treharris netted their third a minute later with Ian Batten was the first to the ball to find the far corner from 10 yards out.

With 25 minutes gone Tredegar reduced the arrears.

From a left-wing corner Craig Burgess scrambled the ball home from close range, and then on the stroke of half time Tredegar got themselves right back in the game when Burgess grabbed his second.

Tredegar really got at the home side in the second half as they searched for the equaliser and Treharris found themselves penned in their own half for long periods, with only some desperate defending and hasty clearances preserving their fragile lead.

The inevitable equaliser finally came in the 73rd minute with Neil Matherson being left unmarked at the far post to power a header into the far corner of the net.

Next Saturday Treharris travel to bottom of the table Briton Ferry Athletic, kick-off 2.30pm.