NANTLLE VALE 1, LLANDYRNOG UNITED 3

A BRILLIANT first half display has ended Llandyrnog United’s lengthy wait for their first league win of the season.

At the 12th time of asking, Ryan Harden’s side broke their Lock Stock Welsh Alliance League Division One duck thanks to a 3-1 victory at bottom-of-the-table Nantlle Vale.

Manager Ryan Harden was once again unable to call on over 10 members of his first team squad, which meant first starts of the season for Paul Williams, Dion Jones and a debut for 16-year-old Ben Langford Jones.

The away side were quickly out of the traps and it took just eight minutes for them to take the lead.

A perfectly weighted through ball from Luke Humphreys sent Paul Williams into the clear and he rounded the onrushing goalkeeper to finish expertly.

United were looking threatening every time they went forward and they didn’t have to wait long for a second goal.

Humphreys broke clear down the right hand side and found the perfect cross for Luke Appleby to sweep home.

Nantlle Vale gave warning of their threat from set pieces when a corner was narrowly headed over, but in open play, it was one-way traffic and it should have been three when Appleby’s far post effort somehow rolled across the goal line and stayed out.

The third goal did come soon afterwards, though, when Appleby’s shot was brilliantly saved, but Paul Williams was on hand to tap home his second of the game.

Llandyrnog took their foot off the gas in the second half and after Appleby headed Billy Holmes’ cross just over, they were given a wake-up call when a defensive lapse allowed the home side to pull a goal back on the hour via Ifan Hughes.

Keeper Stuart Griffiths was then forced to pull off a brilliant save to ensure the away side wouldn’t have to endure a nervous ending to the game as they secured the three points.

New signing Conor Jones once again took the man of the match award.

Team boss Harden said: “It was nice to finally get the monkey off our back after five draws and get the win.

“We’ve been playing well recently and working hard in training, and the lads got their reward.”