Another game another local derby . This time near neighbours Croesy relegated last season but early season pacesetters this season were the visitors. A good sized crowd were thoroughly entertained at the delightful looking Newport Stadium .
Changes had to be made as is the norm for Llanwern with Currie and Perszewski missing from the squad but Baugh and Fernquest were added to the starting eleven and Binning added to the bench , Centr half Mike Aviss was moved up front now defining his role as Llanwern,s Mr Versatility.
The game was keenly contested early on and it was two different styles of play from both sides , the home team trying to play their crisp short passing game and get the ball wide as early as possible and the away team setting out their stallwith a 451 formation and happy touse the wind and long ball to get centre forward Jody Jenkins into dangerous positions.
On 6 minutes a clash of heads saw Luke Fernquest have to leave the game with a head wound to be replaced by Matt Pimm , it was Pimm who maybe should have opened the scoring on 12 minutes when a ball into the box wasnt dealt with and a save from the keeper fell to Pimm who couldnt get sufficient power in his shot and it was hacked away , on 21 minutes a great through ball saw Marcus Power hold off the central defender run in on goal and cooly finish from 15 yards for his fifth goal of the season . On 27 minutes it was 2-0 when another great cross fromthe left from Spiteri was met by Captain Shier who outjumped the defence and headed a superb ball into the far corner .
On 32 minutes it was a touch of class that resulted in Croesy getting back in the game with their first shot on goal , striker Jenkins was allowed acres of space 30 yards out and he turned and clipped a superb chip over keeper Cairns for 2-1.
A freekick some 40 yards out on 37 minutes that was pumped into the box by jamie jenkins should have been dealt with but confusion between keeper Cairns and Centre half Golledge led to Cairns punching the ball against the defenders head and the ball falling in the box where it bobbled around and was scrambled in frominside the six yard box for 2-2 , worse was to follow as Cairns and Golledge were injured in the incident , Golledge having to be replaced by Binning and Cairns struggling through to half time where he had to be helped from the pitch

HT 2=2

Extensive treatment at HT on Cairns saw him come out for the second half but very gingerly , and it was Croesy who should have scored as early as the 47th minute when a free header in the 6 yard box was easier to score but somehow it was knocked over the top. This was the wake up call Llanwern required and they again got their passing game going and began to get on top of the opposition , Matt Pimm should have put the Wern in front when the Croesy back four were pulled apart and a great cut back from Power arrived toPimm who should have struck the ball first time but he took a touch and his shot was blocked .On 69 minutes another flowing move involving Hooper rolling the ball into the advanced Carl Baugh whos delightful flick saw Mike Aviss storm into the box and drive an unstoppabl e shot into the roof of the net . more bad luck for the Steelmen on 71 minutes when substitute Binning pulled up with a hamstring injury to be replaced by Luke Palmer. The game wasnt over yet and on 81 minutes Croesy were level again when from a corner Osbourne managed to get himself inbetween his markers and steer the ball home with his head from a fewyards out .

FT Llanwern 3-3 Croesy

A point really wasnt what the Steelmen deserved but 3 poor mistakes cost them the win which was disappointing considering they restricted the opposition to very fewefforts and played mostly all the flowing football . The game was an entertaining one where both sides tried to play their own brand of football and the crowd were certainly entertained .