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ETHESDA ATHLETIC 2 BLAENAU AMATEURS 1.

The Amateurs ended their three pre season friendlymatches with a creditable display at last season Pentraeth Honda Welsh League champions Bethesda on Saturday. They lost all three matches the others being closehigher league teams in Llandudno and Conwy United but it was the experience of playing such teams that manager Brian Vaughan hopes will benefit his Gwynedd League charges.Bethesda were denied promotion last season after running away with the leaguethe powers that be ruled that their stand was 4 seats short of the minimum required for the Welsh Alliance League. Still on this performance they look a formidable outfit and the visitors can thank their keeper Geraint Hughes for keeping his side in the match with a string of impressive saves. The home side started strongly with Hughes tipping a couple of goal bound efforts for corners. before Blaenau got into the match and they should have taken the lead when a good move involving Dafydd Reynolds and Ceri Roberts created a far post chance for Terry Hughes whose final efort was wide of the mark. However on 28 minutes the visitors took the lead with Gary Hughes struck the ball home as the Bethesda defence failed to clear the danger. A similar incident happened at the other end when the Blaenau defence failed to cut out a left wing cross and Nigel Barry bundled the ball home for the equaliser on 39 minutes. In the second half there were wholesale changes by both teams and on 54 minutes last season's top scorer Richard Owen again took advantage of some sloppy defending and slotted the ball past Geraint Hughes to score what turned out to be the winning goal. Hughes made some telling saves and the visitors as in the first half came more into the match and Cai Williams brought a good save from the Bethesda keeper. The visitors battled on and in the end they were having more of the ball but that elusive equaliser was not forthcoming and they will be hoping for a better result when Rhiwlas are the visitors to Cae Clyd on Saturday in the opening match of the new Gwynedd League season.

Meirion Ellis