Match Report

COLWYN BAY were unable to defend a half-time lead as  neighbours Llandudno stretched their unbeaten league run to nine games (including six wins in a row) in front of a big ‘derby’ crowd of 1,020.

James Kirby had put the Seagulls in front on 15 minutes with a volley from Tom McCready’s free kick and McCready was unlucky not to double the lead when another free kick hit  a post.

Tom Creamer also had a shot blocked before half-time and early in the second half Kirby also had a goal-bound effort blocked by a defender.

The game changed, however, after a serious-looking injury to Tommy Creamer, with the physio calling for a stretcher.

Within five minutes of that lengthy delay, the Bay conceded a penalty and although Shaun Cavanagh’s spot kick was saved, Gaz Evans equalised from the following goalmouth scramble.

Marc Williams then scored a second for Llandudno from a corner and although the Bay pressed hard for an equaliser in the closing minutes, they couldn’t save the game with Sam Jones having a shot blocked, while a Tom McCready effort was a deflected wide.

Goalscorer James Kirby was voted the Pen-y-Bryn Man of the Match by members of Colwyn Bay’s Norwegian fan club who had flown over for the game.

Bay manager Craig Hogg commented: “The message to the players before the game was to play the game and not the occasion, and I thought they handled that really well.

“It was a new experience for some of them playing in a derby like this and the performance in the first half was very good. We scored a screamer from James Kirby to put us 1-0 up and we really should have put them to the sword with the chances that we created.

“Then there was a period of 12 to 15 minutes in the second half where they’ve put us on the back foo,. and we made a mistake with the penalty, lunging in for a tackle when the player is going away rom goal.

“Andy’s made a great save from the spot kick, but we haven’t dealt with the rebound and the reaction after that.

“To concede from a corner not long after the penalty and go from 1-0 up to 1-2 down in the space of round 15 minutes was a kick in the face.

“We tried to rally ourselves and we kept going to the end.  I’m proud of the players in that respect and they gave everything to try and get a result.

“We are just disappointed to lose a derby at home in front of our fans.”