Clinical finishing from Rhayader Town proved the major difference as the visitors ran out comfortable winners in their pre-season fixture against Presteigne St Andrews at Llanandras Park
Our grateful thanks to Rhayader for agreeing to provide the opposition after our original scheduled opponents Morda United were forced to pull out.
Both sides started the game brightly but it was the Red Kites who took the lead through a stunning cross-shot – if you want to take a look at that goal then you can either click here or click on the image at the top of the page.
There are times when – even as an opposition player or supporter – you just have to say: ‘Fair play!’ and that was one of them – no goalkeeper at this level or from several levels above was ever going to get anywhere near that one.
Rhayader then doubled their lead through a well-worked goal, but John Haycox’s Presteigne squad got themselves back into the game when Matt Strangwood headed home from a free kick.
In terms of clear cut opportunities, Rhayader certainly created the majority of those in the remainder of the first period but half-time came with the visitors two-one to the good.
There were always likely to be wholesale changes at the break and Presteigne – for whom this was only their second friendly – certainly took the chance to freshen things up.
Perhaps this new line up was a factor in goal number three for Rhayader as – within 60 seconds of the restart – the visitors were awarded a penalty which was emphatically despatched into the roof of the home side’s net.
The Red Kites also began to make changes and they stepped up their game after the break where the visitors’ superior fitness began to tell – this was to be expected at Rhayader have enjoyed more pre-season games than the home side.
Adam Crowe did net a second goal for Presteigne, but Rhayader ran out 8-2 winners on the day and, while some thought the margin was perhaps harsh on the home side, there was no doubting the fact the Red Kites were very good value for their victory.
Next up for Presteigne St Andrews – it’s the start of the real stuff with an FAW Cup derby match against Radnor Valley at Llanandras Park on Saturday, 10 July.