Garden Village  2  -  2  Cardiff Corinthians

Welsh Football League Division 2
Saturday September 2, 2006

Steve Devonald marked his debut with Garden Village's equalising goal just three minutes after he was introduced as a substitute.

The nippy midfielder, who slotted in at left wing-back in replace of Jack Jenkins, went on a mazy run from the touchline with the end product a neat strike underneath goalkeeper James Kirby into the bottom corner of the net.

Devonald's goal was also the 400th registered by Garden Village since joining the Welsh Football League seven years ago.

In a match affected strongly by the poor conditions Corries took an 18th minute lead through Rob James but Derrick Jenkins struck a minute into stoppage-time to make it 1-1. A David Rimmer own goal put the visitors back in front on 62 minutes but Devonald levelled up with an excellent goal 3 minutes later.

It was the visitors who started the liveliest and young striker Rhys Yates had the game's first proper chance just before the quarter of an hour mark. But the Radyr-based side were to open the scoring shortly afterwards as Rob James struck from a few yards after Stuart Lloyd pushed Kevin Crock's low cross into his path.

Steven Evans headed inches wide from Marc Lloyd's pin-point cross on 22 minutes while at the other end Stuart Lloyd was forced to leave his line to save from John Knight 9 minutes before the break.

The home side's patience paid off as they were on level terms a minute into added time at the end of the first-half. Rob Shannon, who was having a quiet afternoon up-front with Phil Myles, played the ball through a Corries' back-line way up-field to Derrick Jenkins who carried the ball forward and slotted it past James Kirby.

Conditions worsened as the second-half began and very little football was played by both sides with heavy rain and wind sweeping across the Stafford Common pitch.

Corries re-took the lead 17 minutes into the second period thanks to a freak goal which left Stuart Lloyd without any chance. The home side looked to have cleared the danger after the visitors attacked, but when a hapless ball was knocked back into the area is struck David Rimmer and looped over the top of Lloyd and into the net.

That lead was to last only 3 minutes as Steve Devonald made his mark on the game after just coming on as a substitute. After picking up the ball out left the former Llanelli youngster twisted and turned his way to the edge of the area, played a one-two and struck low past Kirby for his first Garden Village goal - easily an early contender for goal of the season.

Stuart Lloyd was kept a busy man throughout the remainder of the second-half with Corries looking to take the lead for the third time but was alert, while the home side had a few opportunities themselves to send their opponents from the capital home empty handed.

Both Rob Shannon and Steven Evans - who forced Kirby into making a fine save with 7 minutes to go - had chances but the match ended all square and it was Village's second consecutive 2-2 draw.

Village: Stuart Lloyd; Michael Harvey, David Evans, David Rimmer (Jamie Mansell, 62'); Marc Lloyd, Derrick Jenkins, Steven Evans, Neil Simon, Jack Jenkins (Steve Devonald, 62'); Rob Shannon, Phil Myles (Mark Napieralla, 84').

Goals: Derrick Jenkins (45+1') & Steve Devonald (65')

Yellow Cards: Rob Shannon (89')

Red Cards: None

Not Used: Sam Jacobson & Ashley Murray.

Goals: Rob James (18') & David Rimmer own goal (62')

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None

Attendance: 40

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