Seagulls impress against Llandudno

COLWYN BAY played some excellent football, particularly in the first half, on a very heavy pitch to beat Cymru Alliance title challengers Llandudno 4-0 in Tuesday night's friendly.
Alex Titchiner scored two goals, set up another and had chances to complete a hat-trick, while Greg Stones had a good debut playing in a forward midfield role and helped set up two of the first three goals before half-time.
Manager Neil Young was delighted with the way the side passed the ball about and commented: "Considering the conditions, some of the football we played, the chances we created and the goals we scored were excellent and we certainly got what we wanted out of the game.
"Llandudno are doing very well in their league but we've opened them up on numerous occasions and if the pitch had been a little bit firmer I think you would have seen an even better performance from our team.
"Before the game we told the players we wanted them to keep hold of the ball, pass it, move and open the opposition up and we did that against a good team."
The manager added Titchiner's two goals will have helped his confidence and he was also pleased with Stones' debut.
"Greg did very well. He is clever, he knows the game, he knows when to hold the ball and when to pass it and he can bring us some extra quality going forward."
Stones himself said he enjoyed his first game for the Bay.
"Obviously the pitch was very heavy, but I thought some of the football we played was excellent and if we can do that on a good pitch then we will rip teams apart," he said afterwards.
The Seagulls lost Anthony Lynch with a muscle strain after only 10 minutes, but went in front two minutes later when Luke Denson played in Stones and his cross was turned into the net by Ryan Williams.
Llandudno keeper Andy Rooney saved from Ian Sheridan and Greg Stones (twice) and then turned a fierce Titchiner shot round the post before the Bay increased their lead on 35 minutes.
Denson ran onto Anthony Sheehan's defence-splitting pass and pulled the ball back for Titchiner to score, and two minutes before half-time, smart inter-play between Williams and Stones set up the chance for Titchiner to rifle in his second.
Colwyn Bay's passing lost some of it sharpness as the Bay made a number of changes in the second half, but they made it 4-0 on 69 minutes when Titchiner chased and won the ball on the bye-line before pulling it back for Sheridan to score.
Sheridan then rounded Rooney but saw his shot cleared off the line by Alun Roberts, and Titchiner missed a great chance to complete his hat-trick when he blazed a shot over the bar after another superb passing move had opened up the Llandudno defence again.
Llandudno, who included ex-Bay favourites Paul Roberts and Neil Coverley in their starting line-up, worked hard, but Chris Sanna had only three saves to make in the game, with Lee Davey (on loan from the Bay) forcing the best of them.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Lynch (Olsen 10 mins, Ablett 45 mins), Brandreth, Challinor (Grannon 60 mins), Sheehan, Sheridan, Kelly (Headley 60 mins), Titchiner, Stones, Williams.