Glantraeth now find themselves locked firmly in a battle to avoid relegation after they went down 2-1 to third from bottom Gresford. Although they were unfortunate not to pull level during a late assault on the visitor’s goal the Bodorgan side could have few complaints after a woeful first half display gave Gresford the initiative.
Glan began brightly enough with Emyr Rowlands and Chris Evans both trying their luck in the opening minutes but they fell behind on the 10 minute mark as Craig Williams stole behind the home defence and his header from a Mike Pugh cross looped over keeper Marc Newbould and into the net.
The closest Glan came to levelling was on 20 minutes as a long ball from Chris Evans was just out of reach of Tomos Wyn Roberts but a minute later Glan were again caught sleeping at the back as Max Peate rose unchallenged to head home a left wing corner from Hugh Jones.
The Anglesey side replied with a David Alan Jones volley that flew well over and a long range effort from Gerallt Jones that had keeper Gareth Rowland scrambling to save.
In truth it was the first time the visitor’s keeper had exerted himself so ineffective had the home side’s performance been at this stage and it was soon Gresford who were threatening with Danny Hughes letting fly from 25 yards out with a shot that dipped only inches over then a Mike Pugh free kick was equally close.
Glantraeth’s problems were summed up on 36 minutes as Kevin Roberts headed a David Hughes cross invitingly across the face of goal but there was no-one there to take advantage.
With half-time approaching and Gresford looking comfortably in control the game changed dramatically on 41 minutes as a right wing cross from Tomos Wyn Roberts was met by Kevin Roberts and his header found the bottom corner. There was further drama as Gresford striker was shown the red card presumably for something he said to a match official.
The complacency was gone after the break as Glantraeth set about rescuing the game, Chris Evans firing narrowly wide and Emyr Rowlands clipping the ball over as he was first to meet a dangerous ball in from David Hughes.
It was now Gresford who were hanging on as Glan piled on the pressure. Tomos Wyn Roberts tried a shot on the turn on 62 minutes that flew wide and Corey Sinnott slipped the ball past the advancing keeper three minutes later only for the ball to pass agonisingly the wrong side of a post.
Quite how Gresford survived the final few moments as Glan threw everything at them bordered on the miraculous. With normal time almost up Emyr Rowlands powered in a shot that went straight at the keeper then Kevin Roberts had a golden opportunity to equalise but pulled his right foot shot wide as a goal looked certain. With virtually the last kick of the game David Alan Jones came in at the far post and blasted wide with the visitors defence at sixes and sevens.
The final whistle was greeted with raised arms from the visitors, it was a big win for them in what had been billed as a ‘six-pointer’ and now Glantraeth have a real mountain to climb as the gap between them and safety grows ever wider.
Glantraeth: Marc Newbould, David Hughes, Darren Jones, Gerallt Jones, Gareth Owen, Adam Jones (Corey Sinnott 59), Tomos Wyn Roberts, Emyr Rowlands, David Alan Jones, Kevin Roberts, Chris Evans.