PICTURE by Wynne Evans.
IN THE second instalment of AFEFootballNews’ latest feature, Arron Evans will be taking a look at the top five players at Bryngwran Bulls.
Richard Owen’s side have enjoyed a fine campaign to date and will be hoping to push Valley and Mynydd Tigers all the way for the title/promotion as the season draws to a close.
Of course, they have the Dargie Cup final to look forward to as well, having beaten Valley in the semi-final’s in early March. With all that said, here are the five main men who have stood out for the club this season …
Matty Roberts
Position: Winger
Plays like: Xherdan Shaqiri – Not the tallest player but strong on the ball and works well out on the wing.
Roberts has looked very lively throughout the season for his side and has scored ten goals to date.
His most important contribution so far was the goal he scored in that Dargie Cup semi-final victory over Valley Athletic last month, in a match that Bryngwran were considered to be the underdogs.
Out wide, Roberts has most certainly been one of the league’s “ones to watch” and his creativity and attacking play has been vital to this Bulls side over the past few months.
He has gelled well with the rest of the squad and will no doubt continue to prove vital in the club’s starting eleven during their remaining games of the campaign.
Andrew Bailey
Position: Midfielder
Plays like: Wayne Rooney – Leader within the team who pushes his team forward. Knows where the goal is and is aggressive in his style of play when he needs to be.
Bailey is the club captain who drives the team forward with his aggressive approach to the game.
The Anglesey League veteran has hit 12 goals this season. The highlight of his campaign was a fine hat-trick against Bodorgan in a game that saw him deployed as a stand-in striker in place of James Ryan who was absent.
Bailey also netted a goal in the 2-0 Dargie Cup semi-final win over Valley, so his contribution to The Bulls has been huge at times.
His experienced head and talent will be absolutely crucial to determining whether or not the club can pip the likes of Mynydd Tigers and Valley to the title over the next few weeks.
Tony Meyer
Position: Midfielder
Plays like: Manuel Lanzini – A creative player who loves to get forward whether its by scoring goals or assisting them.
Meyer is one of the paciest players in the Kon-X Anglesey League and has really stood out for the Bulls at times this season.
Although the little midfielder is often seen more as a creator of goals, he has also popped up with seven of his own during the campaign and is always a threat when the Bulls are on the break.
His passing abilities are second to none and despite his smaller frame, he is never afraid to put his foot in and win the ball back for his side either.
He has started many a match for the Bulls this season and you can see that his game is improving with every one. I have no doubts that we will see his name on the score sheet a couple of more times in the coming weeks.
Hari Jones
Position: Centre Back
Plays like: Gary Cahill – A traditional centre back who gets the job of defending done in a no-nonsense fashion. Also scores a few too.
One of the best defenders in the league in my opinion.
Jones is a tall, commanding centre back who has been ever-present in the heart of Bryngwran’s defence this season.
The club has only conceded 16 goals throughout their Kon-X Anglesey League campaign so far (joint best with Mynydd Tigers) and Jones had played a big role in that impressive stat.
He seems to have all the makings of a great central defender due to his height, his tackling abilities and his sheer strength when coming up against opponents.
Jones is also a threat from corners too as he has a good header in his locker and will no doubt remain in Richard Owen’s starting eleven for the rest of the season.
James Ryan
Position: Striker
Plays like: Diego Costa (but without the cheating) – leads the line well on his own up front and can score crucial goals for his side.
In terms of goals, Ryan has been the Bulls’ main man by far, having scored twice the amount any of his team mates have.
His prolific form, in particular before Christmas, has seen him hit 24 goals to date and I would imagine that once the Bulls actually start playing regularly again (they haven’t recently due to bad weather), he will reach at least 30 by the end of the season.
Ryan started the campaign in blistering form, helping Bryngwran cement their ambitions of claiming the title early on. He provided a real threat in the final third and despite falling off the pace in recent matches, I fully expect him to bounce back in style when The Bulls return to action.
Standing in fourth place in the top scorer rankings, Ryan has certainly had a season to remember already. However, something tells me he won’t be truly happy until he’s helped his side claim some silverware.
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It’s fair to say that Bryngwran Bulls have just clicked as a team this year and have mastered the art of claiming three points – even when going a goal or two down. It’s also worth pointing out that they have had some other stand out stars along the way who deserve some praise too.
The trio of Jones’; Dale, Iolo and John, have all been exceptional at times and goalkeeper Roy Sayle was fantastic in the club’s 2-0 win over Valley in the Dargie Cup, denying them a goal for the first time this season.
With many matches still left for Richard Owen’s men, can they push for the title as the season draws to a close?
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