AIRBUS UK Broughton’s legendary striker Marc Lloyd Williams is ready to make his 400th Welsh Premier League start this weekend.
The sharp-shooting veteran, who is the top-flight’s all-time-record scorer with an incredible 312 goals to his name, will achieve the major milestone if he is named in the Wingmakers’ starting line-up for Saturday’s trip to Porthmadog (2.30pm) – the club where he started his career and which he left in the summer.
Lloyd Williams, nicknamed ‘Jiws’, notched 28 goals in 75 appearances for Porth before going on to find the net for the likes of Bangor City, Stockport County, Halifax, York City, Southport, The New Saints and Rhyl.
The 36-year-old is second in this season’s WPL scoring charts having struck 10 times since becoming the biggest signing in Airbus’ history.
Wingmakers secretary Phil Bailey said: "He’s been a big asset to the club because in previous seasons we’ve always struggled to score.
"It’s just a pity we couldn’t get him a few years ago. Not many players play 400 games in this league!"
Lloyd Williams was not on target, however, in Airbus’ 2-0 victory over Newtown on a miserable afternoon in Broughton on Saturday.
Striker Carl Owen opened the scoring in the 35th minute after he fired in Matty Woodward’s knockdown before midfielder Danny Desormeaux settled the contest two minutes from time when he beat Robins goalkeeper David Maguire to the ball.
Wingmakers boss Craig Harrison believes his team’s ability to cope with the testing conditions was the key.
"The conditions spoiled it a little," said Harrison.
"I know the way Darren Ryan (Newtown manager) likes to play and that is, like ourselves, to keep it on the floor, but these were not conditions in which to play football.
"On a nice day, on a nice pitch, we’d have seen a nice spectacle, but the wind and rain and condition of the pitch made that impossible, and I think the key to our victory was we played the conditions better than they did."
Airbus right-back Ryan Edwards was sent-off during Wales Under 23s’ International Challenge Trophy 2-2 draw with Northern Ireland U23s in Portadown on Tuesday night.
Edwards, whose Wingmakers clubmate Ashley Williams also started for Wales, saw red for a deliberate handball on the line.
