WILY WOODINGTON WINS IT AGAIN
PONTYCLUN FC 4 AFC BUTETOWN 0
Lowly AFC Butetown were the visitors to a damp, cold and windswept Ivor Park on Saturday for a South Wales Alliance League Premier Division fixture.
Pontyclun got proceedings underway kicking towards the Cowbridge End of the ground. The first real opportunity of the game fell to Pontyclun in the 4th minute. Jamie Williams advanced down the right wing into the area but his firm shot was deflected just wide of the far post for an ultimately fruitless Pontyclun corner.
After dominating the early stages of play it came as no real surprise when Pontyclun opened the scoring in the 7th minute. Once again good work by Jamie Williams on the right wing saw him advance into the Butetown area before pulling the ball back to the unmarked Joel Woodington who stroked the ball into the net from eight yards.
Eight minutes later Pontyclun doubled their lead when another cross from Jamie Williams found Joel Woodington eight yards out. The Pontyclun forward cleverly swivelled his head to send the ball into the net from eight yards.
The visitors had to wait until the 26th minute for their first real opportunity of the game when they had a strong claim for a penalty turned down when one of their players appeared to have his shirt pulled in the Pontyclun area. However, referee Mike Ford waved away their protests.
Shortly afterwards the livewire Jamie Williams spurned a golden chance to put his side three goals in front when he found himself one-on-one with the Butetown goalkeeper who got down well the avert the danger.
With Pontyclun now totally bossing the game they had another chance to extend their lead in the 38th minute. Joel Woodington took the ball to the by-line on the left before crossing to Jamie Williams on the edge of the Butetown area but his firm drive flew just over the bar.
Two minutes later Pontyclun had another chance to go three up when the Butetown goalkeeper pushed another well struck Jamie Williams shot behind for a corner. From the ensuing corner Jordan Lawrence also came close to increasing his side’s lead but his acrobatic scissors kick from the edge of the area hit a Butetown defender on the line. This proved to be the last significant action of the half and the interval arrived with Pontyclun leading by two goals to nil.
The visitors got proceedings underway after the break and in the 47th minute they had their best chance of the game so far but James Billington in the Pontyclun goal did well to get down low and push away a firm shot from the edge of the area.
After this initial scare the game soon reverted to type with Pontyclun in total control of proceedings. Jamie Williams came close to extending the lead on a couple of occasions and just on the hour mark Tom Tweedy spurned a glorious opportunity when, following indecision in the Butetown defence, the ball came to him 7 yards out with the goal at his mercy but he could only send his effort into the side netting.
With all the pressure they were exerting it came as no real surprise when Pontyclun made it 3-0 in the 64th minute when a cross from the by-line found Tom Tweedy in the area and his low effort eluded the Butetown goalkeeper and rolled over the line.
Four minutes later Pontyclun squandered another golden opportunity to extend their lead when an unmarked Joel Woodington skied his effort from the edge of the area over the bar.
Pontyclun finally made the score 4-0 in the 83rd minute. The ball was played into the unmarked Joel Woodington in the Butetown area. The Pontyclun centre-forward steadied himself before slotting the ball beyond the advancing Butetown goalkeeper for a well deserved hat-trick.
In the closing minutes substitutes Oli James and James Gronow both came close to extending Pontyclun’s lead. Right at the death Butetown were reduced to ten men when Tyrone Bell received a red card for two bookable offences in quick succession. However, there was no time for Pontyclun to make their extra man advantage tell and the final whistle sounded with them comfortable winners by 4 goals to nil.