BEATEN IN THE BEACONS
BRECON CORRIES 1 PONTYCLUN 0
Top of the table Pontyclun made the long journey into the Brecon Beacons to take on Brecon Corries in a South Wales Alliance League fixture.
The home team got proceedings underway on a cold, grey winter’s day kicking towards the Abergavenny end of the ground. Pontyclun began brightly and in the opening few minutes twice came close to opening the scoring with a free-kick from just outside the area which just sailed over the bar and then Jamie Williams, after being played in by Shaun Moss, sent in a looping shot from the edge of the area which was just gathered by the home keeper.
After these initial scares the home team woke up and began to take complete control of the proceedings. In the 5th minute they missed a glorious chance to take the lead when a mistake by Oli James in the far corner of his own penalty area saw him dispossessed by a home player who subsequently crossed the ball back across the area to an unmarked Brecon player who somehow managed to head over the bar with the goal gaping from 7 yards.
With the home team belying their lowly position in the league, in the 13th minute they once again came close to taking the lead. Tom Pascoe was dispossessed on the right by a Brecon player and his sharp shot across the face of the goal was just about deflected behind for an ultimately fruitless corner.
Given the way the game was now panning out it came as little surprise when Brecon finally did go in front in the 16th minute. A free-kick on the right five yards out from the corner of the penalty area was lofted into the box and an unmarked Brecon player rushed in to head the ball powerfully into the net from 8 yards.
Ten minutes later Pontyclun had another let-off. A run down the right by a Brecon player eventually resulted in him getting a cross-cum-shot into the Pontyclun area which clattered against the bar before rebounding to safety.
The incessant Brecon pressure continued and in the 32nd minute they once again came close to extending their lead when another shot from the right hand edge of the Pontyclun area once again hit the bar before rebounding to a Brecon forward three yards from goal who wasted no time in putting the ball into the net. However, fortunately for Pontyclun the effort was disallowed for offside.
Two minutes later the home team once again had the chance to extend their lead. Another mistake in the Pontyclun area let in a Brecon forward but Pontyclun keeper, James Billington, rose to the occasion splendidly making a good reaction block to divert the goal-bound effort.
Right on the stroke of half-time the home team were reduced to ten men. A bad tackle on Clun full-back Sam Morgan led to an altercation where Corries player Paul Keddle was adjudged to have pushed Oli James and referee Nigel Jones had no hesitation in giving the Brecon player his second yellow card of the game.
With the home team now a man short Pontyclun wasted little time after the restart in taking the game to their opponents and in the opening minute came close to snatching an equaliser. The ball was fed into Chris Bullock with his back to goal on the edge of the Brecon area. The Pontyclun forward then turned and got in a shot which hit the post before being subsequently put behind for a corner.
Six minutes later Pontyclun had another got chance to equalise. A free-kick on the right just outside the Brecon area was played into the box by Craig Williams. After the home team had missed several attempts to clear their lines the ball eventually broke to Shaun Moss just inside the area. However, his firm shot flew just over the bar.
With Pontyclun now totally dominating play they once again came close to scoring in the 56th minute. Good passing interplay between Chris Bullock and Jamie Williams eventually led to the latter player getting in a shot which crashed against the bar before rebounding to Chris Bullock whose shot just went wide of the left hand post with the Brecon goalkeeper looking on helplessly.
Despite being so on top, two minutes later Pontyclun nearly went 2-0 down. Keeper James Billington failed to gather the ball in the corner of his area and a Brecon forward played the ball back across the area before it was eventually scrambled behind for a corner by Sam Morgan at the far post.
The home goal had yet another narrow escape on the hour. Jamie Williams put a great diagonal ball in to the area to the onrushing substitute Tom Haley who managed to scoop his effort over the bar.
The Pontyclun pressure continued and in the 70th minute another good run and cross into the box by Jamie Williams again resulted in Chris Bullock putting the ball inches wide of the left hand post.
The one-way traffic continued and in the 77th minute Pontyclun twice came close to scoring. Tom Haley embarked on a mazy run down the centre. As the Brecon challenges melted away the Clun substitute advanced into the area before getting in a low shot which was blocked by the legs of the Brecon keeper. The ball rebounded to Chris Bullock who sent in a firm goal-bound effort. However the Brecon keeper and a defender somehow contrived to keep the ball out of the net.
Although the home team were noticeably tiring as they were feeling the effect of playing for so long with a man short on a heavy pitch they had managed to endure the Pontyclun bombardment. Indeed as the final minutes ticked by the home team began to enjoy more and more of the possession in the Pontyclun half of the field thereby frustrating their attempts to go in search of an equaliser.
Indeed so successful were the home team in employing these tactics the Clun were unable to mount a single attack of note in the remaining minutes and the referee’s whistle sounded with Brecon victorious by a goal to nil in what had truely been a Jekyll and Hyde encounter.