MATTHEW PULLS THE TRIGGER TO SEND CLUN INTO THE NEXT ROUND
CARDIFF COSMOS 1 PONTYCLUN 2
Pontyclun travelled to the University Fields to take on Cardiff Cosmopolitan in W. John Owen Cup tie.
The home team got proceedings underway on a bright but breezy early spring afternoon. The first opportunity of the game fell to Pontyclun as early as the second minute. Good battling by Alex Smith saw him move the ball forward before placing it into the path of Jamie Williams just inside the Cosmopolitan penalty area. However, the Pontyclun forward sent his shot high and wide.
A minute later Pontyclun had an appeal for a penalty when Jamie Williams appeared to be upended in the area but the referee waved away their protests. With action swinging from end to end the home team came close to opening the scoring in the eighth minute when a Cosmopolitan forward’s snap shot on the turn flew just wide of the Pontyclun post.
The next few minutes really saw the home team take the game to Pontyclun and Andrew Ringsell in the Pontyclun goal had to be at his best to turn away several efforts. Pontyclun began to come back into the game though and in the 20th minute once again came close to taking the lead. The ball was played to Alex Smith on the edge of the Cosmopolitan area. The Pontyclun forward managed to get in a powerful low shot which the home goalkeeper managed to get a hand to and diverted the ball agonisingly just wide of the far post.
Six minutes later Pontyclun again narrowly failed to take the lead. Pontyclun were awarded a corner on the right which was partially cleared by the home defence. The ball found its way to Aled Davies on the edge of the area. The Pontyclun midfielder got in a firm drive which crashed against the crossbar before going behind for a goal kick.
After a relatively quiet period the home side missed an opportunity to take the lead at the end of the first half. In the 41st minute a mistake by Tom Pascoe let in a Cardiff Cosmopolitan forward. As he advanced into the area, with just Andrew Ringsell to beat, it looked certain that he would open the scoring for his side. However, the Pontyclun custodian rose to the occasion magnificently and managed to smother the firm goal-bound effort. This proved to be the final attempt of the half and the half-time whistle sounded with the score locked at 0-0.
Pontyclun got the second half underway and right from the kick-off Oli James played in Jamie Williams. However, the Pontyclun player sent his effort high and wide. Ten minutes later Pontyclun again came close to taking the lead. A corner from Chris Darlington was only cleared to Oli James on the edge of the area by the home defence. However, the Pontyclun player’s scissors-like effort flew just over the bar.
Pontyclun took the lead on the hour mark. Substitute Tom Tweedy advanced with the ball down the right before sending a low ball across the Cardiff Cosmopolitan area to the unmarked Ethan Jones who made no mistake in slotting the ball past the advancing goalkeeper into the net.
Midway through the half Pontyclun came close to doubling their lead when a low Tom Tweedy shot from the edge of the area was just palmed away by the home goalkeeper. In the 75th minute Cardiff Cosmopolitan were reduced to ten men when one of their players received a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Oli James.
Despite being reduced to ten men the visitors took the game to Pontyclun and twice came close to levelling the score after some slack defending by the Pontyclun defence. As the minutes ticked by it looked as if Pontyclun had done just enough to secure victory. However, in the 88th minute they conceded an equaliser. Some slack marking from a Cardiff Cosmopolitan free-kick on the right ten yards outside the Pontyclun area saw the ball eventually fall to a home player in the six yard area and he gratefully headed the ball into the net.
Pontyclun were stung by this reverse and with extra time now looking a real possibility the Clun wasted no time in taking the game to their opponents. Oli James went on a mazy run holding off the challenges of four home defenders before finally sending a shot well wide of the Cosmopolitan goal.
In the 92nd minute though Pontyclun did actually take the lead. Good work by Matthew Trigg saw him win the ball just inside the Cardiff Cosmopolitan half. After good interplay between himself and Tom Tweedy down the left the Pontyclun full-back found himself with the ball just inside the home penalty area. After taking a second to steady himself, Trigg looked up and sent a high effort crashing into the net beyond the despairing dive of the home goalkeeper.
Three minutes later the home team spurned a glorious chance to draw level. Full-back Tom Pascoe was turned by a Cosmopolitan player who advanced into the Pontyclun area and sent in a low effort which evaded everyone as it flew across the six yard box.
A minute later Pontyclun themselves came close to scoring when Jamie Williams, Tom Tweedy and Ethan Jones all had efforts saved by the home goalkeeper. This proved to be the last real action of the game and the final whistle sounded with Pontyclun winners by 2 goals to 1.