Pontyclun FC 2 0 Grange Albion
17th Sep 2016 - 14.30
Ivor Park
South Wales Alliance League

THREE MORE POINTS FOR CLUN!

PONTYCLUN 2 GRANGE ALBION 0

Grange Albion were the visitors to a sun-drenched Ivor Park on Saturday for a South Wales Alliance League fixture.

Grange got proceedings underway kicking towards the village end of the ground. The visitors dominated possession in the early stages of the game but failed to create any real clear cut scoring opportunities until the 8th minute when a cross played into the Pontyclun area from the right was met by a Grange Albion forward and his glancing header hit the left hand post before being scrambled away by Jordan Lawrence.

A minute later Pontyclun came close to taking the lead themselves with their first real attack of the match. The ball was played in low to Chris Bullock on the right hand side of the Grange area. The Pontyclun forward slotted the ball past the advancing keeper but unfortunately the effort lacked sufficient power and was cleared off the line by a Grange Albion defender.

Thirty seconds later the visitors were handed another opportunity when Jordan Lawrence lost possession just inside the Grange Albion half. The visitors advanced down the left flank before the ball was crossed into the Pontyclun area where a Grange forward sent in a shot which was well pushed away by James Billington in the Pontyclun goal.

Play was much more even at this stage of proceedings and although opportunities presented themselves to both James Gronow and Lewis Miller neither player was able to take advantage of them.

Shortly before half-time the Pontyclun goal had a narrow escape when a Grange Albion shot from the edge of the area skimmed the Pontyclun post before going wide. This proved to be the last significant action of the half and the interval arrived with the score locked at 0-0.

Pontyclun kicked off the second half but the large crowd had to wait until the 55th minute for the first real opportunity of the period when Jordan Lawrence advanced down the flank before cutting in and launching a shot from 30 yards which the visiting keeper pushed away to safety.

As the minutes ticked by the occasional half chance fell to both sides neither of whom could capitalise on them. In an attempt to ring the changes manager Barry Quinn sent on Joel Woodington in place of James Gronow just after the hour mark and the Pontyclun substitute was quickly in action when, in the 68th minute with his back to goal, he brought down a ball from Jordan Lawrence before getting in a shot on the turn which went narrowly wide of the post.

Three minutes later Pontyclun took the lead. Jamie Williams played a high ball into the Grange Albion area from the right. As Joel Woodington and the visiting goalkeeper both rose for the ball the Pontyclun forward just did enough to distract the Grange custodian and as the ball dropped the Pontyclun player sent in an overhead kick which was blocked by a Grange Albion defender on the line. However, all the visiting player managed to do was to deflect the ball towards Chris Bullock who gratefully headed it into the net from close range.

In the 79th minute Clun came close to doubling their lead. A long kick out by James Billington found Chris Bullock just inside the Grange half. The Pontyclun forward advanced down the left flank before playing in Joel Woodington with a low ball. The latter player advanced to the edge of the Albion area before getting in a firm shot which was pushed around the post by the keeper for an ultimately fruitless corner.

After another relatively even phase of play it was Pontyclun who doubled their lead in the 89th minute. The ball was played into the Albion area where it found Matthew Trigg. Initially the Pontyclun player failed to connect firmly enough with the ball and his shot was blocked by a Grange defender. However, the rebound went straight back to the Pontyclun full-back who this time made no mistake as he gratefully smashed it into the net from close range.

This proved to be the last significant action of the contest and the final whistle sounded with Pontyclun victorious by 2 goals to 0.