ANOTHER NO CUP OF CHEER

PONTYCLUN 2 PENYDARREN BGC 5

Penydarren BGC were the visitors to a bright Ivor Park for a re-arranged W. John Owen Cup tie.

Pontyclun got proceedings underway kicking towards the Cowbridge end of the ground. As early as the third minute Pontyclun had an appeal for a penalty turned down when James Gronow was played in one-on-one with the Penydarren goalkeeper who appeared to bring down the Pontyclun player but the referee ignored the subsequent appeals for a penalty.

Six minutes later Pontyclun had another chance to take the lead when Shaun Moss played in Chris Bullock who only had the Penydarren goalkeeper to beat. However, having rounded the goalkeeper he was forced off the ball by a Penydarren defender who had got back to cover.

Pontyclun’s pressure paid off in the 13th minute when they took the lead. The ball was played to Callum Ponting on the right hand edge of the Penydarren area and his low shot flew past the Penydarren goalkeeper into the net.

After an even passage of play the visitors drew level in the 25th minute. A move down the Penydarren right eventually resulted in the ball being squared into the Pontyclun area to a Penydarren’s Connor Keating who gratefully fired into the net from 12 yards.

Five minutes later the visitors had an excellent chance to take the lead when a Penydarren player skirted around a couple of Pontyclun players on the edge of the area before getting in a shot which beat Sam John in the Pontyclun goal but just went wide of the far post.

This proved to be the last significant action of an even half and the interval arrived with the teams tied on a goal apiece.

After a relatively even early part of the second half where chances were very much at a premium for both sides Penydarren took the lead in the 68th minute. After indecision in the Pontyclun defence the ball was played low across the area to a Penydarren player whose low diagonal shot went past Sam John into the net.

Four minutes later Pontyclun drew level. The ball was played by Chris Bullock up to substitute Chris Darlington 25 yards from goal. Spotting the Penydarren goalkeeper advancing towards him, the Pontyclun player cleverly lobbed the ball over him and into the net.

However, Pontyclun’s joy proved to be short-lived. A seemingly innocuous long ball was played up to a Penydarren player on the left hand side of the Pontyclun penalty area. With the player going away from goal there seemed to be little danger however, Clun full-back Tom Pascoe uncharacteristically lunged in and brought the player down with the result that the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

From the ensuing kick the Penydarren centre-back made no mistake as he sent Sam John the wrong way to put his side back in front. Worse was to come in the 83rd minute when Penydarren went further in front with the goal of the game from a chip from the right hand corner of the Pontyclun area which completely baffled Sam John and found its way into the net via the left hand post.

With the home team now totally demoralised four minutes from time the visitors went further in front. A long ball forward found Penydarren’s Matthew Glassey on the right hand edge of the Pontyclun area and the Penydarren player calmly rolled the ball past the advancing Sam John into the net.

This proved to be the last real action of the game and the final whistle sounded with Penydarren worthy winners in the end by five goals to two.