CLUN PAY THE PENALTY
PONTYCLUN 1 PENYDARREN BGC 2
Penydarren got proceedings underway kicking towards the village end of the ground. The first real action of the game came in the 5th minute when Pontyclun were awarded a corner on the left. The ball was floated into the Penydarren area where it was safely gathered by the visiting keeper.
The first ten minutes brought very little in the way of clear cut chances although Pontyclun probably enjoyed the greater share of possession. The visitors opened the scoring in the 15th minute with their first real attack of the game. After moving the ball down their right flank the ball was squared into the Pontyclun area where the Penydarren centre-forward forward, Nathan Williams, brought the ball under control with a good touch before calmly slotting the ball low into the Pontyclun net.
Two minutes later the visitors came close to doubling their lead when following a good forward movement Clun centre-back Kieran Lawrence failed to clear his lines and the ball broke to a Penydarren player whose high shot was magnificently tipped over the bar by Pontyclun keeper Sam John. Penydarren were now dominating play at this point and Sam John was once again called into action when he did well to tip away a high diagonal shot from Carl Sullivan from the right hand corner of the area.
Although Sam Shilton came close to levelling proceedings it was the visitors who were now on top and in the 37th minute Nathan Williams missed an opportunity to increase his side’s lead when he sent his effort from the edge of the Pontyclun area high over the bar.
Two minutes from the interval Pontyclun themselves came close to scoring when following a move down the left the ball was played to Jamie Williams on the edge of the area but his low shot went just wide of the post. Right on the stroke of half time Pontyclun drew level. A move down the right resulted in the ball being played into the Penydarren area. After some scrappy exchanges where players from both sides failed to bring the ball under control the ball eventually broke to Oli James who rolled the ball to Craig Williams 10 yards out on the right. Finding himself one on one with the visiting keeper the Pontyclun midfielder calmly rolled the ball into the net. This literally proved to be the last significant action of the half and the half-time whistle sounded with the teams tied on a goal apiece.
The opening ten minutes of the half saw precious little in the way of goalscoring opportunities created by either team. However, in the 55th minute the home team came close to extending their lead when Lewis Miller running in at the far post to meet a deep corner narrowly sent his header wide from close range.
Two minutes later Oli James did well to beat the Penydarren offside trap and found himself one on one with the visiting keeper. However, indecision set in and the Pontyclun player could only send his effort tamely into the arms of the Penydarren number one.
With play being fairly even at this point in the 68th minute Penydarren were awarded a free-kick five yards outside the Pontyclun area which was well saved by Sam John. Three minutes later Penydarren were controversially awarded a penalty when Tom Pascoe was supposed to have upended a visiting player in the area whilst going for the ball. From the ensuing kick the Penydarren player made no mistake from the spot sending Sam John the wrong way to give his side the lead by 2 goals to 1.
After this incident play reverted to type with neither side really being able to carve out any real clear-cut openings. As the minutes wore by despite manager Barry Quinn ringing the changes from the bench, with the number of decisions going against them and increasing numbers of home players names finding their way into the referee’s notebook, Pontyclun’s efforts became increasingly sporadic and the final whistle sounded with Penydarren victors by 2 goals to 1.