PEN PUT TO THE SWORD

PONTYCLUN  3   PENYDARREN BGC   1

Penydarren BGC were the visitors to a wet and windy Ivor Park on Saturday for a South Wales Alliance League fixture.

Pontyclun got proceedings underway kicking towards the Cowbridge End of the ground. After a very quiet opening the large crowd had to wait until the 15th minute for the first real opportunity of the match when a close-range header from Pontyclun’s James Gronow was beaten around the post by the Penydarren keeper. Two minutes later the same player again sought to open the scoring but his speculative effort from ten yards inside the Penydarren half flew high over the bar.

The visitors had to wait until the 34th minute for their first clear cut chance of the match when a visiting forward sent a diagonal shot just wide of the post. A minute later Pontyclun had a golden opportunity to take the lead. Good battling by Harry Flint saw him gain possession of the ball before feeding Chris Bullock just inside the Penydarren area. The Pontyclun centre-forward then played a low diagonal ball to Jamie Williams who found himself one on one with the Penydarren keeper. However, the Pontyclun forward could only skew his shot wide of the far post.

This let off proved to be temporary though as in the 36th minute Pontyclun did manage to take the lead. A corner from James Gronow on the right was headed across the six yard area by Tom Tweedy where Chris Bullock was on hand to head into the net from close range.

With both sides still enjoying an even share of possession in the 43rd minute the Pontyclun goal had another very lucky escape. After the home team had repeatedly failed to clear their lines in their area the ball found its way to an unmarked Penydarren player in the six yard area but fortunately for Pontyclun he missed the target. The ball subsequently found its way to another Penydarren player two yards from goal who cheekily back-heeled it into the net. However, much to the delight of the home crowd the referee ruled out the effort for offside.

Although Pontyclun came close to doubling their lead right at the end of the half there was no further scoring and the half-time whistle sounded with Pontyclun leading by a goal to nil.

Penydarren got proceedings underway after the interval and in the 48th had an opportunity to draw level. When the Pontyclun defence failed to clear the ball dropped to a Penydarren player just outside the Pontyclun area. However, fortunately for Pontyclun he could only send his snap shot straight into the arms of James Billington.

After surviving this scare Pontyclun doubled their lead in the 55th minute. James Gronow put the ball into the Penydarren area from the left. The visiting goalkeeper did well to push the ball away from right under his crossbar. However, he only succeeded sending it towards Shaun Moss who thundered a shot into the net from 15 yards.

In the 62nd minute Pontyclun spurned a golden chance to make it 3-0. Tom Tweedy was put through one on one with the goalkeeper. The Pontyclun player took the ball around the Penydarren custodian and sent in a goal-bound shot from a wide angle. However, the effort lacked sufficient force and a visiting defender was able to get back and knock the ball behind for a corner.

This let-off seemed to spur on the visitors and they began to come more and more in to the game and in the 68th minute they pulled a goal back when a speculative cross cum shot from Kieran Edwards on the left touchline 35 yards from goal deceived James Billington and ended up in the far corner of the Pontyclun net.

With play now flowing from end to end in spite of the increasingly difficult conditions in the 78th minute Pontyclun once again had a chance to increase their lead. The ball was played up to Joel Woodington on the half-way line. The Pontyclun substitute chested it down before advancing into the Penydarren half. Seeing the visiting goalkeeper off his line the Pontyclun player tried an audacious lob but his speculative effort went well wide.

Three minutes later the visitors were unlucky not to draw level when a powerful close-range header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by James Billington. With the visitors now enjoying more of the play as Pontyclun dropped deeper and deeper in an attempt to preserve their lead in the 83rd minute they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Penydarren area after Matthew Trigg was adjudged to have fouled a visiting player.  However, fortunately for Pontyclun the ensuing effort evaded everyone and went harmlessly behind for a goal kick.

In the 87th minute the Pontyclun goal had another narrow escape. A scramble in the Pontyclun area saw the ball ping about between the two sets of players before it eventually found its way into the hands of a grateful James Billington.

A minute later the visitors spurned another glorious chance to bring the scores level when a good ball into the Pontyclun area found an unmarked visiting forward whose firm volley just flew the other side of the post.

The visitors were made to pay for this missed opportunity as right on the stroke of time Pontyclun went further in front. The ball was played to Tom Tweedy who once again found himself one on one with the visiting goalkeeper. Despite the Penydarren keeper blocking his first attempt the ball rebounded back to the Pontyclun forward who, this time, despite being forced wide managed to get enough power behind his effort to evade the efforts of a Penydarren defender and send it into the net.

However, Penydarren were still not beaten and once again came back strongly at Pontyclun and in the 93rd minute it took some desperate defending in the Pontyclun area in order to avert them from pulling a goal back.

This proved to be the final opportunity of the game and the full time whistle sounded with Pontyclun winners by three goals to one.