Pontyclun FC 1 0 Ton & Gelli BC
11th Feb 2017 - 14.30
Ivor Park
South Wales Alliance League

MATTHEW’S HEADER TRIGGERS ANOTHER THREE POINTS

PONTYCLUN 1 TON & GELLI BC 0

Ton & Gelli BC were the visitors to a freezing and damp Ivor Park on Saturday for a South Wales Alliance League Premier Division fixture.

Pontyclun got proceedings underway kicking towards the Cowbridge end of the ground and in the opening seconds came close to taking the lead when a Craig Williams effort from the edge of the Ton area went straight into the hands of the Ton & Gelli keeper.

Two minutes later the visitors had their first opportunity of the match when one of their players advanced towards the edge of the Pontyclun area before getting in a shot which went tamely wide of the post.

After this opening flurry Pontyclun had to wait until the 19th minute for their next real opportunity. A good move involving several Pontyclun players eventually resulted in left-back Matthew Trigg advancing down the wing before placing a low diagonal ball into the Ton area which just eluded the onrushing Oli James and the chance went begging.

The remaining portion of the half proved to be a very sterile affair with little in the way of chances being created by either side. Nevertheless right on the stroke of half time the visitors spurned a golden opportunity to take the lead when the ball was played into the Pontyclun area from the right. The home defence failed to clear their lines and the ball fell to a Ton player totally unmarked on the penalty spot. However, he could only succeed in putting his low effort wide of the post with home keeper James Billington looking on helplessly. This proved to be the final action of the half and the interval arrived with the teams locked at 0-0.

The second half followed a very similar pattern to the first and the spectators had to wait until the hour mark for the first real incident when Matthew Trigg headed tamely at the Ton keeper from 12 yards after a cross from Craig Williams.

With goalmouth incidents for both sides being very few and far between Pontyclun had to wait until the 80th minute for their next opportunity to open the scoring. Good work by both Jamie Williams and substitute Chris Bullock in the Ton area eventually resulted in the ball being squared across the box where the onrushing Tom Haley managed to make contact with the ball but the Pontyclun substitute’s efforts were deflected behind for a corner. From substitute James Gronow’s cross following on from the ensuing kick Haley again came close to giving his side the lead when his header from 10 yards flew just wide of the post.

As the visitors started to tire on the heavy pitch Pontyclun began to make their superior fitness tell and began to enjoy more and more of the possession and were ultimately rewarded for their efforts in the 83rd minute. James Gronow played the ball into the Ton area from the right and Clun full-back Matthew Trigg was on hand to sneak in and head the ball into the net from 8 yards.

This reverse spurred the visitors into life and in the 85th minute the home goal had miraculous escape. Ton were awarded a free-kick 35 yards from goal on the left. The firmly struck effort outwitted James Billington and cannoned against the underside of the Clun crossbar and bouncing down on the goal line before it was scrambled clear by a grateful Pontyclun defence.

Two minutes from time though it was Pontyclun who might have doubled their lead when a shot from Jamie Williams low effort from the right hands edge of the penalty area was just kept out by the visiting goalkeeper.

The home side were not finished and right on the stroke of full-time had another opportunity to extend their lead. Good battling by James Gronow on the left saw him advance into the Ton area and square the ball to Tom Haley and his low effort hit the post before rebounding away to safety.

This proved to be the last significant action of the game and the referee’s whistle sounded with Pontyclun, much to the delight of the large crowd, winners by a goal to nil.