CLUN FAIL TO CUT DOWN FOREST

PONTYCLUN   1       TREFOREST  1

Local rivals Treforest were the visitors to Ivor Park on a typical late autumn day for a South Wales Alliance League fixture.

Pontyclun kicked off kicking towards the Cowbridge end of the ground. The opening stages of the game were very quiet with neither side creating any real clear cut chances. Indeed Pontyclun had to wait until the sixteenth minute for their first real opportunity when Kieran Hodgkin sent his shot from the edge of the area high over the bar.

In the 24th minute the visitors came close to breaking the deadlock when from a corner the ball fizzed around the Pontyclun goalmouth before it was eventually cleared by the home defence.

Despite the relatively few chances created by either side it was Pontyclun who took the lead in the 29th minute. Tom Tweedy took advantage of a mistake made by a Treforest player on the edge of his area and finding himself one-on-one with the Treforest goalkeeper calmly slotted the ball into the net.

Three minutes later Pontyclun came close to doubling their lead when a dipping drive by Aled Davies from 35 yards flew just over the Treforest bar with the visiting goalkeeper looking on helplessly.

The visitors had their best opportunity of the game so far in the 37th minute when Pontyclun keeper Andrew Ringsell was nearly caught napping by a speculative lob and just managed to get back to push the ball behind for a corner. From the ensuing kick Treforest pulled the score level when a ball across the six yard box was missed by the Pontyclun defence and Treforest’s Stacy Fulker was on hand to head the ball into the net.

The second half began in much the same way as the first real opportunity did not arise for either side until the 57th minute when Treforest were awarded a free-kick on the left just outside the Pontyclun area. The ball was played into the Pontyclun box but the home defence was able to clear.

Pontyclun had to wait until the 63rd minute for their first real chance of the half. Chris Darlington crossed the ball into the Treforest area from the left where it was met by a glancing header by Tom Tweedy which flew wide of the post.

With little in the way of clear goalscoring opportunities being created by either side Tom Tweedy might have given Pontyclun the lead in the 75th minute but his shot was deflected behind for a corner.

As the minutes ticked by a draw was looking more and more certain although two minutes from time Pontyclun looked to have a strong claim for a penalty when Lewis Miller appeared to be brought down in the area but the referee waved away their protests.

Right at the death Treforest were reduced to ten men when one of their players was dismissed for an altercation with Pontyclun substitute Oli James and shortly afterwards the referee’s whistle signalled the end of a tame and uneventful local derby with the teams tied on a goal apiece.