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TON PENTRE 3 - 3 ENTO ABERAMAN
MacWhirter Welsh Football League Division One
Wednesday 22nd August 2007
This feisty clash between two clubs that should be up the top end of the table challenging for the title this season, ended 3-3. Ton Pentre had to come from behind to get a point in this match after putting in a superb second half display.
The two teams had played each other in the league the previous week which Ton Pentre won 1-0 at Aberaman. Therefore Aberaman were looking to prove a point in this fixture and were quick to put Ton under some early pressure.
In amongst this pressure Ton created some excellent chances. Andrew Hughes started one movement that saw Lee Matthews pass to Alyn Jones who flicked the ball on for Ryan Shugar at the corner of the goal area. Shugar cut back inside and curled a shot towards goal but his strike was just off target.
Aberaman’s Richard Jago made a cracking run down the left when his team went on the attack. He crossed for Kurt Nogan but the striker sent his attempt over the bar.
Aberaman finally got the goal that their efforts deserved in the 27th minute when a free kick was awarded in front of the Ton Pentre dugouts. From the free kick the ball was knocked into the box where it was met by an Aberaman head that directed it into the net.
Before half time Ton created the chances to equalise but failed to convert. Jonathan Kift missed a header after losing his marker, Shugar saw his diving header go over the bar and Hughes headed wide after connecting with an excellent cross from Dale Price.
Ton returned to the pitch for the second half looking determined to turn the result around. However, they found themselves 2-0 down within the first 2 minutes of play.
Ton goalkeeper Marty Ellacott looked to take a quick goal kick to set up a counter attack. However, he under hit the kick and it went straight to an Aberaman striker. As the player took the ball around Ellacott his outstretched arm caught the player on the leg and the referee had no option but to award a penalty from which the visitors scored.
Five minutes later Ton grabbed a goal to give themselves a lifeline. Kift was provided with an opportunity to shoot in the box but screwed his shot into the ground. The ball broke to Jones who pulled it back for Price to finish from inside the penalty area.
Just as Ton thought there was a way back into the match Aberaman were awarded a second penalty moments later when Price was judged to have purposely handled the ball in the area when charging down a shot at point blank range. The contentious decision resulted in the penalty being scored making it 3-1.
Following some tactical decisions and substitutions Ton threw everything they had at Aberaman and it worked.
In the 62nd minute the Rhondda Bulldogs scored their second of the match when Hughes met the ball at the far post following a cross from the left to score with his head.
The Bulldogs were piling on the pressure as they went in search of the equaliser and it forced Aberaman into conceding a penalty when Kift was brought down in the box as he was chasing the ball. Kift took the penalty kick and goalkeeper Neil Collins pushed the ball onto the post but Price rippled the net on the rebound.
Ton could have won the match in the last five minutes when Dane Williams played the ball across the box to Jones but the Bulldogs striker wasn’t able to get a clean enough connection with it after peeling away from the defender that was marking him.
Ton Pentre will be happier with this result than their rivals after taking four points from Aberaman over the space of a week in two very good matches. Although this match was fiery at times it was an excellent showcase for Welsh League football.
Team: 1.Marty Ellacott (Captain); 2.Richard Carter; 3.Ryan Shugar (14.Dane Williams, 63mins); 4.Mike Jones; 5.Mark Crutch (12.Ashley Evan, 57mins); 6.Ryan Morgan; 7.Andrew Hughes; 8.Lee Matthews; 9.Alyn Jones; 10.Dale Price; 11.Jonathan Kift (17.Christian Orchard, 86mins).
Subs not used: 15.Phil Clarke & 16.Scott Jones
Goals: Price 52mins & 66mins; Hughes 62mins
Booked: Ellacott 47mins; Matthews 49mins; A.Evans 77mins.
Match report by Ton Pentre AFC Press
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