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CALDICOT TOWN 1 - 3 TON PENTRE
MacWhirter Welsh Football League Division One
Saturday 10th May 2008
Ton Pentre finished their season with a well earned win at Caldicot Town where some fine football was on show. Ryan Shugar, Mark Crutch and Jonathan Kift were on target for the Rhondda Bulldogs to round off a season that has seen them finish third in Welsh Football League Division One.
The Bulldogs will feel disappointed with this final position having lead Division One for a large portion of the season but following some poor results throughout March and April they handed advantage over to Dinas Powys and Goytre United. The Goyts look likely to lift the title as a win in their final match of the season on 13th May against Caerleon would see them win the silverware.
This match against Caldicot Town was significant as it signalled the end of goalkeeper Marty Ellacott’s excellent career. Ellacott played League of Wales football with Ton, represented the Rhondda Bulldogs in the UEFA Inter-Toto Cup and is still one of the best goalkeepers in the Welsh League. He certainly retires while on top of his game.
Ton’s afternoon at Jubilee Way almost got off to a terrible start when inside the first five minutes a pass inside by Phil Clarke to Mark Crutch was hit short allowing Jason Thorn to snatch possession. Thorn should have scored but he cracked his shot against the cross bar.
Following this Ton’s dominance on the game began and Mattie Davies came close to bending his shot into the net but the ball was pushed away by James Smallcombe. On the follow-up Andrew Hughes struck his shot over the bar.
The Bulldogs found the back of the net in the 11th minute when from an Alyn Jones corner Ryan Shugar moved well inside the box and fired in Ton Pentre’s 100th league goal of the season making it 1-0.
Despite coming close on several subsequent occasions, Ton did not score again until the 28th minute when defender Mark Crutch scored a beautiful goal after he stayed up the pitch following a Ton corner. When the ball was cleared out to the left by the Caldicot defence it was re-sent back into the box. The ball landed inside the penalty area and Crutch volleyed his shot past Smallcombe and into the net.
On 44 minutes Nicky Jones crossed into the box from the right and found Jonathan Kift. He finished well to score his 24th goal of the season giving Ton a comfortable three goal lead.
Caldicot Town grabbed a goal back a minute later through Thorn when he outflanked the Ton defence.
For the first 20 minutes of the second half Ton completely controlled this fixture and should have added several more goals but Shugar saw his 60th minute curling shot saved by the keeper, Davies had his shot blocked by last ditch defending two minutes later and from the rebound Lee Matthews hit the post.
Caldicot enjoyed a period of possession following this but were well contained by Ton Pentre leaving them unable to find any penetration.
By the end of the match the Rhondda Bulldogs were back to playing in their usual flowing and intricate manner but were unable to find the back of the net for a fourth time.
• Ton Pentre AFC will hold their Annual Presentation Evening at Ton Pentre Football Club on Friday 23rd May 2008 with Soul Sensation providing the musical entertainment. Tickets cost £3 and are available from the Clubhouse.
Team: 1.Marty Ellacott; 2.Nicky Jones; 3.Scott Hayward; 4.Mark Crutch; 5.Phil Clarke; 6.Andrew Hughes; 7.Lee Matthews; 8.Ryan Shugar; 9.Mattie Davies; 10.Jonathan Kift; 11.Alyn Jones.
Subs not used: 12.Dale Price; 15.Scott Jones & 16.Richard Stevens.
Goals: Shugar 11; Crutch 28; Kift 44
Booked: None
© Match report by Ton Pentre AFC Press
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