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CARDIFF CORINTHIANS 2 - 3 TON PENTRE (After Extra Time)
FAW Welsh Cup Competition Round Two
Saturday 6th October 2007
Ton Pentre needed extra time to overcome Cardiff Corinthians contest in the second round of the Football Association of Wales Welsh Challenge Cup at their Riverside Ground.
Welsh League Division Two club Corries took an early lead in this match to shock Ton before the Rhondda Bulldogs levelled matters with a stunning strike and went in front from the penalty spot. With full time fast approaching the home team equalised to send the game into extra time where the Bulldogs rallied to set up a third round tie with Welsh Premier League outfit Haverfordwest County.
Cardiff Corries opened the goalscoring in the 2nd minute when their striker tapped the ball in after Ton goalkeeper Marty Ellacott was appeared to have been fouled. Ellacott had plucked the ball out of the air and two Corries players barged into the experienced goalie forcing him to drop the ball which provided the opportunity for the score.
A stunning strike from Jonathan Kift in the 14th minute of play nearly provided Ton with their eqaliser after Andrew Hughes had brought the ball down well deep inside the Corries half of the pitch. He cut a pass across to Kift in a central position and from 25 yards out the striker beat James Kirby in the Corries goal with a wonderful effort that smashed against the cross bar.
Having just survived a scare from Corries where Ellacott was forced to pull off a wonderful scooping save, Ton found the back of the net through Hughes.
From around 25 yards the Ton midfielder had time and space to look up at goal, pick out his spot, and score the goal of the season so far leaving ‘keeper Kirby powerless with his dazzling strike.
The Rhondda Bulldogs edged in front on 59 minutes when Hughes played a pass to Mattie Davies that allowed the striker to burst through the defence with just Kirby to beat. As he was about to strike an outstretched leg from a Corries defender brought Davies down. The referee awarded a penalty and surprisingly the culprit escaped any kind of punishment from the official. Hughes scored from the spot with a confident penalty making it 2-1.
Corries gave themselves a lifeline in this cup tie when poor defending saw Ton unable to clear their lines and from a cross on the left the ball was headed into the goal at the far post after 82 minutes.
The home team should have won the tie in the 90th minute when their striker ran clean through on goal but he sent his shot wide of the right post and the match went into extra time.
The Rhondda Bulldogs showed composure in extra time and were patient for their chance of winning this match and when it came Davies was on hand to prod the ball into the net after receiving a pass from Scott Hayward who had taken the ball around two defenders to get into the box.
During the second period of extra time Hayward, Davies and Hughes all missed good chances of putting this Welsh Cup match beyond doubt but in the end it wasn’t needed as Ton Pentre’s fitness helped to book their place in the third round.
The Welsh Cup Round Three match with Haverfordwest County will be played on Saturday 3rd November 2007.
On Saturday 13th October Ton Pentre travel to Blandy Park for a Welsh League Division One match with Garw S.B.G.C who currently lie bottom of the league without a win having conceded 68 goals in 8 matches. Kick off is at 2.30pm.
Ton Pentre Youth are in league action on Wednesday 10th October at Ynys Park against local rivals Cambrian & Clydach Vale. Kick off at 7.15pm.
Team: 1.Marty Ellacott (Captain); 2.Ryan Shugar (15.Ryan Morgan, 93mins); 3.Nicky Jones (12.Richard Carter, 84mins); 4.Mike Jones; 5.Scott Hayward; 6. Mark Crutch; 7.Ashley Evans; 8.Andrew Hughes; 9.Mattie Davies; 10.Dale Price (14.Paul Michael, 53mins); 11.Jonathan Kift.
Goals: Hughes 24mins & 59mins; Davies 104mins.
Booked: Hayward 2mins; M.Jones 29mins; Evans 112mins.
Match report by Ton Pentre AFC Press
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