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CROESYCEILIOG 0 - 0 TON PENTRE
MacWhirter Welsh Football League Division One
Saturday 26th April 2008
Ton Pentre have dropped to third place in Division One of the Welsh Football League following their goalless draw at relegation strugglers Croesyceiliog.
With Goytre United winning 5-0 at Newport YMCA and Dinas Powys smashing Cambrian & Clydach Vale 6-0, the Rhondda Bulldogs had to win their match at Woodland Road. Sadly it was an uninspiring performance from Ton who misfired when in front of goal.
The result hands advantage to both Goytre and Dinas in the title race but the Bulldogs will now aim to regroup and hope that their rivals slip up in forthcoming matches.
Ton started the game reasonably bright and Dane Williams went close with two efforts in the first eight minutes. On his first chance he struck his shot straight at goalkeeper John Bailey and for the second his determination saw him win a loose ball. As the ball bounced up he headed it over Bailey but the ball crept wide of the left post.
For the rest of the half the Rhondda Bulldogs looked disjointed and this allowed Coresyceiliog more time on the ball to threaten the Ton Pentre defence. Despite creating several chances they failed to get a strike on target leaving Marty Ellacott with little to do in the Ton goals.
Ton were better in the second half and nearly took the lead in the 46th minute when from an Alyn Jones cross on the left Dale Price was provided with an opportunity to strike from a central position inside the box, but his shot skimmed over the bar.
Several minutes later Price turned provider when his free kick into the box was met by the head of Mark Crutch whose effort also went over the crossbar.
An off the ball incident on 56 minutes resulted in a scuffle between Dane Williams and Croesyceiliog’s Mike Dewar. As a result both players saw red reducing their teams to ten men.
Ton continued to press for the all important goal and adapted to losing Williams by pushing Alyn Jones up front from the wing. Jones broke free on the left during the 63rd minute and passed the ball to Andrew Hughes’s feet just inside the penalty area. The Ton Captain sent his effort over the top of the bar as the Bulldogs rued another failed chance.
With time running out Ton were attempting to overload the Croesyceiliog box and from a free kick taken in their own half the ball fell for Crutch to strike. From 20 yards out it appeared that his shot was on target but it whizzed past Bailey’s right hand post.
Richard Stevens also came close for Ton when he connected with Phil Clarke’s cross from the left. Stevens got his header on target but Bailey tipped the ball away from the top right hand corner of the goal.
This result is a huge blow for Ton Pentre’s title challenge but Croesyceiliog will be happy with an unexpected point towards Division One survival. Ton travel to face Maesteg Park Athletic in their next match on Wednesday 30th April, kick off 7.15pm.
Team: 1.Marty Ellacott; 2.Scott Hayward (15.Ryan Morgan 64); 3.Nicky Jones (12.Phil Clarke 64); 4.Mark Crutch; 5.Richard Stevens; 6.Andrew Hughes (Captain); 7.Lee Matthews (17.Scott Jones 74); 8.Dale Price; 9.Dane Williams; 10.Jonathan Kift; 11.Alyn Jones.
Subs not used: 16.Richard Carter.
Goals: None
Booked: Hayward 59; Clarke 90+7
Red Card: Williams 56
© Match report by Ton Pentre AFC Press
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