|
GOYTRE UNITED 2 - 2 TON PENTRE
MacWhirter Welsh Football League Division One
Wednesdayday 7th May 2008
Ton Pentre and Goytre United provided a wonderful example of what the Welsh Football League has to offer as Glenhafod Park Stadium hosted an action packed match for all the right reasons.
Excitement was abound from the very first minute of the game when the Rhondda Bulldogs took the lead through their Captain, Andrew Hughes after Jonathan Kift was fouled by a Goytre defender on the left hand side of the field about 20 yards out from goal. Dale Price took the free kick and swung the ball into the far post where it was met by Hughes who sent a bullet header into Chris Curtis’s net.
The action was end to end and Goytre’s first real chance came during the 12th minute of the match when good build-up play carved an opening in the Ton defence allowing Danny Thomas to slip through undetected. With Marty Ellacott off his goal line Thomas attempted a chipped shot but he was unable to keep it out of Ellacott’s reach and the Ton goalkeeper held firmly.
As the half progressed the Rhondda Bulldogs were allowing Goytre too much time on the ball and as a result they began to look very dangerous.
The Goyts grabbed an equaliser just shy of the half hour mark when Ton conceded a free kick deep inside their own half. Richard Ryan stood over the ball from around 25 yards out and his body language suggested that he was going to attempt a direct shot. However, instead he sent the ball to the left post where Darren Lyons was able to score from a tight angle for a well worked goal.
Moments later Goytre were gifted the lead when a failed back pass from the head of Hughes allowed Thomas the chance to lob a helpless Ellacott.
It almost got worse for the Bulldogs at the start of the second half when Thomas again found himself in a goal scoring position following a useful attack. However, Ellacott pulled off an excellent save by diving low to his left to scoop the ball out for a corner.
Ton responded positively and put Goytre under pressure for large portions of the second half. As a result the Bulldogs deserved their 64th minute leveller.
Dale Price was hanging back in midfield following a Ton assault on the Goytre box and when the ball was cleared from the penalty area it landed at his feet. The ball bounced up nicely for Price who unleashed a wonderful shot from 30 yards that was destined for the back of the net from the moment the ball left his boot. The shot was unstoppable and drew the Bulldogs level at 2-2.
Mattie Davies came close to scoring a potential winner for Ton when he received the ball in the box from Alyn Jones. With the keeper off his line he was presented with a fantastic opportunity but the shot wasn’t high enough and Curtis was able to pluck it out of the air.
Goytre too had an excellent chance of winning all three points five minutes from the end when former Bulldog Steve Conaty was allowed to run right through the middle of the pitch and into the penalty area for a free shot at the target. Fortunately for Ton he sent his shot high over the cross bar.
A draw was a fair result in this highly entertaining match. This result means that Goytre United are now firm favourites to take the league title for the 2007-2008 season.
Ton’s final match of the season is on Saturday 10th May 2008 at Caldicot Town. Kick off 2.30pm.
Team: 1.Marty Ellacott; 2.Ryan Morgan (12.Richard Carter 76); 3.Nicky Jones; 4.Mark Crutch; 5.Scott Hayward; 6.Andrew Hughes (Captain); 7.Dale Price; 8.Ryan Shugar; 9.Mattie Davies; 10.Jonathan Kift; 11.Alyn Jones (15.Phil Clarke 72).
Subs not used: None
Goals: Hughes 1; Price 64
Booked: Hayward 27; Crutch 57; Clarke 90+2
© Match report by Ton Pentre AFC Press
|
