Ton Pentre look like league challengers again this season with their shaken start truly diminished. By beating Caerleon at Ynys Park last Saturday the Rhondda Bulldogs are keeping the teams above them in their sights.

In the opening minutes of the match Ian Davies hit an ambitious overhead kick towards Fitzroy Hutchinson in the Caerleon goals. The effort came reasonably close after a movement started by Carl Thomas, saw Jamie Michaels cross into the box to Davies whose attempt just went over the cross bar.

Minutes later the Ton Pentre defence creaked as Gareth Sadler for Caerleon put the ball past John Howe. Quite rightly the Rhondda Bulldogs defence was bailed out by an offside flag ruling Sadler's goal out.

Caerleon again put together another useful attack when James Dean headed a ball forward into Sadler's path but the player struck over Howe's bar.

Ton Pentre then woke themselves up from this little slumber when Thomas ran out wide on the left and launched a ball into Mark Evans who had taken up a position in the oppositions' box. The Ton Pentre midfielder used the outside of his right boot to strike but saw his chance go wide.

A goal for Ton Pentre was inevitable and it came after a brilliant move in the 25th minute. Evans played a lovely ball out wide to club captain Andrew Hughes who crossed into Michaels in the box. Using superb agility to get his foot to the ball, Michaels fired into the net to give Ton Pentre a 1-0 lead with a stunning goal.

Caerleon replaced Paul Williams for Jon Seymore, and the player got straight into the action. Seymore found himself through on goal but was unable to get his shot in with some last ditch Ton Pentre defending. Then, on the counter attack, a great run from Lee Tapper saw an equally great low cross into the area which nearly saw Dave Griffiths score an own-goal for Caerleon, but instead hitting just over the cross bar.

Good play once again from Tapper saw the player win a corner for the home team. Ceri Harding swung the ball into the box and Thomas headed in Ton Pentre's second goal unchallenged by the Caerleon defence.

The visitors took the first chance of the second half ten minutes in. After a cross from John Butcher into the Ton Pentre box, Sadler got his head to it and directed it downwards but Howe was there and saved well.

A Ton Pentre attack carved a hole in the Caerleon defence after 65 minutes but Evans's attempted chip over Hutchinson clipped the top of the cross bar.

Several moments following Seymore, from far out wide, sent a cross into the Ton Pentre area and reached Sadler. However, the striker was unable to get the better of Howe's stout goalkeeping. With this danger out of the way Ton Pentre then went on to put the game out of Caerleon's reach.

Thomas played the ball forward into Hughes' feet deep inside the Caerleon half. Using his skill to keep possession, the scoring of the goal was the easy part as Hughes gave the Rhondda Bulldogs a three-goal advantage.

Caerleon grabbed their goal five minutes from the final whistle, when a cross dropped short of Howe onto Sadler's head who capitalised and scored the consolation.

The Rhondda Bulldogs, sponsored by Futureglaze Windows, travel to Maesteg Park on Wednesday 18 December with the kick-off at 7.15pm. Ton Pentre's next match at Ynys Park is three days after Christmas Day when Penrhiwceiber Rangers are the opponents for a Rhondda Cynon Taff derby. Kick-off for this one will be at the usual 3.00pm start.

Ton Pentre: John Howe; Lee Tapper; Neil Davies; Jason Roberts; Ian Davies (Craig Thomas, 83mins); Andrew Hughes; Mark Evans; Dean Morris; Carl Thomas; Jamie Michaels (Tom Billings, 80mins); Ceri Harding. Sub Not Used: Alex Lawless.

Match report by Rob Dowling.