23/08/03: Bridgend Town 1 - 6 Ton Pentre

TON PENTRE opened up their 2003-04 account with an excellent six goal display against newly promoted Bridgend Town in the Motaquote Insurance Welsh League Division One. Alyn Jones grabbed a second half hat-trick in this stunning exhibition of football, helping Ton Pentre achieve a result that will make their rivals sit up and look.

It took the Bulldogs 20 minutes to settle before the onslaught began. Early chances fell to captain Andrew Hughes with both his efforts failing to hit the back of the net. The goal post denied Ton Pentre the lead first of all, then a good save by Ross Hooper-Nash in the home team's goal also kept the scores level.

Hughes finally got a goal when Kerry Harding opened up play on the right wing to give himself oceans of space to cross the ball into the box. Hughes connected with the ball to put Ton Pentre 1-0 up.

When Chris Holmes fouled Ton Pentre's Craig Morgan, Harding had a chance to send the free kick into the box. The ball reached Mike Jones at the far post. He headed the ball back across the goal with Carl Thomas nodding past Hooper-Nash for 2-0.

Ton Pentre's third goal was the result of spectacular football. Hughes never gave up his chase and dispossessed a Bridgend defender of the ball. He supplied a pinpoint cross into the box for Thomas to elegantly head past the 'keeper.

In the first two minutes of the second half, Ton Pentre scored again. Morgan started a movement that gave Alyn Jones the space to run in on goal and score.

Then in a five minute spell when Ton Pentre were unable to string a movement together, Rogan Matthews scored a goal to make it 4-1 when John Howe let the ball slip through his fingers.

Minutes later Alyn Jones latched onto a long ball forward from the Ton Pentre defence. His wonderful strike gave Hooper-Nash no chance to deny the player his brace.

Jones' goal for his hat-trick was even better than his previous strikes. He received the ball in an offside position, however, because the ball came from a Bridgend players failed headed back pass, he was ruled onside.

With just the 'keeper to beat Jones stood still in the goal area. He then cheekily lobbed the ball over Hooper-Nash for what was easily the goal of the game.

Ton Pentre: Jon Howe; Mike Jones; Jason Roberts; Neil Davies; Dean Morris; Andrew Hughes; Craig Morgan (Ian Sheperd, 68mins); Shaun Fackrell; Carl Thomas; Alyn Jones (Tom Billings, 68mins); Kerry Harding (Lee Tapper, 75mins).

Match Report by Robert Dowling.