Motaquote Welsh League Division One
01/11/03: Briton Ferry 3 - 1 Ton Pentre

AN appalling decision by the referee in the 65th minute saw Ton Pentre player Tom Billings sent off and a penalty awarded to the home side in an incident that influenced the outcome of the match.

Up until the referee's blunder the Welsh League Division One match saw both teams compete in a very competitive manner. Briton Ferry was the first team to take a chance at goal after only one minute but were denied by John Howe.

The action then went up the other end when both Carl Thomas and Jamie Michaels were unable to put sufficient enough contact onto an Andrew Hughes cross. Goalkeeper Curtis was able to safely collect the ball from danger.

Minutes later Thomas ran well going forward and played the ball inside to Kerry Harding. He struck a dangerous looking ball goalwards but saw the effort inch wide.

The game was moving at a fast pace and Briton Ferry created another chance soon after. From a cross sent in by Marcus James a Briton Ferry striker headed the ball to ground that saw it flash in front of the goal and then over the cross bar.

During the 17th minute Tom Billing's was shown the yellow card for bringing a player down during a useful Briton Ferry attack. This booking would lead to his eventual dismissal in the second half.

Ton Pentre looked illuminated in the second half as they began to outclass their opponents. Hughes headed a chance just over the bar after Ian Shepherd had crossed the ball in from the wing.

From a Thomas free kick Dean Morris saw his strike cleared from line as the Rhondda Bulldogs stepped up a gear.

The referee then started to become a major player in the game as he brandished a yellow card to Morris in the 61st minute quite unfairly. The Ton midfielder accidentally tripped an opponent as he turned to kick the ball on his blind side.

Then came the turning point of the game. As Briton Ferry sent a ball over the top of the defence, Billings fairly headed the ball from danger under the challenge of a home team player. The player fell to the ground and the referee blew his whistle. With no appeal from the Briton Ferry players and no signal from the referee's assistant, the man in black's decision seemed to baffle everyone when he pointed to the spot. He then called Billings aside and produced his second yellow card then the red to send him off.

With Billings left confused walking back to the changing rooms by the referee's bizarre and wrong decision, Briton Ferry converted the penalty that went under Howe's body.

Ton equalised straight away after Shaun Fackerel done well in the box but saw his shot blocked. Hughes was able to score from the rebound.

Lee Tapper then replaced Fackerel in the 72nd minute as Ton looked to grind out a result with ten men.

Howe produced two fine saves to deny the home side the lead, first sliding to save, knocking the ball out for a corner, then acrobatically tipping the ball over the bar from the corner kick.

However, the pressure finally told soon after when Jason Roberts scored an own goal as the ball caused confusion in the Ton area.

The Rhondda Bulldogs then brought Richard Ryan on to replace Harding to bolster the attack with three strikers.

It proved fruitless even though Ryan hit the post soon after he had come on because Briton Ferry had scored a third. Hughes had nearly managed to clear from the line but hit the ball against the post for a Briton Ferry player to pop up and slot into the net seven minutes from time.

During injury time Morris' dismissal added to Ton's woes after he was shown a second yellow card for a sliding challenge on an opponent.

So the month of November started with Ton being reduced to nine men and losing 3-1 in a tie that they looked as though they could win.

This was a match that was spoiled by the referee. It is always a sad matter when the referee's performance supersedes those of the two competing teams.

The Rhondda Bulldogs will look to lick their wounds before their Welsh Cup Third Round clash with Division One rivals Neath at Ynys Park. The cup match will kick off at 2.30pm.

Ton Pentre: John Howe; Mike Jones; Ian Shepherd; Jason Roberts; Tom Billings; Andrew Hughes; Shaun Fackerel (Lee Tapper, 72mins); Dean Morris; Carl Thomas; Jamie Michales; Kerry Harding (Richard Ryan, 77mins).

Sent Off: Tom Billings 65mins & Dean Morris 90+mins.

Substitute Not Used: Lee Michaels.

Match Report by Robert Dowling.