Motaquote Welsh League Division One
17/03/04: Ton Pentre 2 - 0 UWIC

GOALS from Alyn Jones and Shaun Fackerel secured Ton Pentre's win against UWIC Inter Cardiff, who dominated the first 30 minutes and looked the more likely to score. A storming second half from the Rhondda Bulldogs kept UWIC out and dealt a major blow to the students promotion challenge.

From early on it looked as though the match was going to go their way with striker Nana Baah making his presence known. He forced Marty Ellacott into a poor clearance that saw the ball fall to the feet of Rob Blatchford. As the Ton 'keeper was left stranded the UWIC player shot wide much to the relief of the Bulldogs as the costly mistake was not capitalised upon.

Ton were culprits of giving the ball away to their opponents on regular occasions throughout the first half and when Shaun Fackerel did so Blatchford attempted to place the ball in the top right hand corner of the goal. He was denied however, by the diving theatrics of Ellacott.

The Rhondda Bulldogs finally got their first shot on goal when Kerry Harding crossed well into the box from the right to Kristian Orchard, who did well under the challenge of a defender to get the ball to Alyn Jones. Jones cued himself up for a shot at Robin Hallam in goal but directed the ball off target.

Moment's later Ton were on the attack again. As Andrew Hughes threaded the ball through the heart of the UWIC defence Carl Thomas skipped in between two defenders to give him a clear sight of goal to shoot. As he pulled his leg back to strike a UWIC defender pulled him back and to the ground. Ton made a valid penalty appeal but the referee turned it down and Hughes was booked for his protest.

Ton didn't need a penalty as they scored in one of the following attacks. By the time the goal came around Ton were playing much better football. And when Fackerel played a long ball forward from a freekick Alyn Jones brought the ball down, turned and fired from inside the 12 yard box and into the top right hand corner of the goal past the helpless Hallam.

UWIC began to pile forward in search of a quick equaliser. Baah looked to wriggle his way into the box but Nathan Prygodzicz remained cool to clear.

When UWIC managed to force a series of corners, Ellacott was able to punch the third away. Jamie Bradford picked up possession and shot on target. Baah jumped to head the ball but ended up directing the ball over the bar.

Ton's first attack of the second half finished with Fackerel shooting from outside the box on the left. Hallam appeared to see the ball late with his view blocked by his defenders as the ball went straight under his body and into the net as Ton doubled their lead.

Harding saw his shot blocked near the 5 yard box by Ian Richardson a little while later when Jones, who had received the ball from Orchard, played him into the box. Ton were beginning to control the match and were looking tighter as UWIC began to change their personnel.

Baah had UWIC's best chance in the second half with a shot that looked certain to pull his team back into the match. Ton had other ideas and cleared Baah's shot from the goal line.

In the closing minute of normal time Jones ran onto a ball over the top and appeared to be clean in on goal to score Ton's third, but just as Thomas had been in the first half, he was pulled back by a defender. Once again the referee and his assistant failed to give a penalty but it did not matter as Ton won the match 2-0.

Ton Pentre are away to Maesteg Park on Wednesday March 24 with the Division One match starting at 7.30pm.

Ton Pentre: Marty Ellacott; Kristian Orchard (Tom Billings, 90mins); Neil Davies; Mike Jones (Jason Roberts, 45mins); Nathan Prygodzicz; Andrew Hughes; Shaun Fackerel; Dean Morris; Carl Thomas (Lee Tapper, 74mins); Alyn Jones; Kerry Harding.

Match Report by Robert Dowling.