Motaquote Welsh League Division One
21/04/04: Ton Pentre 1 - 2 Grange Harlequins

AN UNCHARACTERISTIC error from Ton Pentre goalkeeper Marty Ellacott gifted Grange Harlequins a win at Ynys Park as they swapped places with the Rhondda Bulldogs in second place.

The match between the two clubs was an entertaining affair with Ton edging the first half on performance.

From as early on as the seventh minute Ton were threatening in front of goal. Raith Plant and Tom Billings linked to get the ball to Alyn Jones, who finished off some neat play with a shot from outside the box that forced Adrian Tucker to tip over the bar.

Andrew Hughes was forced to leave the pitch minutes later with a gash to his leg. Lee Tapper came on to replace the Ton captain.

Tapper showed commitment in a superb sliding tackle to win the ball from an opponent. He then played it through to Billings up front who went round a defender but took one too many touches that allowed Tucker to collect the ball.

As half time approached a cross from the right found Kurt Nogan standing unmarked in the Ton box. He headed against the post and a fellow player hit the rebound over the bar as Ton were left totally stranded.

At the start of the second half Alyn Jones was substituted for Carl Thomas and the Ton team was shuffled around with Billings dropping back into defence and Neil Davies moving up into midfield.

After Kristian Orchard had passed to Plant, the striker played Thomas in on goal. He was unable to score his 28th goal of the season due to the outstretched arm of Tucker.

The half was an open affair and the match could have swung either way and it just so happened that it went the Quins way.

They had fortune on their side when Ryan Shurgar struck against the post and saw the ball hit Brian Showdery to go over the line. The player ran off to extravagantly celebrate his goal swinging his shirt in the air.

Ton pulled a goal back through a Billings header after Tapper had re-sent the ball deep into the box following a corner. It wasn't to be for Ton, however, as four minutes from time a cross from the right looked to be a comfortable catch Marty Ellacott.

Unchallenged he jumped to collect the ball but it slipped from his hands and fell fortunately to Phillip James's feet, who slotted the ball into the open net for Quins to retake the lead.

The result means that Quins had taken six points off Ton after the teams had played each other home and away back to back.

The final fixture of the season will take Ton to play UWIC Inter Cardiff on Saturday April 24 at 3pm.

Ton Pentre: Marty Ellacott; Neil Davies; Jason Roberts; Nathan Prygodzicz; Kevin Richards (Ian Shepherd, 79mins); Andrew Hughes (Lee Tapper, 16mins); Kristian Orchard; Raith Plant; Tom Billings; Alyn Jones (Carl Thomas, 48mins); Kerry Harding.

Match Report by Robert Dowling.