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This Welsh Cup Round Two match was hurtling towards extra-time as Bridgend Town and Ton Pentre struggled to find the back of the net, however, a 78th minute cracker from Vince Wattleworth separated the teams before Michael Hartley secured Bridgend’s place in Round Three deep into injury time.
Wattleworth could have opened the scoring in the first five minutes of the match when he managed to run free of the Ton defence to go one-on-one with Richard Jeffries. The Bulldogs keeper blocked the striker’s shot for a wonderful save to stop Bridgend taking the lead.
Ton Pentre put Bridgend under pressure via a series of consecutive corners where Jordan Branch’s balls into the box were causing havoc in the opponents defence. The home team somehow managed to keep the ball out of the net by blocking and clearing it off the line.
Early in the second half a lapse in concentration allowed room for Bridgend to cross into the box from the left. Having connected with the ball in the box Bridgend’s striker was denied by the goal post much to Ton’s relief.
In the 73rd minute the Bulldogs looked odds on to take the lead when the ball ricocheted off Brian Showdery’s boot in the Bridgend defence playing Dominic Broad clean through into the box. With just Collins to beat the Ton midfielder struck his shot wide into the side netting.
Ton were made to pay for this five minutes later when good movement up the pitch saw the ball reach Wattleworth some 25-yards out from goal. As the defence stood off him he decided to try his luck with a shot that glided into the goal.
Wattleworth’s strike was a worthy match winner but Bridgend were able to score again in injury time to secure their cup win when a short back pass from Adam Lewis to Richard Jeffries allowed Michael Hartley to tackle the Ton goalkeeper and score into an empty net. It was a cruel goal to concede making the score line look more comfortable than it actually was.
Bridgend will now go on to play Welsh Premier League champions Rhyl at Belle Vue in the third round of the Welsh Cup, a mouth-watering tie for all those involved with the Brewery Field outfit.
Ton’s next match is away to Ely Rangers on Friday, 9th October. The match kicks off at 7.30pm.
Ton Pentre: 1. Richard Jeffries; 2. Jordan Branch; 3. Rhys Owen; 4. Adam Lewis; 5. Ryan Morgan (Captain); 6. Andrew Hughes; 7. Dominic Broad; 8. Leon Young; 9. Wayne Savage; 10. Chris Jones; 11. Alyn Jones
Substitutes: 12. Pascal P-Gi; 14. Jamie Thomas; 15. Leighton James; 16. Phil Clarke (for 2 on 81mins)
Goals: None
Bookings: None
Referee: Wayne Tregonning (Merthyr Tydfil)
Match report © Ton Pentre AFC Press
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