AUTOCENTRES GWENT COUNTY DIVISION TWO
CWM FC ......................... 6 LLANHILLETH ATHLETIC ...................... 2
CWM FC claimed a double over local rivals Llanhilleth Athletic with a 6-2 victory in a game that epitomised all that is good in the Gwent County League.
With only five miles separating the two sides it was an amazing local derby that had everything – passionate tackles, goalmouth scrambles, flying saves and eight goals, but no-one would have complained if it had ended 10-10.
In a game played at breakneck speed, Newbridge official Robert Taylor played his part in allowing the game to flow and keeping 22 players on the park as no quarter was given.
The visitors had the best of the early exchanges with winger Robbie Davies in fine form and Cwm were grateful to goalkeeper Chris Parsons for keeping Athletic at bay.
The hosts though broke the deadlock on 20 minutes as striker Ashley Ford fired home a powerful shot past visiting custodian Nicky Townsend.
Brandon Withers saw his ferocious left-foot drive brilliantly saved by Parsons, but the youngster was soon on the scoresheet calmly slotting home to equalise after great work from Davies.
Ford restored the lead shortly afterwards for the home side, rising highest at the back post to head home.
With their tails up, Cwm took control and Townsend made two remarkable saves; one low down to his right and another a flying save tipping a goal-bound effort over the bar.
With the hosts taking a one-goal advantage into the interval, everyone took a breath before another pulsating 45 minutes ensued.
Withers almost equalised straight from the restart, his back-post header rebounding off the bar, Davies though soon levelled, selling the defender an outrageous dummy before coolly firing into the bottom corner.
Parsons denied Thomas as he broke through the offside trap, his shot rebounding off the keeper’s legs for a corner, the two soon met again as they rose to meet a Davies cross, the number one came off the worse and as he lay prostrate in the six-yard box, a crazy goalmouth scramble resulted in a defender calmly clearing off the line to save the day.
With the temperature rising on the pitch a mistimed tackle in midfield lead to a free kick, midfielder Danny Mitchard stepped up and fired an unstoppable 35-yard shot into the net to restore his team’s lead.
As the teams tired, Adam Thomas scored to increase the home side’s lead, but the never-saydie attitude of the visitors ensured they looked to get back in the game, tempers rose and an altercation between Withers and his opposite number saw a melee ensue. Referee Taylor showed a great deal of common sense realising the importance of the occasion and giving both time to calm down before sending them away with a warning.
Ford bagged his hattrick goal with five minutes remaining, before Dafydd Phillips drilled home a brilliant left-footed drive to give the scoreline an emphatic look for Cwm, though local football was the winner too.