PONTY FREEZE ON RETURN TO ACTION
AVAFL DIVISION ONE AFC ABERCYNON B ..... 2 CWMBACH ROYAL STARS B ......................... 6
A DEPLETED AFC Abercynon side were ruthlessly put to the sword at Y Parc in this Division One clash with Cwmbach Royals Stars.
In freezing conditions, both sides began brightly but as the snow began to fall, it was the visitors who drew first blood courtesy of a neat finish after a well-worked move.
Cynon then came back strongly with Gareth Davies and Sean Cutler performing well in the central third and Craig Sylvester providing plenty of width down the right flank. Indeed, the home side began to play some decent football as the half progressed but they blotted their copy book again on 20 minutes when some slack defending saw goalkeeper Ronnie Sealey beaten at his near post to make it 0-2.
Undeterred, AFC rallied once more and Graham Randell provided a great finish to round-off a slick passing move to halve the deficit.
But just when it seemed that Cynon might launch a comeback, the visitors duly added another goal to give them a 1-3 halftime lead.
The second half began at a quick tempo with the snow continuing to fall. But it was Cwmbach who turned up the heat with another break-away goal to put further daylight between the sides.
Cynon were then given a potential life-line when they were awarded a penalty. But in-form striker Kevin Hughes saw his spot kick brilliantly saved by the Cwmbach custodian.
With the weather conditions worsening by the minute, both sets of players dug in and AFC then duly expanded the scoreline when Hughes finished well on the turn by lashing the ball home from six yards out.
With 15 minutes left Cynon looked as though they might have a chance but two further late strikes from Cwmbach ensured all three points for the visitors in a well-deserved victory.