Waiting game for Penybont in cup
PENYBONT are without a game this weekend, writes Tony Poole.
Though the Bridgend super club carded a 3-1 win over AFC Porth last Saturday in the first round of the JD Welsh Cup, Saturday’s intended opponents Cwmbran Celtic were frustrated by the wet state of the pitch at Pontardawe Town.
It led to the cup tie being postponed and the sides hope to settle the issue this Saturday.
That has left Bont with a blank date and next up is a home league fixture on Saturday week with lowly Caldicot Town.
And in another change to their schedule, the away league match with Risca United has been brought forward a day.
Rhys Griffiths’s side will now travel to the Ystrad Mynach Stadium to face Risca on October 21.
However, they face another potential blank on the final weekend in October, as the third round of the league’s Nathaniel Cars Cup is being staged.
Bont fell at the first hurdle in this competition back in August, bowing out against second-division Aberbargoed Buds.
Last week an interesting young player trained with Penybont – former Wales U21 international defender Joshua Yorwerth of Skybet Football League Two club Crawley.
The Aberkenfig native was being linked with a loan move to the Kymco Stadium, but hopes along these lines now seem to have receded.
Rumour had it that the 21-year-old former Ynysawdre Comprehensive School student was looking towards a return home.
He won seven Wales U21 caps from Cardiff City Academy ahead of a loan spell at Hereford United.
It was then on to Ipswich Town – where he stayed for two years – before switching to Crawley in September 2015.
He signed a one-year contract extension at the Broadfield Stadium this summer.
However, Bont expe- rienced a lengthy delay when they brought in another former Wales U21 international, wide operator Owain Warlow, earlier in the season from Tamworth.
It took weeks for them to receive international clearance, and he eventually made a delayed start to the campaign.
This is believed to be the main snag in any loan deal with Crawley for Yorwerth.
Division Two club Fochriw announced they have folded and they follow First-Division Hirwaun Mackworth in disappearing off the league map.
That means just 14 clubs are now operating in Division Two, including the local duo of Cefn Cribwr and Garw.
Another Division Two club, STM Sports Old Boys, are suspended, as an investigation remains ongoing to them last season allegedly fielding an ineligible player.
They have appealed to the FAW and the outcome is awaited.
Meanwhile, Fochriw, who were formerly known as Fochriw Rising Sun, blamed lack of support for putting up the shutters.
The side from the Merthyr suburbs said via their official Twitter account: “Sad that we have to announce due to a lack of interest that our fantastic club has to fold.
“It’s given a lot of people some very good times over the years, and we would like to thank everyone for kind comments.
“Hope the remainder of Alliance clubs survive because at the moment football is a dying game in the Valleys.’’