Bont end on a high
FOOTBALL
PENYBONT rounded off a memorable end to their campaign in finishing runners-up to Barry Town United in Nathaniel Cars Welsh Football League Division One, writes Tony Poole.
Bont only required a point from their final game against Taffs Well at Rhiw D’dar last Saturday, but they went on to card a deserved 3-1 victory.
During the calendar year they have been involved in 17 league matches, winning 12 with three drawn.
The two losses came at home to Haverfordwest County, and away to Monmouthshire club Goytre.
But after the 3-0 defeat at Goytre on March 11, they drew next time out at Port Talbot Town – and won their last eight games.
That’s title-winning form, but ultimately the Bridgend super club paid a heavy price for a stuttering start to the season.
Rhys Griffiths was appointed player-manager last summer after Francis Ford stood down, and it took time for him to both adapt to the Welsh League, and for a new group of players to gel.
But once they came together at the turn of the year, there’s been no stopping them with 22-goal hitman Marcus Griffiths topping the Kymco Stadium goal chart.
Fellow striker Josef Hopkins got 15 goals, three more than Cullen Kinsella, while manager Griffiths hit the target 10 times.
Other key members of the side have been setpiece expert Kane Owen – who possesses arguably the sweetest left peg on the circuit – schemer Owain Warlow and the safe hands of goalkeeper Rhys Wilson.
And during the twilight stage of the season, Kostya Georgievsky breezed in from Aberystwyth Town and knocked in eight goals.
“Everyone at the club is delighted with a second-place finish, as a lot of hard work has been performed by a variety of people,” said Penybont chairman Emlyn Phillips.
“Just like games of two halves, our season fell into that category and over the last two months the team caught fire.
“And it hasn’t been a case of winning at all costs, as the Rhys Griffiths brand of football is both adventurous and entertaining.
“These are exciting times at Penybont with more key decisions and a lot more hard work facing the club during the summer.’’