DIVISION ONE

CORNELLY UNITED ..... 3 GARW ............................. 2

TWO injury-time goals carried Cornelly United to an unlikely victory over Garw during this vibrant derby clash at a muddy Meadow Street, writes Tony Poole.

Two minutes into time that Nottage referee Ian Holyoake added on for stoppages, the Blandy boys seemed home and hosed as they led 2-1.

But never-say-die Cornelly lasted the pace better to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

It was, however, tough luck on Garw, who started like a steam train only to run out of puff in this Meadow Street mud-bath.

During the early exchanges, the Blandy boys – under the baton of conductor Mark Sage – made sweet music.

Cornelly lacked any kind of rhythm and were still in the dressing room, as time after time they hit wrong notes.

Ashleigh Jones clattered the woodwork with a sizzling 30-metre effort while soon after Damian Bernard sent Harry Davies into a one-on-one confrontation with home goalkeeper Luke Jones.

But Davies pressed the panic button, and shot straight into the midriff of Davies, and a glorious chance to go in front was lost.

It took Cornelly.22 minutes to produce anything worthwhile with a Joe Jones driven cross going unpunished by unmarked Dale Smith at the back post.

Smith then fired just wide of the goal patrolled by Tommy Lewis – and in the 40th minute Cornelly seemed to have justified claims for referee Holyoake pointing to the penalty spot.

A reckless Nathan Rose challenge on Joe Jones produced nothing, and three minutes later it was Garw who had the lead.

Ashleigh Jones rode three challenges in the box, and turned on a sixpence to drill a low shot past goalkeeper Luke Jones.

His goal separated the sides at the break and on the resumption Harry Davies was only just wide with a sound effort.

However, it did become 2-0 in the 58th minute from a Shaun Williams free kick that home goalkeeper Jones fumbled.

A Harry Davies shot hit the base of a post, but Bernard was on hand to get a ninth goal this term – and eight in five games.

There was now a modicum of desperation attached to Cornelly, who were relieved to see a Dale Evans free kick skim the cross bar while Ashleigh Jones twice missed out in wide channels.

This failures eventually came back to haunt the Blandy boys, who were on the back foot once Cornelly pulled a goal back.

A 78th minute throw in from ex-Garw goal machine Jason James seemingly took a deflection – and crept in at the back post.

In the 87th minute, Bernard went around goal- keeper Jones, but from an acute angle his shot travelled across the goal-line.

But entering injury time it seemed as if the Blandy boys, who were 2-1 up, would close out the win.

However, that proved wishful thinking, as a 92nd minute Carl Owen corner set up a kerfuffle in the penalty area.

Both Dann Jones and Joe Jones thought they had levelled, but goal-line technology proved the ball hadn’t crossed the line.

It, however, ran into the path of Ryan PennyHughes, and the on the money former Garw star stabbed it home.

With 2-2 now the likely outcome, in the 94th-minute Cornelly won another corner that Joe Jones zipped to the back post.

It arrived at the feet of top scorer Carl Owen, who had just returned from a ban, and he lashed it into the roof of the net.

Triumphant Cornelly scenes greeted this unbelievable outcome, but you had to feel for the Blandy boys who conspired to throw away three points during a bout of injurytime madness.

It left Cornelly with a 10-match unbeaten league sequence while it was a first defeat in seven games for Garw.

And another huge home derby game awaits Cornelly on Saturday, as they take on table-topping Cefn Cribwr at Bridgend super club Penybont.

The Blandy boys will this week be licking wounds ahead of a home league game on Saturday with Aber Valley.