LOCAL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP
PORTHCAWL Town last Saturday replaced Pencoed Athletic at the top of Highadmit South Wales Alliance Premier Division following some surprise results, writes Tony Poole.
While the Seasiders coasted to a 7-0 home win over bottom club Sully Sports, there were defeats for two other title-chasing sides – Cefn Cribwr and former leaders Pencoed Athletic.
Te real shock came at Station Road, as Pencoed lost 2-0 against Ely Rangers to shed an unbeaten league record at the 14th time of asking while Cefn went down, 3-2, at home to Blaenrhondda.
Porthcawl constructed a three-goal lead by half time through a Hayden Lau brace and Ben Keen strike.
And they added further goals during the second half from Betws import Arran Jefferies and Morgan Tomas while during final knockings, Sam McCarthy netted twice.
“At times we made hard work of it and although the win took us top, there is still a long way to go,” said realistic Porthcawl Town boss Barrie Jones.
Te Seasiders opened up a threepoint gap on Pencoed, who have two games in hand, after their upset at former Welsh League club Ely Rangers.
Tough injury-ravaged Pencoed were the dominant force early on, they failed to disturb the scoreboard, and it was goal-less at half time.
But Ely took a 63rd-minute lead from the penalty spot via Sammy Price, and sealed victory on the back of a late Lewis James goal.
“Well done Ely Rangers on the win – no excuses as on the day we were second best in several areas,” said Pencoed Athletic chief Mark Powell.
A similar course of events unfolded at Cae Gof, as Blaenrhondda came from two goals behind to record a 3-2 success.
Dan Jenkins landed a penalty after Danny Woolfenden was felled, and Woolfenden rounded off a fine team move to get an 18th goal this term.
But the Rhondda side pulled back to 2-1 at the break, and eventually exited with all three points after converting a late penalty.
“An inability to kill the game off cost us big time, but like many clubs we’ve got a lengthy injury-list,” said Cefn Cribwr manager Scott Dryden.
Tis left Pencoed and Cefn to lick wounds ahead of changing focus this Saturday to the last-16 stage of the league’s W J Owen Open Cup.
Pencoed have a particularly tricky task against high-flying Division Two newcomers Maesteg Park at iconic Tudor Park while the Riders have home advantage over former Welsh League club Cardiff Corries.
And there was no joy for Caerau, who went down to a 4-1 defeat against Grange Albion in Coronation Park. Nathan White netted twice for the capital city side and there was one apiece from Nile White and Nathan Alderman while Morgan Tomas responded in the74th minute for the outgunned Riverboaters.
Meanwhile, Cornelly Utd saw an intended Division One fixture at Cogan Coronation called off, owing to a waterlogged pitch, ahead of Saturday’s W J Owen Cup clash with Premier Division Trebanog at Meadow Street.
In Division Two, Maesteg Park warmed up for the big cup clash on Saturday with Pencoed in drawing 3-3 at mid-table Cwmbach Royal Stars.
However, the two dropped points also led to the Llynfi Valley side surrendering league leadership, in their case to Canton Rangers, who triumphed 3-2 over Llantwit Fardre in Central Park.
Tird-placed Vale Utd were also held to 3-3 – in their case during a shock outcome against bottom club Graig FC at Ynysangharad Park.
Te boys from leafy Corntown, who in the run up to the game signed ex-Port Talbot Town left-back Aaron Williams, were on a high after an own-goal and Danny Hanson strike sent them clear.
But Jamie Jones dragged them back to 2-1 at half time before Hanson’s 12th goal of the season seemed to settle the issue on the hour.
But lowly Graig, who have yet to win this season, scored goals during dying embers through Jesse White and Jamie White.
Finally, Llangeinor slid to a disappointing 2-1 home defeat against Cardiff Cosmopolitan.