CRUCIAL WIN UP NORTH FOR PENYBONT
PENYBONT pulled off their most significant victory of the season in the J D Cymru Premiership last Saturday with a thrilling 3-2 success over Cefn Druids at Te Rock.
Only a third league win in 21 league starts was down to a late Kane Owen winner, and it took Rhys Griffiths’s side three points clear of the drop zone that’s occupied by Carmarthen Town and Airbus UK Broughton.
It’s left Bont with just one more game ahead of the midwinter split – away to Aberystwyth Town on Saturday (5.15pm).
Tat’ll leave them with 10 more games in the Play Off Conference that will contain Aberystwyth Town, Penybont, Carmarthen Town and Airbus plus two from three involving Newtown, Cardiff Met and Cefn Druids.
Bont headed north having the day before bid farewell to loyal servant Cullen Kinsella, who signed for J D Cymru South club Goytre United.
It brought the curtain down on his SDM Glass Stadium career after signing for Bryntirion a year ahead of the merger with Bridgend Town in 2012.
And in over 300 games for the club, Kinsella netted 49 times, and was last season joint recipient of the club golden boot with Luke Borrelli.
But he’s become more involved in a family fish and chip shop in Maesteg, and it battered increased training sessions that go with top-tier status.
“I was sorry to see Cullen Kinsella go, as he was a superb and loyal player for the club over eight seasons - and we wish him well at Goytre United,” said Penybont chairman Emlyn Phillips.
Having lost the reverse fixture with Cefn Druids by a similar 3-2 margin, the Bridgend side hit the ground running in last Saturday’s rematch.
After just five minutes, Curtis Hutson knocked in his seventh goal of the season – but the lead lasted barely a minute.
Michael Pritchard got the equaliser, and the sides changed ends with the score standing on 1-1.
But in an exciting conclusion to a lively contest, Bont won back the lead in the 73rd minute when Daniel Griffiths also got a seventh goal this term.
Back came the Druids to level through a 75th-minute goal from
Jimmy Davies - but soon after they were reduced to 10 men.
Tat gave Bont impetus and on 85 minutes, they won a free kick in a dangerous position that Kane Owen drove past goalkeeper Mike Jones.
And with the two other sides in the relegation mix, Carmarthen Town and Airbus, drawing 2-2 at Richmond Park, this for Bont was a great result.
Te Old Gold went 2-0 up before the Airmen gained late lift off to level.
And Penybont Reserves won 5-2 at Afan Lido courtesy of an Ioan Emanuel hat-trick and goals from Robbie Regan and Joseph Joyce.