Penlan Club on verge of clinching league title
PENLAN Club now need just two wins from their remaining six league games to be crowned the inaugural West Wales Premier League champions. Only a capitulation of Devon Loch Grand National proportions can stop Penlan now.
They got off to a flyer against thirdplaced Seven Sisters Onllwyn at Mynydd Newydd, their early blitz of three goals all coming within the opening 23 minutes.
Centre-back Luke Edwards had scored a brace within 15 minutes of the kick-off and forward Sam Lewis added the third.
A goal from Tim Stephens just before half-time reduced the deficit, but Seven were unable to add to their tally, going down 3-1. Penlan picked up six yellow cards.
Seven can finish in second place and thereby qualify for promotion to the Ardal South West division if Mumbles slip up.
Penlan Club: M Collins, D Rich, L Otten, L Edwards, R Coffey, J James, N Lewis, C Charles, S Lewis, J Doyle (capt), D Otten. Subs: L Dalling, J Hopkins, C Rich, S Llewellyn.
Seven Sisters Onllwyn: D Turner, J Farthing, E James, J Thomas, Jac Sudale, J Owen (capt), N Jones, S Isaac, C Elkins, C Thomas, T Stephens. Subs: D Mahdar, H Littlewood, James Sudale. Referee: Daniel Richardson. A result that has virtually ended their own title aspirations saw Mumbles Rangers lose 2-0 at home to Evans & Williams in a sub-standard performance after eight consecutive league wins.
The Albies fully deserved the points and were indebted to their stubborn, well-organised defensive line that was well marshalled by skipper Nick Jones.
Their former Llanelli and Ammanford Town man Bruno Forkuoh got both goals in a man-of-the-match performance.
Pontarddulais Town beat South Gower 3-2 at Coedbach Park, a second successive win that takes Bont up to seventh.
It took some superb saves from Town keeper Chadd Bowling, on his birthday, including one from a Jack Jones penalty, to keep Gower out in the first half.
Cameron Davies’s fine season continued with two goals. His partner up front, Joel Beynon, added the third for Bont with a dipping 25-yarder. South
Gower replied through Jamie Cadogan and Morgan Lucas after they had gone 3-0 down.
At the Dingle, two evenly-matched sides played out a largely uneventful affair with few goal attempts, though the game came to life in ten minutes of added time.
In the 99th minute Jacob Sadler grabbed the winner for a young Cwm Wanderers side against Morriston Town.
Also deep into added time, with the score at 1-1, Town winger Stephen Davey was racing away from defensive cover and towards goal when he was scythed down by substitute Jordan Hickey, who received only a yellow card from referee David Alder.
Town, again missing several regulars, had taken a 45th-minute lead when a superb cross by Davey was bundled into an empty net at the far post by substitute Drew Lannen.
Cwm equalised on the hour through Oliver Ranford, with the lively Sadler netting the late winner in the 54th minute of the second half.
This Saturday, a Penlan win at Cwm Wanderers will mean that they can seal the title at home to Dafen Welfare on April 9.