WELSH LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
RISCA UNITED .............. 1 TON PENTRE ................. 2
NOT since September 2014 has Ton Pentre enjoyed three straight wins and after just four minutes some thought it wouldn’t be achieved on this occasion either after Risca took a fourth-minute lead.
After Kyle Williams was left free on Risca’s right wing, the Cuckoos player breezed into the box to shoot across Joe Mossaro’s goalmouth and inside the far post to make it 1-0.
The Bulldogs however, were producing a devastating display of football and an equaliser was inevitable as they heaped pressure on the Risca defence.
Some excellent build-up play resulted in Andre Griffiths getting an assist after he set up Sam Small who struck the ball past goalkeeper Lee Kendall for 1-1.
Shortly after, Small thought he’d given Ton Pentre the lead when he was on the end of a free kick with a header. His effort was on target but Kendall produced a fine save to deny him a second goal.
Mossaro was called into action following a rare Risca attack with the Bulldogs goalkeeper pulling off a superb diving save to deny the Cuckoos a goal against the run of play.
Somehow it remained level at half-time, however, shortly after the second half kicked off the Bulldogs changed that.
With Ton Pentre spreading play around the pitch, Risca were immediately on the back foot chasing the ball. Griffiths picked out Adam Lewis’ run up the right with a superbly weighted long pass. With his first touch, Lewis immediately crossed the ball into the 18-yard box where it was met by Leon Jacka on the penalty spot, from where his stunning header beat Kendall into the top right corner. It was an amazing goal to put the Bulldogs in the lead and will certainly be a contender for a goal of the season award.
Risca were reduced to 10 men with the majority of the second half left to be played but the Cuckoos became more difficult to play against as they had nothing to lose, throwing men forward.
Following several shaky moments in defence, when Risca could and should have equalised, the Bulldogs began to make the one-man advantage count and were it not for the experience of Kendall, Ton Pentre would have won this game by a bigger margin.
Hitchcock was denied by the veteran goalkeeper after Corey Shaphard released him through oneon-one and Liam Reed also went clean through but was denied by Kendall, who spread his body well to stop the ball from ending up in the net.
This latest victory moves Ton Pentre up to fifth in the Division One table and a point off firstplaced Goytre.
Attentions turn to the JD Welsh Cup on Saturday, October 1 at Ynys Park. Abergavenny Town will be the visitors for this Round 1 match. The game kicks off at 2pm.