New Year cheer for Bont?
Leaders out to kick off 2019 on a real high at Ton Pentre
UNBEATEN leaders Penybont will take a two-point advantage over closest challengers Haverfordwest County into the Nathaniel Cars Welsh League Division One clash at relegation-threatened Ton Pentre on Saturday.
However, Bont experienced a bumpy ride last Friday night against Briton Ferry Llansawel, and were relieved to exit Old Road with a 2-2 draw that maintained the unbeaten run.
And the Bridgend super club had to twice come from behind in order to salvage the point.
It was only the second occasion this term that Rhys Griffiths’ side dropped points in the league, having previously played out a goal-less draw at Llantwit Major back in August.
They arrived at Old Road on the back of a 3-0 pre-Christmas victory over Pontypridd Town at the Leckwith Stadium courtesy of goals from Luke Borrelli (two) and a Kane Owen penalty.
But buoyant Ferry went ahead on 25 minutes via Tyler Brock with a ninth goal of the season from Cullen Kinsella soon restoring parity.
It remained 1-1 until the 75 th minute when a shot from Warren Hudson was deflected into goal by Bont boss Rhys Griffiths.
And with Bont seemingly on the way to a first league defeat of the season, they responded during time added on for stoppages.
In similar circumstances to the second Ferry goal, Borrelli took aim, and a deflection off Ian Hillier set up the 2-2 outcome.
Meanwhile, the clash with Ton Pentre on Saturday forms a third meeting of the season between the clubs.
Bont downed the visiting Bulldogs 3-1 in the Nathaniel MG Cup back in August, and the following month they took the Kymco
Stadium league meeting by an emphatic 5-0 margin.
But since the formation of Penybont back in 2013, Ynys Park hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for them, and they’ve only triumphed once in five league meetings.
And it was recorded last March when goals from Kieran Howard and Adam Carpenter chiselled a 2-0 success at their bogey ground.
PENYBONT had their lead in Welsh League Division One cut to just two points after they were held 2-2 at Briton Ferry Llansawel – while Haverfordwest County thumped Ton Pentre 4-0.
Briton Ferry led through Tyler Brock and then Warren Hudson, but the visitors hit back twice to keep their unbeaten league record intact, although it was only the second time in a dozen league games so far this term they have dropped points.
Rhys Griffiths’ side do still have a game in hand on Haverfordwest who closed up on them with a crushing win at Ynys Park.
Former Swansea City hero Lee Trundle – who fired the goals to help steer Llanelli Town to glory last season – was at the double with Sean Pemberton and Rhys Fawcett grabbing the Bluebirds’ other goals.
Elsewhere Nathaniel MG Cup finalists Cambrian & Clydach’s ex- cellent season continues as they inflicted a 4-0 hammering on Ammanford in their own backyard.
Richard French, Liam French, Kyle Jones and Sam Jones were all among the scorers for Cambrian, who are third in the table and three points back on Penybont but have played two more matches.
Meanwhile there were moraleboosting victories on the road for both of the bottom two.
Taffs Well remain bottom will take plenty of confidence from a 2-1 win at Port Talbot Town, while second bottom Pontypridd Town ran out 4-2 victors at Undy Athletic. The other games in Division One saw Llantwit Major win 1-0 at Goytre United, with Sean Williams’ goal the difference, while Mark Jones scored twice for Afan Lido alongside Chris Hartland and Ben Thomas in a 4-1 win at Goytre.
Cwmamman United and Cwmbran Celtic drew 2-2.