Bont begin building for next term by signing duo
THE dust might still be settling on Penybont being crowned unbeaten Nathaniel Cars Welsh League champions, but they’ve wasted no time in turning attention to their needs next winter in the Welsh Premier League, writes Tony Poole.
Managers Rhys Griffiths and Martyn Giles have signed midfield players Matthew Harris (Merthyr Town) and Nathan Wood (Undy Athletic), while eight of last season’s squad have already put pen to paper at The Kymco Stadium.
Captain and goalkeeper Rhys Wilson, defenders Billy Borge and Kane Owen, midfield anchorman Kieran Howard, along with forwards Luke Borrelli, Curtis Hutson and Cullen Kinsella will come August be seen in new Welsh Premier League kit.
And it’s also been announced that wide operator Owain Warlow will next term perform player/coach duties at the club.
With regard to the two new men, 30-year-old Harris will bring a vast amount of experience with him from Penydarren Park.
He signed for the Martyrs in 2010, and went on to make more than 300 appearances, scoring 33 goals.
Harris also took in spells with Swansea City, Neath and Afan Lido before suffering injury problems that kept him out of the game for around two years.
However, it’s understood that he’ll continue to work with Merthyr Town Academy and U16 team.
Wood, aged 23, is a former Newport County Academy player who joined Undy in 2015.
Though primarily a midfield player, he can also operate as a wing-back.
Eye-catching displays against Bont last season led to manager Griffiths believing he had the ability to make the grade at Welsh Premiership level.
So, with the bulk of the squad already slotted in to place, it’s very much a case of the Bont boss going with trusted players who served him well during a superb championship-winning campaign on the Welsh League circuit.