Unless otherwise stated all match reports relate to Division One

Saturday 11 August 2007

Taff’s Well 1, Cwmbran Town 0

The opening fixture of the 2007-08 season saw Taff’s Well entertain the United Nations of Cwmbran Town.  The visitors arrived confident of winning by six or seven goals according to former Taff’s Well player, Gareth Mouncher.  Sidelined by injury, Mouncher was buoyed by Cwmbran’s pre-season preparations and the fact that many of the side selected had featured in the UWIC team that had beaten Taff’s Well by a 5-0 margin in March.  Good results against NEWI Cefn Druids and Corby Town certainly sound encouraging and the squad of Nigerians, Cameroonians, Portuguese and Brazilians sprinkled with the occasional Welsh or English player went through an impressive pre-match warm-up whilst the home team stayed out of the heat in the dressing room.

It was a hot day and Taff’s Well’s squad was missing at least five likely starters from the first choice squad due to holidays, work or injury.  The omens did not look auspicious.  Taff’s Well’s new coach, Mark Hennessey, contented himself with a short warm-up and manager, Adam Moore reminded the players that he had played for Cwmbran in the past and that they should concentrate on their own game: the visitors are only human after all.

The game was preceded by a minute’s silence as a tribute to the memory of long-time supporter of Taff’s Well, Mr. John Champ, who sadly died last week after a period of illness. 

Once under way a pattern soon emerged: some neat and controlled approach play by Cwmbran repelled at the edge of the Taff’s Well penalty area followed by a more direct counter-attack from the home team until possession returned to the visitors.

Cwmbran’s calmness and control disappeared in the fourth minute.  Gareth Wallwork gained possession of the ball out wide on the Taff’s Well right flank.  He looked up and, with no immediate challenge, launched a well-placed long cross into the Cwmbran penalty area.  The visitors’ outstanding central defender, Majeed, was for once not in control.  Kevin Crock dropped off a yard with perfect timing to head the ball over goal keeper, Richard Jeffries, and into the top corner.  One-nil to Taff’s Well.  Cwmbran looked stunned.  Their confident, urbane and sophisticated supporters (“We are used to a better quality ground/standard of play/level of football but of course this is only temporary!”) blanched.  A slight setback but nothing to get worried about!

Minutes later, a flowing Taff’s Well move released Steve Edwards in the penalty area unopposed for a strike at goal.  Unbelievably the assistant referee raised his flag for offside.  Cwmbran, stunned and in disarray, survived.  The visitors survived again shortly afterwards when Kevin Crock was upended in the penalty area but, as became the pattern for the game to the dismay of followers of both teams, the referee ignored his impassioned pleas.

Cwmbran began to draw confidence from this and with Christopher Omuta finding space on the left flank and Moses Malanga and Martin Houston pressing hard through the middle they began to look threatening.

Houston should have scored from a driven cross but balked at the header as he was about to collide with a post and several dangerous crosses flashed across the Taff’s Well goal but Cwmbran could not pull a goal back.

Jon Seymour, captain James Passmore and Gareth Wallwork defended stoutly.  Jon Howe’s handling in goal was impeccable and the young midfield worked tirelessly to preserve the home side’s lead despite the loss of Owain Adams to a blow in the face in the 35th minute. 

The Cwmbran coach gave the players a stern lecture at half time but the second half was a repeat of the pattern of the first.

Cwmbran’s supporters were increasingly frustrated as the minutes ticked away.  Gone were the slightly superior smiles – every blast of the referee’s whistle brought howls of disgust or anguish, every failure to blow in Cwmbran’s favour provoked wild accusations of bias or incompetence.

The longer the half progressed, the more frustrated the Cwmbran players became.  Taff’s Well’s midfielders: Dan Thomas (substitute for Owain Adams), Ross Perkins, Steve Edwards and Jay Davies (on for Aaron Colwill) tackled and scrapped for every slightest possibility of possession or simply to thwart Cwmbran.  Tony Wallis led the line magnificently despite the attentions of one, two and sometimes three opposition defenders. 

Taff’s Well owed survival at one point to young left back, Lloyd Stenner, who covered across as all good full backs do to clear danger when one visiting attacker looked to get free to score.  Despite the odd scare, Jon Howe’s goal remained intact and he had barely a save to make for all of Cwmbran’s possession.

Tony Rees might have increased Taff’s Well’s lead had he been a little more match fit, in his own words afterwards.

The lesson of the underdog triumphing against supposedly superior opposition is one of the great marvels of football.  It happens often enough for it to cease to be a surprise.  For once, Taff’s Well’s supposedly inferior squad overcame a highly talented Cwmbran selection.  This was only the first game of a long campaign and it would be foolish to expect to pull off a similar triumph on a regular basis.  On the day the grit and determination of the home side saw off the superior craft of the visitors.  It was such a chastening experience that the Cwmbran manager kept the players in the dressing room for an hour after the match.  No doubt Cwmbran Town will win more than they will lose this season.  Maybe Taff’s Well won’t.  Every dog has his day.

Welcome to the First Division – reality bites!   

Taff’s Well: Howe; Wallwork; Stenner; Passmore (Capt.); Seymour; Perkins; Edwards; Colwill; Wallis; Crock; Adams; subs. Rees; Thomas; Davies; Salmoni; Arthur.

Cwmbran Town: Jeffries; McGibbon; Oyinloye; Kaffi; Akinbolw; Majeed; Hodge; Ngody; Malanga; Omuta; Houston; subs. Pardeal; Martins; Shadrack; Smith; Gordon.  

SUPER VETS BRING HOME CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY

Pictured (left to right): Mike Bobbett, Brian Gullett, Tarki Micallef, Rob Poyner, Kyle Burrows, Eifion Thomas, John Convery (Capt.), Gavin Price, Dave Price, Glenn Price, Howie Beynon, Ioan Emanuel, Dickie Batt, Frank Terrell (Player-Manager), Herbie Miller.

Taff’s Well Super Vets (Over 45) travelled to Kettering Town on Sunday 13th May to play Siemens F.C. from Eastwood (between Nottingham and Derby) in the Umbro Veterans Super Vets Championship Trophy.  This is effectively the UEFA Cup of the three Umbro tournaments now in their 20th year as a nationwide competition for veteran footballers at Over 35, Over 40 and Over 45 age groups.

Injuries to key players and availability problems have dogged Taff’s Well Super Vets all season and this has been compounded by cancelled fixtures due to bad weather so it was fitting that the final should be won in torrential rain and with seven of the squad unavailable for various reasons.

The contrast between the Final and the Quarter and Semi-final rounds could not have been more marked.  The quarter-final was won 4-1 in Dagenham against Old Barkabbeyans in hot sun and temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade.  The semi-final was played in equally high temperatures but greater humidity against Welsh rivals, Pembrokeshire Veterans with Taff’s Well winning 6-5 on penalties after extra time.  The final was the third game of three on a day of continuous rain at Kettering Town’s Rockingham Road ground but the pitch held up remarkably well despite some standing water in the goalmouths.

Veterans’ Captain, John Convery (with player-manager, Frank Terrell, the only two left of the original team from fourteen years ago), led the team out.  He would not have believed when Cardiff City released him some forty-seven years ago that he would still be playing at sixty-two and it is a tribute to his level of fitness and competitive spirit that he is still able to perform on the pitch.

Taff’s Well were the more threatening side throughout and started at a high tempo in an attempt to get an early goal.  It looked as though this would be a vain hope as Brian Gullett, normally a centre back playing as target man, missed several good chances.  The opposition began to put in some “robust” challenges to try to get a foothold in the game going through speedy striker Howie Beynon (once in professional football as a junior at Swansea) from behind and committing fouls on a number of other Taff’s Well players more out of frustration than a desire to hurt.

As the match settled down, it became clear Siemens did not have the pace to get behind the Taff’s Well defence and nor could they exert enough control of the midfield to impose themselves on the game with any consistency.  It, nevertheless, appeared that it might be one of those days as a brilliant move saw Howie Beynon beat the last defender and place the ball past the goalie only to see it stop in a puddle on the line to be cleared by a covering defender.  Moments later, the Siemens defence forced Beynon out to the left wing where he held the ball, waiting for the onrushing support; he looked up to see the goalie out of position and chipped the ball goal-wards but it rebounded off the junction of post and cross bar.  It appeared that a goal would be elude Taff’s Well despite a series of fluent attacks.  Ex-Cardiff City, Newport County and Bristol Rovers player, Tarki Micallef, was proving a handful for Siemens with his free role and the midfield of Gavin Price (ex-Aston Villa), Mike Bobbett and Ioan Emanuel had established a clear ascendancy in that area of the pitch.

All of the best efforts of Taff’s Well paid dividends three-quarters of the way through the half.  Brian Gullett received the ball with only one defender to beat as he ran into the inside right channel.  His first touch gave him the space he needed from the edge of the penalty area and the goalkeeper parried his firmly struck drive.  Reacting more quickly than the defenders yet with great composure, Gullett fired the ball past the goalie as he regained his feet and the ball nestled in the back of the net.

Stung into retaliation by this setback, Siemens stepped up their efforts but were forced to by-pass midfield to get the ball up to their front men and then try and get players joining in from there.  It was at this stage of the game that John Convery and Dave Price showed their defensive strength and the outstanding Eifion Thomas swept up every danger reading dangerous situations perfectly to tidy up using his pace when necessary.  Thus, Rob Poyner was scarcely troubled apart from one speculative snapshot that he saved with ease making a tricky chance appear innocuous in the driving rain.

All the while, Taff’s Well remained the more dangerous side and the marauding runs of Herbie Miller from left back and the threat of the two front runners made it impossible for Siemens to throw players forward in an attempt to pull back the opening goal before half time.

Manager, Frank Terrell, made two changes of personnel at half time: John Convery went off and Brian Gullett moved back to centre half, Kyle Burrows came on to play on the right side with Dickie Batt replacing the excellent Dave Price.  This meant pushing Tarki Micallef up to join Howie Beynon in attack and the manager’s instructions were to keep possession to frustrate the opposition and to use the pace of the two front men to catch Siemens pushing forward.

Tactics are entirely dependant on the capacity of the players to carry them out and, on the day, these were the players up to the task.  Siemens became increasingly frustrated at their inability to control possession and to force their way back into the game.  This led to a series of bad challenges on the slippery pitch, one in particular, a nasty late lunge, left Gullett floored clutching his leg and requiring lengthy treatment but warranted only a warning from the excellent match official.

As the half progressed, chances proved harder to come by for Taff’s Well as the ball flashed across the face of goal on a number of occasions with no attacker able to get a touch and the Siemens goalkeeper dealt capably with a number of shots, corners and the occasional long throw from Ioan Emanuel.  The key feature of this period in the game was a series of slick passing moves put together by Taff’s Well involving sometimes seven or eight players in stretching the Nottinghamshire team from side to side.  Glenn Price had replaced his brother, Gavin, but Taff’s Well’s dominance continued and eventually Frank Terrell came on too.

Matters were becoming desperate for Siemens so the brought on one very tall substitute and moved their two centre backs forward and resorted to long balls lumped up to these big men.  As the taller team this proved a legitimate tactic but it failed to earn them a goal.  On the two occasions they did manage to get an attempt on target, Kyle Burrows was perfectly placed to head powerfully off the line following a corner and Rob Poyner made an exceptional save clutching the ball into his body from a low shot through a crowd of players.  It was only in the last five minutes of the match that Taff’s Well had come under any concerted pressure and with victory being so close some nerves were understandable.

The veterans’ season ended with triumph at the final whistle, albeit by a slender 1-0 margin but it was a tribute to the contributions of all the players who had helped get the team to the final as well as those magnificent performers on the day.  This was the fifth final for Frank Terrell’s veterans and the first triumph.  Observers in the grandstand voiced the opinion that three-nil would have been a fair result and it could easily have been six but that would have been a little unfair on the resilience of the Siemens team who were gracious in defeat. 

Dave Shepherd, whose brainchild the competition is, spoke to both teams and supporters at the end and complimented everyone on the quality of play and endeavour and Colin Garlick, Chief executive of Football League team Rochdale, presented the magnificent (and very heavy) trophy to John Convery, the Taff’s Well captain.

One distressing footnote to a thrilling day was that Gavin Price and his wife and son were involved in an accident travelling back and, even though their car was a right-off, fortunately all three escaped with little more than bruising and shock.

So, a season in which hopes were high for Taff’s Well Over 40s, a team packed with big names (Paul Sanderson, Roger Gibbins, Cohen Griffith and many other exceptional players at this level) saw them bow out to a Paul Giles goal at the first knockout stage to Dinas Powys.  The team that beat them in last year’s semi final – Flackwell Heath - were at Kettering Town and could not believe that result saying Taff’s Well were the best team they had played.  The Super Vets, however, after struggling to field a consistent side or to travel with a full squad returned in triumph.  Thanks go to outstanding contributors through the group stages and beyond in: Derek Jones, Kyle Charles, Roger Broome, Mal Camilleri, Jeremy Hill, Ian Sutton, Graham Bassett and Phil Martin.  Next year’s target is to get both teams to the finals. 

Taff’s Well Super Veterans: 1. Rob Poyner; 2. Dave Price; 3. Herbie Miller; 4. Eifion Thomas; 5. John Convery (Capt.); 6. Gavin Price; 7. Tarki Micallef; 8. Mike Bobbett; 9. Howie Beynon; 10. Brian Gullett; 11. Ioan Emanuel; 12. Glenn Price; 14. Dickie Batt; 15. Kyle Burrows; 16. Frank Terrell.

Frank Terrell

16 May 2007

Taff’s Well AFC 60^th Anniversary Dinner

The Quality Hotel, Tongwynlais, Cardiff.

Saturday 23^rd June 2007, 7.00 for 7.30 pm

Acting Chairman: Frank Terrell

Special Guest Speaker: Joey Jones (Former Liverpool & Wales Footballer)

As part of the celebrations of Taff’s Well Football Club’s 60^th Anniversary the Committee invite you to attend our celebration dinner on Saturday 23^rd June 2007 at the Quality Hotel, Tongwynlais.  Drinks will commence at 7 pm and a three-course dinner at 7.30 pm

The evening will be compered by ex-first class referee, Keith Cooper, and the former Wales and Liverpool footballer, Joey Jones, will entertain us with recollections of his experiences in top class football.  The evening will also feature an auction of sporting memorabilia and presentations of trophies.

The dress code is lounge suits and ties for gentlemen.  There will be a disco to end the evening.

Prior to the dinner there will be a Celebrity Exhibition Football Match with – kick off 2 pm – and football fun activities for children at the club.

A donation from the proceeds will be made to local charities.

Tickets for the evening cost £30.00 per person (tables of ten are available for parties) payable in advance to either the club Treasurer, Mr. Don James (Tel: 02920 337374), or the Secretary, Mrs Norma Samuel (Tel: 02920 813020).

Saturday 3 March 2007

ENTO Aberaman 2 - 1 Taff’s Well

Taff’s Well ran out on a pitch made heavy by Friday’s continuous rain but showing all the confidence obtained from previous two victories in a bright start.  Lee Denner created the first opening with a well-timed pass into space for Barrie Gunstone who had peeled wide.  Gunstone eluded the covering defender with ease before crossing but a home defender just beat Andy Hammett to the ball to head clear.

The opening exchanges were all Taff’s Well so, with their defence under pressure, an Aberaman defender fouled Paul Michael out on the Taff’s Well right but Barrie Gunstone’s aim was not quite right and the free kick came to nothing.  Immediately after that a sweeping attack from Taff’s Well set Andy Hammett clear and he scored with a well-placed finish only to turn and see the assistant referee flagging for a very marginal offside so the “goal” was disallowed.

Another move down the Taff’s Well left flank between Gunstone, Denner and Ashley Gittings ended when Gittings slipped as he was about to shoot home from only ten yards with Aberaman keeper, Neil Collins totally exposed.  Ten minutes in and the pitch had revealed its treacherous side.

Aberaman managed to escape the visitors’ onslaught long enough to force a corner clipped in by Ceri Harding.  Once more the pitch played a part as a difficult bounce saw the ball elude two defenders to fall perfectly for Kurt Nogan but Callum McKenzie tidied up at the expense of another corner cleared with some ease by the visiting defence.

Lee Denner was then unfortunate to receive a yellow card when he overran the ball on the slippery surface and collided with an Aberaman defender who had raced across to cover.  The decision could easily have been reversed so reckless was the home player’s charge at Denner.

Taff’s Well had played all the enterprising football in the opening half hour with a series of sweeping attacks but with no end product.  This was perfectly illustrated when Steve Arthur played a searching through pass between two Aberaman defenders to the onrushing Andy Hammett.  The Taff’s Well number nine took a touch to set up the shot and then fired hard and low for goal but Collins saved with both hands at full stretch.

The mounting pressure took its toll after thirty-one minutes when another perfectly placed and weighted pass, this time from Rhys Jones, put Barrie Gunstone in on goal.  Gunstone’s clever movement and angles of running were proving a real challenge for the home defenders who, this time, misread the situation and Gunstone was in the clear.  Collins raced from his goal to take out the Taff’s Well striker with a desperate challenge.  The referee awarded the penalty and brandished his yellow card at Collins who might well have been dismissed from the game, as there appeared to be no cover for Collins from any of his teammates.  Gunstone despatched the penalty left footed to give the visitors a well-deserved lead.

Aberaman tried to fight back but strike partners Nogan and Jago were having a wretched game.  Twice Jago fell over in the penalty area in vain attempts to gain his side a penalty perhaps under the false impression that this particular referee was likely to even things up to appease the frantic protests of his manager at every decision that went against Aberaman.  Jago then felt the full frustration of his manager by straying offside wasting a possible opening.  This was unexpected, as the home side’s hard running striker has enjoyed plenty of success in the past for his previous two clubs against Taff’s Well.

As half time approached the focus switched once more to the other end. Excellent play from Andy Hammett, strong and determined, allowed him to release Ashley Gittings with a clever pass.  He ran in on goal but could not finish off the chance and a minute later play ended for half time.    

ENTO Aberaman started the second half by replacing the luckless Nogan and Jago with the experienced John Phillips and hard working, super fit boxer, Nathan King.  Taff’s Well had so dominated the first half it was worth trying anything to redress the balance and get the home side’s promotion ambitions back on track.

Taff’s Well faced an early blow, quite literally, when Gunstone was felled by a blow to the neck in a very heavy challenge for a high ball.  He returned to the action in discomfort after treatment.  It was clear that Taff’s Well had relaxed and that Aberaman were determined to turn things around.  Bit by bit the home side fought for a foothold in the game; it wasn’t pretty but it was effective.  Gradually they began to take control of the game and on the hour received their due reward.  Steve Powell made good ground on an overlapping run along the spongy left touchline for the home team. Displaying clever foot movement he executed a double shuffle on the ball to go inside and out past two sluggish Taff’s Well defenders before passing inside to Paul Dawes.  Still a popular and highly respected figure at Taff’s Well, Aberaman’s former Taff’s Well captain, Dawes ran into the visitors’ area before finishing well past Jon Howe’s left hand to equalise.

The best Taff’s Well could manage by way of an immediate response was a corner hit too flat and cleared easily.  Nathan King then went down the other end and missed a sitter for Aberaman when set up by Ceri Harding.  A cross was then flicked over keeper Jon Howe but Steve Arthur cleared off the line.  Arthur then saved Taff’s Well from further danger when he tidied up a threatening situation by cushioning a header back to Howe when under extreme pressure.

Aberaman made their third and final substitution on seventy-two minutes bringing on Will Davies for Craig Hewings in a bold move to try and get a winner.  This disruption allowed Taff’s Well a toehold back into the game. Callum McKenzie shot over the bar from just outside the penalty area following a tame clearing header and then two successive corners failed to trouble Collins in the Aberaman goal. 

Mark Evans decided to risk substitutions of his own taking off Rhys Jones and Lee Denner for Brian Burke and Owain Adams.  A quick throw on the Taff’s Well left gave Andy Hammett the chance to run at the home defence but when he tried his luck from out wide the chance flew over and would anyway have been miraculous to have caught out the alert Collins.  This summed up a scrappy second half for the visitors who, for all their dominance of the first half, were now reduced to such hit and hope methods.

The winning goal summed up the way the game had gone.  A hopeful through ball was chased by John Phillips who had chased everything and battled for everything since being introduced to the action at half time.  Jon Howe went down to gather the ball for a routine stop but, somehow, Phillips nipped in front of him as the keeper went down and then he had the simple task of diverting the ball into the empty net.  It might have taken eighty-five minutes to happen but the turnaround was now complete – from total Taff’s Well dominance at half time to ENTO Aberaman victory in the end.  There was still time for Howe to make two excellent saves and for Callum McKenzie to clear a corner off the line just to emphasise the total reversal in fortunes.  Rhodri Thomas and Steve Arthur had played outstandingly well for the visitors but this was not enough to earn a point and nor will total dominance of the first half be enough to win games at this level.  Aberaman may not have won prettily but they did win and that is what counts in the League table at the end of the season.  

Taff’s Well: Howe; Gittings; Denner; Fleming; Thomas; Arthur; McKenzie; Michael; Jones; Gunstone; Hammett. Subs: B. Burke; Adams; Evans. 

Saturday 24th February 2007

Taff’s Well 3 - 0 Pontardawe

Taff’s Well started strongly with the players clearly full of confidence following the previous Tuesday’s victory over Barry.  Attacking down the slope, first Andy Hammett and then Barrie Gunstone, both played in good balls forcing Pontardawe’s keeper, Marc Snell, into action.

Pontardawe’s first real threat came when striker, Kevin Bartley, looking well offside but not flagged, tried to chip Jon Howe after eleven minutes but his effort drifted well wide.  This seemed to energise the visitors and a minute later Howe was forced into a good save from a fiercely driven shot and from the clearance kick, Barrie Gunstone was booked for allegedly leading with his arm in challenging the Pontardawe defender as he attempted to head clear.

Taff’s Well began to take control of the game once more and Andy Hammett was the first beneficiary.  He received the ball from a left wing throw and swivelled to hit his shot early but the ball flew just over.  Moments later Callum McKenzie picked Hammett out with an incisive pass for the Taff’s Well striker to twist and turn to create an opening for a shot but he unfortunately slipped at the decisive time and the chance went away from him.

Taff’s Well’s play entered a sloppy phase with players not winning their tackles and appearing to be slow in closing down their opposite numbers thus Andrew Stokes was able to burst through the midfield area almost unchallenged before getting in a dangerous shot.  Padraig Burke then came to Taff’s Well’s rescue with a timely intervention putting the ball out for a throw as two Pontardawe players threatened Howe’s goal.

As the match reached the half hour mark the home side appeared to shake off the collective lethargy and step up the action.  This paid dividends after thirty-three minutes when a good spell of Taff’s Well pressure produced the opening goal.  Paul Michael picked up a stray ball in the midfield area and looked up to see Barrie Gunstone get ahead of his marker with a clever run along his favoured inside left channel.  Michael’s incisive pass was weighted perfectly for Gunstone to run in on goal without breaking stride, send the goalkeeper to ground with the characteristic Gunstone drop of the shoulder before pushing the ball into the empty net.

Taff’s Well regained possession very soon after the restart and a clever double shuffle by the corner flag earned Gunstone a corner for his team. Paul Michael’s in swinger led to a Lee Denner up-and-under headed back into the danger area only for Marc Snell to clutch the ball gratefully under pressure.

Pontardawe stepped up the pressure to try and regain parity as the half drew to a close.  A visiting attack earned a corner and Jon Howe was forced to make a fine save from the deflected shot that resulted.  The half finished with the referee waving play on as a defender climbed all over the home side’s Andy Hammett in an attempt to win a header against the target man. The ball flew up in the air but Hammett managed to control it with an excellent first touch and he turned this good technique to advantage with a powerful shot forcing Snell into a difficult save.

With the half time team talk still ringing in their ears, Pontardawe’s young team came out determined to turn their manager’s words into action.  They raced down the Taff’s Well slope forcing the home side back with a series of dangerous attacks.  It fell to Barrie Gunstone to shake off the Taff’s Well lethargy and complacency when he cut in from the right wing onto his lethal left foot, shrugging off two challenges in the process, before forcing Snell into an excellent low stop on fifty-one minutes.

On fifty-six minutes, Ashley Gittings was flattened at the end of a surging right wing run but the referee gave nothing much to the dismay of Callum McKenzie who protested persuading the referee to blow up and award a free kick to Pontardawe instead.  The visitors took advantage of this to release Luke Rees into space for a chance but he fired wide.

Pontardawe earned a corner shortly afterwards and the resultant header saw Lee Denner well placed to head the ball off the Taff’s Well line.  The ball was cleared but Denner then fouled a visiting player out on the left touchline but Padraig Burke covered behind the line of defenders to head the ball away from danger.

Taff’s Well eased home supporters’ fears and struck a decisive blow to the visitors’ hopes in the sixty-fifth minute.  The goal was the result of a classic counter attack:  Andy Hammett pulled wide on the left, held the ball up and then fired a long pass out to the right wing to where Callum McKenzie had overlapped.  He ran in unopposed having left the visiting defenders in his wake and hit a hard, low shot at goal.  Snell parried the ball but could not hold it and Ashley Gittings’ pace enabled him to follow up and drive the ball into the net for a two-nil lead.

This was too much for Pontardawe’s young side and Taff’s Well now took the game over with little beyond a sporadic threat from the desperate visitors.  One moment of misunderstanding saw a serious element turn to farce when the entirely innocent Haydn Fleming was given a yellow card for abusing one of the assistant referees over a decision when he was mistaken for a white team mate despite being black himself.  He had not even been near the incident.  In the kaleidoscope of match action such mistakes do happen and there is no excuse for abusing match officials.  Lee Denner was quite rightly booked for tackling from behind on the half way line minutes later.

Taff’s Well dominated this phase of the game and Rhys Jones, looking fitter and stronger with every game, hit a fierce shot just wide following good approach play involving Lee Denner and Callum McKenzie; Denner and Jones were then replaced in a double substitution by Steve Arthur and Brian Burke (75 minutes), Barrie Gunstone then gave way to Liam Williams for the last ten minutes.

A swift flowing interchange between the Burke brothers along the left wing saw the overlapping Padraig get free but his cross came to nothing.  Callum McKenzie then tried his luck from long range but Pontardawe’s Snell made another good save.  In an isolated riposte, Luke Rees tried a shot from the edge of the Taff’s Well area but Jon Howe saved with some ease.

Callum McKenzie then showed his confidence with a lovely turn on the half way line to throw a couple of visiting players off track.  His driving run opened up the Pontardawe defence and he was able to play in Ashley Gittings but his shot was well saved (83 minutes).  Two minutes later and the game was sealed with a decisive move featuring Paul Michael in a prominent role to open up the visiting defence for Brian Burke to finish with a deft left footer – coolness personified in rounding off a convincing 3-0 home victory.

It was significant for home team manager, Mark Evans, that the injured trio of Jon Seymour, James Passmore and Owain Adams were all supporting the team on the day and also all three are close to returning to action.  Two home games in a row and the team has scored three times in each with the added confidence boost of a clean sheet for the defence makes good reading as February draws to a close.  Things don’t look quite so promising for the visitors whose confidence took another blow on the day and they face a tough run in to the end of the season though their young players will only go on to develop greater maturity by surviving setbacks like this.

Taff’s Well: Howe; Gittings; Denner; Fleming; Thomas; P Burke; McKenzie; Michael; Jones; Gunstone; Hammet. Subs: B Burke; Williams; Arthur. 

Tuesday 20 February 2007

Taff’s Well 3 - 1 Barry Town

Hard times, once they hit, are desperately hard to get out of and Barry Town are finding that the momentum that took them to League of Wales dominance and glory days in Europe has swung back the other way and they are in danger of free falling into insignificance.  That will not be the case if Stuart Lovering, the present club Chairman, has his way.

Lovering has put his money where his mouth is and paid out to get Barry back at Jenner Park.  His management team of Gavin Price and Richie Burnell are putting all their energy and enthusiasm into turning out a competitive team on a small budget.  With the twin strike force of behind-the-scenes drive and footballing expertise Barry will bounce back, but on Tuesday night it was a case of but not just yet.

Barry started well for the first five minutes pinning Taff’s Well back with some strong attacks.  The first warning of a home backlash came after seven minutes when Matthew Davies won the ball out on the right flank. Seeing Barry keeper, Dan Bradley off his line, he tried an audacious long-range chip which flew just wide of the far post with Bradley back-pedalling furiously.

Following this cheeky attempt, Taff’s Well stepped up the pressure on the Barry defence and only a last ditch deflection from Matt Driscoll prevented Davies from getting in behind the Barry defence on nine minutes.

Driscoll promptly returned the favour at the other end getting in behind his marker onto a long free kick but headed wide.  Scott Morris, Barry’s promising, hard running midfielder, then ran through some soft challenges but shot weakly as Taff’s Well defenders got back to him (11 minutes).

Paul Michael, in impressive form since returning to the side from injury, then burst through the soft centre of the Barry team in an unopposed surge of pace before trying his luck from some thirty yards but Bradley fielded the ball with little discomfort.  Michael then showed a touch of class when he bent a perfectly weighted pass with the outside of his right foot into the path of Barrie Gunstone.  The Taff’s Well number ten tried his luck from thirty-five yards but only succeeded in ballooning the ball high and wide.  

One of Gunstone’s great assets is total faith in his own ability backed by the capacity to put past failures behind him.  Ally this to sound technique and he will always be a threat.  So he proved in the twentieth minute when his delivery of a free kick, left footed out to wide player Ashley Gittings coming in from the right, carved open the Barry defence.  Though not the tallest player, Gittings timed his run to perfection to out jump the covering defender and head down into the danger area for Paul Michael to surge onto the ball and head unopposed past Bradley to give Taff’s Well the lead.

Barry’s self belief drained away almost in front of the eyes of the crowd and Taff’s Well put them under increased pressure with Gunstone unable to finish two half chances before Dan Bradley saved his side from annihilation.

First, a good pass from Padraig Burke to Lee Denner was then helped on to the right wing where Callum McKenzie had run free.  His incisive pass fell into the path of Mattie Davies who forced Bradley into a brilliant save followed immediately by a second as Bradley blocked the follow-up and then watched one of his defenders block a third Taff’s Well attempt (32 minutes).

A second goal was on the cards and duly arrived on thirty-eight minutes  When it did it was simplicity itself and summed up the performance of a rampant Taff’s Well.  Ashley Gittings, now switched to the left, battled for the ball and managed to cross at the second attempt.  Mattie Davies, with the instincts of the accomplished finisher, drove the ball inside the keeper’s right hand post from fifteen yards out.  Two-nil.

Full of confidence, Gittings then cut in from the left onto his right foot to hit another drive just wide in Taff’s Well’s next attack.  This was followed, minutes later, by McKenzie who took advantage of a slip by Barry’s Morris to burst through on goal only to see his ferocious drive connect with the junction of post and bar rather than the back of the net (42 minutes).

Barry made one substitution at the break bringing on Josh Bell but this did not stem the flow of Taff’s Well attacks.  The home side should have scored two minutes after the restart when Paul Michael and Mattie Davies combined well but the only result was a weak shot saved easily by Bradley.

Barry Town then had the temerity to head straight for the other end and force Jon Howe to save but Barrie Gunstone quickly set about restoring normal service.  First of all Gunstone burst through with a sudden burst of acceleration past two visiting defenders before hitting his shot wide under pressure.  He followed that up by being given offside having turned the ball home from close range when Ashley Gittings won the ball near the right corner flag and crossed from the touchline much to the amazement of all in the ground.

Taff’s Well, and Barrie Gunstone in particular, would not be denied for much longer, however.  Mattie Davies embarked on a run along the inside right channel and held the ball up to wait for support.  He checked his run to come inside but instead went again to get a yard ahead of Barry defender, Jeff McLean, before crossing.  Gunstone’s movement enabled him to get in front of the goalkeeper before firing home from only two yards out to increase the home advantage to three-nil (58 minutes).

Home manager, Mark Evans, then swapped Mattie Davies and Lee Denner for Andy Hammett and Liam Williams and the home team relaxed with the victory seemingly secure.  This is not the division where you can relax, however, and Barry had enough quality in their team to punish such arrogance with substitute, Josh Bell, scoring after 63 minutes.

Taff’s Well struggled to regain the previous superiority and Haydn Fleming was promptly booked for taking out Bell on the run.  Jon Howe then had to make a good save to deny Laith Jawad as Barry had a purple patch with Taff’s Well players standing off their opponents and letting them play.  Steve Arthur was brought on as substitute in an attempt to remove this complacency.

Once momentum is lost it is very hard to regain and Liam Williams saved Taff’s Well blushes with a brilliant piece of back-tracking to somehow stop a goal bound effort on the line and then the referee denied Barry a goal for offside before, as a final throw of the dice, Jon Howe made a good save with his feet to preserve the final score at three-one.

Taff’s Well: Howe; Gittings; Denner; Fleming; Thomas; P Burke; McKenzie; Michael; Jones; Gunstone; Davies. Subs: Hammett; Williams; Arthur. 

Saturday 10 February 2007

Neath Athletic 2 - 1 Taff’s Well

With South Wales almost paralysed by two days of snow it was unlikely many Welsh League games would survive and so it proved on a dank, wet February Saturday: the game at the former BP ground was one of only two in the First Division to be played.  Neath sit proudly at the top of the table with a pack of the usual suspects snapping at their heels so they needed the win to keep up their advantage believing that points in the bag are worth more than games in hand.  Come the run in they could well be proved right as injuries and tiredness begin to handicap the chasing pack.

Taff’s Well’s squad has been handicapped all season by injuries and the most vulnerable players would appear to be central defenders.  For this crucial test, Jon Seymour, who has been outstanding all season, has joined club skipper, Mark Hennessey on the injury list and Rhodri Thomas, a star performer since his return to the first team was forced to drop out on Friday with a side strain.  This meant rushing the versatile Owain Adams back into action after weeks out with an ankle injury and including Wayne Marks on the bench despite a sore knee.

With the onus on the surviving defenders to cope with the dangerous Neath strike force of Keaveney and Hill, manager Mark Evans was forced to deploy a 5-3-2 formation with himself in the anchor role in midfield with recalled Paul Michael and redeployed flank player Rhys Jones.  Ashley Gittings, having recovered from a virus that kept him out of the previous game, was picked as the right wing back with Lee Denner on the left.

It was the dangerous Lee Denner who attracted close attention from Neath as the home side’s players ganged up on him in twos and threes every time he got the ball and then they targeted that area of vulnerability between so attack-minded a wing back and the left sided central defender of the three.

It was along this avenue that Neath exploited their first real opening when their number four played the ball along that channel for the swift-moving John Keaveney to cut in and score with a low shot past Jon Howe after only about six minutes.  One-nil to the home side and the league leaders, how would the visitors respond?  The answer is very positively.

Taff’s Well began to win ball in midfield and to set the two fast flank players, Gittings and Denner, free and with Brian Burke running hard along the channels and Barrie Gunstone coming off defenders to receive the ball a positive response appeared imminent.  That moment arrived when Denner and Gunstone combined brilliantly along the left for the ball to be delivered perfectly behind Neath’s statuesque defenders.  Brian Burke timed his run to perfection and arrived as the ball came across hard and low only a yard or two from goal with the Neath keeper unsure what to do.  Goal?  You would expect so, as did the entire crowd.  Poor Brian Burke, as honest and hard-working a team man as you could wish, somehow contrived to get his feet in a mix and miss-hit the ball, which then zipped away off the wet turf.  The chance was gone.  Much as the approach play and Burke’s honest endeavours might have deserved a goal, football is not as comforting as that and Taff’s Well followers held their heads in their hands.

Neath had to change things as, for once, they were being outplayed for all their hard work and so they began to by-pass the midfield getting the ball up to the front runners early and trying to build from in behind the Taff’s Well wing backs.  James Passmore rose brilliantly to the challenge.  After the shock of the early goal he had begun to control things at the back for Taff’s Well winning everything in the air and sniffing out danger on the ground with a series of well-timed tackles and interceptions.  One frustrated Neath forward was warned following an ill-advised charge into Passmore’s back as the central defender won yet another towering header and all of his weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring strain were behind him.  That was until following a Neath corner kick, defended successfully by the visiting defence. saw him collapse in pain and frustration having over-stretched that same vulnerable hamstring and so off he limped to be replaced by Andy Hammett, a striker, with Mark Evans dropping back into defence and Brian Burke into midfield.

Regrouping meant a few nervous moments but Andy Hammett’s ability to hold the ball up despite pressure from the Neath defenders added a different dimension to the game and the score remained unchanged to the half time break.

Taff’s Well started the second half very positively with the half time pep talk still ringing in the players’ ears.  Player manager, Mark Evans, however, had to be replaced very quickly being another victim of a hamstring strain.  This meant midfielder, Wayne Marks, coming on as a centre back.  The reshuffle did not affect Taff’s Well’s ability to take the game to Neath and a series of slick passing moves saw the visitors probe either side of the Neath defence with only poor delivery of the final pass thwarting the forwards although Neath deserve credit for some stout last ditch defending.

Andy Hammett was determined to make an impact on the game and chased back from the right wing all the way to his own team’s left back position as Neath counter-attacked.  His impact at the other end was of more interest to Taff’s Well followers in the fifty-fifth minute. 

The ball was played up to the striker who used his body to shield the ball from the defender trying to harass him into a mistake.  When the moment was right, timing being crucial, Hammett released the ball at just the right weight of pass to Barrie Gunstone.  Gunstone dipped a shoulder to feint one way and then suddenly turned back the other before slipping a clever pass behind the defence to the onrushing Paul Michael.  The Taff’s Well midfielder arrived at pace bursting between two defenders, shaped to shoot to one side of the goal and then turned the ball with deft precision inside the keeper’s right hand post.

This was fitting reward for Michael’s tireless efforts and as the game wore on, and other players tired, he went from strength to strength showing real leadership qualities for a twenty-one year old both winning the ball and being at the heart of many of Taff’s Well’s best moves.

Neath were not going to give up victory lightly and fought hard against this setback.  The game settled into a series of attack and counter-attack swinging from end to end but neither side seemed able to threaten the opposition’s keeper with Owain Adams, Padraig Burke and Wayne Marks somehow performing the necessary heroics for the visitors.

All of this good work was undone, however, when Rhys Jones, tackling back to retrieve a ball he had been pressurised into giving away was deemed to have fouled his opposite number out on the Taff’s Well right flank.

The defence lined up. Neath sent forward their big men.  The referee blew his whistle.  The kick was not a good one – it was high and curved in a looping parabola behind the Taff’s Well defence.  When it dropped it was met by uncertainty from the visiting defence and flailing desperation from the Neath attackers, one of whom somehow contrived to swing at and misconnect.  With Taff’s Well defenders swivelling to try to see where the ball had travelled in its flight one of the Neath players managed to stick out a foot and the ball drifted in slow motion over the line for the winning goal.

There might have been twenty minutes left and Taff’s Well might have fought back with courage and fluent, flowing football but when you are top of the league you have the confidence to hang on to the lead.

John Keaveney might have made the last fifteen minutes a little more exciting by getting so incensed with a decision by one of the referee’s assistants that he swore at him and was promptly dismissed from the game.  He walked almost the length of the field back to the home dressing room as slowly as he could.  His team-mates roused themselves to resist everything Taff’s Well tried and managed to keep the increasingly desperate attempts of the visitors well away from the home goal for another win in the chase for the championship.

Taff’s Well’s coaching staff can console themselves with the quality of much of the team play, particularly the passing, and with the thought that, despite an almost continuous epidemic of injuries, the squad proved strong enough to outplay potential champions for long periods of this keenly contested game.

Paul Michael edged out injured defenders James Passmore and Owain Adams with a tireless display of box-to-box midfield play to earn the man of the match plaudits for Taff’s Well.

Taff’s Well: Howe; Gittings; Denner; Adams; Passmore; P Burke; Evans; Michael; B Burke; Gunstone; Jones. Subs: Marks; Hammett; Williams. 

Saturday 27 January 2007

Ely Rangers 0 - 1 Taff’s Well

The closing days of January have been full of talk about Welsh football, in both the media and local football circles, with interest centred on the Welsh Assembly Government’s criticisms of the way the game is run in Wales. This has coincided with the announcement of grants to clubs in the Welsh League for developing their facilities.  Ely Rangers have been the main beneficiaries in that money has been granted to them to support their long-term plan for floodlights at the ground.  The club has been engaged in a long-running battle with planners and some local residents over erecting floodlights and they have been forced to go for retractable pylons to meet certain objections. 

The club, under the stewardship of Chairman, Graham Clarke, has developed a real sense of family over the years as recurring names on team sheets running from one generation to the next bears witness.  Links in recent years with junior side, Capitol Trucks Colts, show a forward thinking club determined to foster links with the community in Ely from which the club developed even though it has now moved a few miles in the Barry direction.  These links are already bearing fruit with a very young side by Welsh League standards competing, just, in a tough division.  This season’s priority would appear to be survival but the long-term prospects look very positive.

For once, this winter, when Saturday came it proved to be a beautiful day for football.  Ely Rangers’ pitch, otherwise known as Graham Clarke’s bowling green, looked immaculate even though it may seem about the same size as the turf bowls trundle across on a blissful summer’s evening.  There was nothing trundling or blissful about the fare on offer for the spectators in this match.

Even though former manager, John Boulton, is no longer in charge, ex-Cardiff City stalwart, Wayne Matthews recognises the need to maximise local advantages by utilising the pace and enthusiasm of his young players to maintain a high tempo and restrict visiting teams’ chances of settling to their own rhythm.  They close space very quickly and play passes in behind visitors to turn them.  This meant a helter-skelter opening with frequent physical clashes and plenty of noise from the home crowd in support of the efforts of their young team.  It would be fair to say they might have edged a close first half.

Taff’s Well faced an early set back when defender Jon Seymour was forced to limp out of the action after only eight minutes having twisted his knee in a full-blooded challenge with Spencer Clarke.  Shortly after that, a swift break by Taff’s Well led to a foul on Barrie Gunstone.  He took the kick himself and it appeared well within his range but a spectacular save by young keeper, Ashley Hart, saw him turn the ball wide as it headed for his top left hand corner.  Sion Anstee was well positioned on the line to head clear the resulting corner as it fizzed in to the near post.

Ely went straight down the other end from Hart’s long punt and his opposite number, Jon Howe, was forced to head clear outside his own area flattening Nicky Hooper in the process.

Hart had to make two further good saves in the half, the first from a Rhodri Thomas header, the second from Brian Burke’s clever drift off the back of the home defence to meet Mark Evans’s flighted free kick.

The Taff’s Well player-manager was then booked for a late challenge on Spencer Clarke as Ely stepped up the pressure before half time.  As the referee checked his watch, Rhodri Thomas ended the half with a brilliant tackle inside the penalty area to halt a sweeping Ely Rangers break.  

Taff’s Well started the second half very positively with the goal scorer from the previous game, Callum McKenzie, hitting a clever shot with the outside of his right boot to cause Hart momentary alarm.  Play became cagey for five minutes before Ely stepped up the pressure with a couple of dangerous attacks one of which led to a corner that caused confusion in the Taff’s Well penalty area.

It was apparent that, for all the huff and puff of Ely’s efforts, Jon Howe had little to do other than watch the occasional long shot from Graham Cummings fly high, wide and handsome.  Cummings definitely did not have on his shooting boots despite his tireless efforts in his team’s cause.  One major factor, however, was the dominance of Rhodri Thomas and James Passmore in the centre of the visiting defence.  Passmore has been out for a long spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury but returned to play a stormer.

The classy Barrie Gunstone was not having one of his better days at the apex of the Taff’s Well formation and was getting increasingly frustrated by the close physical attentions of the Ely players whenever he got on the ball. The coaching staff decided to replace him with Andy Hammett after sixty-seven minutes to avoid him getting into trouble with the referee for venting his frustration on the opposition.  Rhys Jones, returning to action for the club he played for last season, made way for Steve Arthur at the same time.

Arthur made the change count in the seventy-second minute.  Showing great awareness, he switched play from right to left setting up a neat interchange between Paul Michael and Brian Burke.  The ball was fed out to the overlapping Callum McKenzie on the edge of the area and Brian Burke turned in his driven cross for an excellent goal.

Someone in the crowd had been heard announcing for anyone interested only a minute before,  “Whoever scores first is going to win this game.”  How right it was.  There was still time for Mark Evans to be flattened by a dangerous challenge from a defender.  James Passmore got up well to head the resulting free kick at goal but Hart made another routine stop.  Jon Howe caused a scare for the visitors when he flapped a hand at a long cross to deflect it away but, for the struggling home side, it was too little too late.

The final whistle saw Taff’s Well victorious and the three points earned moved the club up closer to ENTO Aberaman in the table with a game in hand.  Full credit to Mark Evans and his players for shrugging off continuing injury and availability problems to earn another three points.

For Ely Rangers there were some bright spots: they have a very young side for whom Hart, Osborne and the skilful Nick Hooper show rich promise; however the outstanding Ely player on the day was Matthew Trotman in the engine room of the team and had he not been forced off with an injury, who knows what the outcome might have been?  When you are struggling for points, the game is full of might have beens.  

Taff’s Well: Howe; P Burke; Passmore; Thomas; Seymour; Jones; Evans; McKenzie; Denner; B Burke; Gunstone; Subs: Michael; Hammett; Arthur. 

Saturday 20 January 2007

Newport YMCA 2 - 2 Taff’s Well

This was a game dominated by the wind and, therefore, to use a well-worn cliché, very much “a game of two halves”.  Newport had the gusting wind at their backs in the first half and so Taff’s Well spent most of that first forty-five minutes defending.  The outstanding performer for the home side throughout the game but especially at this time was Lewis Sommers who must be 6’4” tall and, unlike Liverpool’s Peter Crouch, has the physique to match.  Sommers’ game, however, is not only about physical presence – he has a deft touch and enough pace to pose problems for any defender of similar physique.

The YMCA took a deserved lead after only a quarter of an hour of the game when a long ball was caught by the wind and carried in a long, looping parabola to the far post of the Taff’s Well goal.  The visiting defenders were distracted by Sommers’ presence and lured into that fatal trap of ball watching; fast-moving Faris Yafai kept his eye on the ball and sneaked in behind the visiting defenders to hook the ball goal wards and, despite goal keeper Jon Howe stretching a hand to the ball, it trickled over the line to give the YMCA a 1-0 lead.

Taff’s Well simply could not get going as the eager Newport midfielders tore into them and long balls from defence pegged them back repeatedly.

A controversial incident occurred in the 39th minute when, on a rare Taff’s Well breakaway, Barrie Gunstone followed up his own shot, parried by YMCA keeper Gareth Yeoman, to try to force it over the line.  A Newport defender flailed a leg at the ball as he covered his stranded keeper, and in so doing his flailing arm connected with the ball and hooked it out.  Most observers claimed the ball had crossed the line and the Newport supporters feared a red card for the defender.  After consulting his assistant, the referee awarded a penalty and the Newport player escaped a sending off.  Gunstone, who had never missed a penalty before, had the confidence to strike the ball to Yeoman’s left but it was too close and the keeper saved, much to the home fans' relief.

Only minutes later, and from a Taff’s Well throw in, Newport YMCA doubled the lead.  The ball was won by a home defender and delivered to Sommers with his back to goal: he simply helped it behind the static Taff’s Well defence for Faris Yafai to run in and turn his shot past Jon Howe. (42 minutes, 2-0).

Taff’s Well fought back bravely creating several chances and from the best of these, Gunstone’s right foot volley was turned aside by Yeoman with an acrobatic save.    

Taff’s Well came out for the second half with the wind behind them.  Much like the previous game, against Croesyceiliog, the pendulum had swung and the visitors were to go on to dominate the game.

Mark Evans made two immediate changes taking off the unfortunate Steve Arthur and Paul Michael both of whom had struggled to get into the game in the first half as the midfield had been by-passed most of the time, or Newport had been too quick into the tackle to prevent any real momentum.  Callum McKenzie and speed-merchant, Ashley Gittings, were introduced.

In the fiftieth minute, the Taff’s Well team were awarded a free kick for a foul on battling target man, Andy Hammett.  Player manager, Mark Evans, thinking quickly, played a quick low ball into the feet of Barrie Gunstone, he laid the ball off to Wayne Marks who helped it into the path of McKenzie who struck the ball hard and low and with unerring accuracy inside Yeoman’s left hand post to pull back the first goal with an outstanding strike.

Only two minutes passed before Taff’s Well equalised.  Ashley Gittings was fouled on the edge of the penalty area; Yeoman parried Gunstone’s curving free kick but Wayne Marks followed up to score from a few yards out.

Taff’s Well continued to dominate even when the wind dropped towards the end but there was no further addition to the score despite concerted pressure on the home goal and the occasional dangerous foray forward led, usually by the impressive Sommers.  Faris Yafai could have been the home hero when he got free for one last effort but blazed his hat trick chance well over.

Man-of-the-match for Taff’s Well was undoubtedly central defender Rhodri Thomas who made it impossible for dangerman Lewis Sommers to find a chance of his own forcing him to lay the ball off or turn into trouble most of the time.  

Taff’s Well: Howe; P Burke; Evans; Thomas; Seymour; Arthur; Marks; B Burke; Hammett; Gunstone; Michael. Subs: McKenzie; Gittings; Newton.

Saturday 13 January 2007

Croesyceiliog 2 - 2 Taff’s Well  

Croesyceiliog AFC is the sort of club that forms the bedrock of any League: ambitious, full of enthusiasm on the crest of the wave of recent success that has been the reward of years of hard work building up foundations in junior football; keen to improve both on and off the pitch, these are the clubs Welsh football needs to ensure the health of the game in the Principality.

Full credit to Croesyceiliog for ensuring the game at Woodland Park took place at all after the wind and rain that has battered the country day after day but, despite the heavy conditions, both sides gave everything in an end-to-end thriller.  The pitch conditions were inevitably heavy and this suited the more powerful players on show with man-of-the-match Wayne Marks a colossus in midfield for Taff’s Well.

As usual, it was changes in personnel forced upon Mark Evans with eight players unavailable due to suspension or injury.  Jon Howe was back in goal following nearly two months out with a shoulder injury, Steve Arthur was back in the midfield following suspension and the bench saw Andrew Newton promoted following some outstanding performances in the Amateur League side and hoping to make an impact as impressive as Rhodri Thomas, and Gareth Wallwork back from Australia where he was a member of the cricket-supporting “Barmy Army”.

The visitors took an early lead when a fast raid swept up the field; Lee Denner passed the ball out to Barrie Gunstone who had drifted off the right shoulder of his marker out towards the left wing.  Gunstone wears the number ten shirt proudly and showed why with a shrug of the shoulders to give himself an extra yard and then a powerful strike through the ball to shoot at goal; Pat O’Hagan in the Croesyceiliog goal could only wave as it flew past his outstretched right hand into the net.  Seven minutes in and the visitors were able to celebrate taking the lead after nearly a month with no game.

Stung into a response, Croesyceiliog’s number 11, Griff Jones, embarked on a series of dangerous runs forcing Taff’s Well onto the back foot and only luck and some determined defending prevented headers from James Stokes and Chris Watkins scoring.

Having survived the initial storm Taff’s Well attempted to steady things but all hopes of retaining the lead disappeared when a visiting defender pushed one of the home attackers in the penalty area in an attempt to defend a long, looping cross from deep on the right.  The referee had no alternative: penalty.  Chris Watkins struck it with power and confidence past Jon Howe’s dive and into the net.  Twenty-seven minutes had gone and the scores were level.

A period of home dominance followed and only a brilliant covering challenge from Lee Denner prevented a further threat on Howe’s goal.  Taff’s Well continued to hang on despite what the visitors regarded as some bizarre decisions by the officials but it was clear that Croesyceiliog were in the ascendancy as the minutes ticked down to the half time whistle. 

Taff’s Well Manager, Mark Evans, and Coach, Adam Moore had clearly worked their magic in the interval because the visitors came out and began to dominate the second half.  Wayne Marks powered through the midfield hunting the home players down whenever they got the ball and beginning to launch himself on lung bursting surges through the muddy middle of the Woodland Road pitch.

The pendulum had swung and a series of corners should have given Taff’s Well the lead.  From the first, Jon Seymour pulled free of his marker on the far post and his powerful header rebounded from the cross bar until, after a scramble, the ball was forced out for another corner; from the second, Pat O’Hagan had to tip the ball away for another, from the third, Seymour had again pulled wide and the ball curved wickedly onto his head only for him to deflect it wide for a goal kick (53 mins.).

Seymour’s influence on the game took a dramatic turn for the worse only minutes later when he attempted to tidy up a Croesyceiliog through ball under pressure from Griff Jones.  Unfortunately for the Taff’s Well defender, in attempting to turn away from his opponent, he twisted too sharply in the heavy conditions and fell pulling his groin in the process.  Jones seized upon the opportunity and dragged the ball away from the prone defender before advancing and lashing his shot beyond Jon Howe’s dive into the net. Whilst delighted Croesyceiliog players celebrated their 56th minute lead, Seymour was helped from the pitch to be replaced by Gareth Wallwork.

Taff’s Well’s worries increased when one of the other defenders, Rhodri Thomas, required lengthy treatment for a back strain but all was not lost. Wayne Marks, ably assisted by the rampaging runs of Lee Denner and Paul Michael and the determined covering of Steve Arthur, began to drag Taff’s Well back into the game.  With Gunstone in attack to provide the necessary touch of class and Andy Hammett, gradually lasting longer in the exhausting role of target man, chasing lost causes into the corners and making life difficult for defenders trying to come away with the ball, it looked only a matter of when, not if Taff’s Well would score.

It was a pass from Wayne Marks that set up the equalising goal.  A counter attack along the home side’s right flank exposed tiredness in the covering runs and Andy Hammett’s run into space was timed perfectly to enable Marks to pick him out.  Hammett manoeuvred the ball onto his favoured left foot and hit his shot so powerfully that Jamie Edwards’s deflection merely helped the ball past O’Hagan’s despairing dive.  An hour gone and parity had been restored.

Taff’s Well had begun to dominate the game and when Croesyceiliog conceded a free kick some thirty yards from goal, up stepped the lethal Barrie Gunstone whose strike flew back off O’Hagan’s right hand post despite the efforts of the defensive wall.

Mark Evans decided to gamble on fresh legs to try to win the game bringing on pacy Ashley Gittings for Lee Denner and then Andrew Newton for goal scorer, Hammett.

Taff’s Well had the edge but still had to be wary of the home threat on the counter attack: Wayne Marks ran back 40 yards to block an attacker right on the edge of the visiting penalty area; then, a right wing burst from the home side saw the cross fade wide and, finally, a weak clearing header fell to James Stokes more than thirty yards from goal and he hit the ball with tremendous venom only to see it crash away to safety from the Taff’s Well cross bar.

These incidents merely interrupted Taff’s Well’s almost continuous pressure but it was all to no avail as Croesyceiliog held on for a deserved point, even when Gunstone’s corner in stoppage time flashed right across the face of the home goal agonisingly away from everyone.

Taff’s Well: Howe; P Burke; Denner; Thomas; Seymour; Arthur; Marks; B Burke; Hammett; Gunstone; Michael. Subs: Gittings; Newton; Wallwork.

Wednesday 20 December 2006

Bridgend Town 2 - 3 Taff’s Well  

Taff’s Well players and officials arrived for the match blinking and rubbing their eyes in disbelief: surely we had arrived in that mysterious place that materialises out of the mist only once in a hundred years, Brigadoon?  No, the man on the gate reassured us, this was indeed Bridgend on a freezing, foggy December night and, yes, the game was going to be played; referee Kevin Russell had decided.

This was the first of many decisions the referee got right on the night, including sending off Taff’s Well’s Nathan Johnson (though he was more sinned against than sinner leading up to his dismissal).  Mr. Russell may come across as a stray character from “The Bill” but he referees with humour and common sense, which was all both sets of players could ask on the night.  Whilst standing no nonsense, he also communicates with players and was well supported by his assistants in the difficult conditions.

Unlike the film version of “Brigadoon” where director Vincente Minnelli had Gene Kelly, Van Johnson and Cyd Charisse as his leading players, Taff’s Well’s Mark Evans relied on Barry Gunstone, Callum McKenzie and “Sid” Seymour.  For those not sure: Gene Kelly is a man, Cyd Charisse a woman and Van Johnson is not a hire company based in Barry.  Gunstone, McKenzie and “Sid” Seymour are all very much men and key figures in this team.

Mark Evans and his assistant, Adam Moore, had to scratch their heads again on team selection due to absences: the highly promising goal keeper, Chris Golton, made way for experienced Gary Haman; Rhodri Thomas came into the defence for captain, Padraig Burke, who was working.

The referee, Kevin Russell, came out in luminous yellow gloves and directed the ensuing action as if on traffic duty at a busy junction in rush hour. Traffic was mostly one way in the opening quarter as Taff’s Well started strongly against what appeared, on paper, to be a very strong Bridgend side.  As Brian Clough might have said, “Football matches are played on grass, not on paper, young man!” and so Taff’s Well took the game to their hosts with a series of fast-paced attacks with Lee Denner prominent to the extent of nutmegging a Bridgend defender on the left flank before crossing in a move that came to nothing after five minutes.

It was difficult to see the far side of the pitch from the stand so players might have had outstanding games on that flank and we would not have known.  Fortunately, from the middle, referee Russell could see everything and spotted a foul by former Taff’s Well defender, Chris Ashley, and gave a free kick in a threatening position.  Ashley, keen to do well against his former club continued to protest as Callum McKenzie played a quick free kick to Paul Michaels who inter-changed with Lee Denner but the shot was cleared (7 minutes).

This was only a foretaste of what was to come.

Lee Denner, again, burst along the Taff’s Well left flank past three defenders, one after the other, to reach the touchline.  His cross, hit hard into the area, was met at pace (his!) by Wayne Marks who drove the ball into the net.  Twelve minutes gone and a Taff’s Well lead, all we needed to warm us on such a cold night.

Brigadoon, sorry, Bridgend Town, had suffered three or four bad results in a row and came back determined to reverse this trend.  Inexorably, inevitably, the flow of the game began to turn as Bridgend’s Gethin Jones began to win the midfield battle and the conditions influenced matters.

Taff’s Well conceded a free kick on the far side of the pitch, who or what for was impossible to tell through the fog.  When the ball was delivered into the visitors’ penalty area players lunged at it in hope rather than confidence and it was half cleared to the 18 yard line where Shaun Chappell drove it back through the crowd past the unsighted Gary Haman’s right hand and inside the post to equalise (26 minutes).

The ebb and flow of the game became fascinating for the crowd peering through the fog: Wayne Marks forced a save from Bridgend’s Lee Idzi; Idzi then saved an Andy Hammett free kick from just on the “D”; Lee Denner cleared off the line following a Bridgend corner; a Bridgend player, who will not wish to be identified, then shot over unopposed with only Haman to beat (36 minutes).

Defence turned to attack in seconds for Taff’s Well when superb defending in the left back area saw the ball cleared to Andy Hammett who had come deep to help, much to the surprise of his team mates.  He turned on the ball and ran at the heart of the Bridgend defence who parted, if only the mist had, allowing the Taff’s Well number nine the opportunity to size up his options.  He had the presence of mind to pick the best one: give it to Gunstone.  Barrie Gunstone was in his favourite place, bursting into the inside left channel with the opposition defence in disarray, there could be and was only one outcome; shifting the ball from left foot to right to wrong foot Idzi in the Bridgend goal, he shot coolly inside the keeper’s left hand post.  2-1, 39 minutes.

Two minutes later, an in swinging corner to Taff’s Well, Gunstone again, goal again for 3-1.  

Bridgend declared their second half intentions as early as the 47th minute when Andrew Mainwaring, still an imposing figure in attack, rolled the ball across the face of Haman’s goal only for referee, Russell, to blow his whistle for a hand ball by the striker.  Taff’s Well players were struggling to clear the ball any distance and paid the price in the 53rd minute.

A long ball into the Taff’s Well penalty area swirled through the fog luring Haman from his line.  His punch to clear the danger was, unfortunately, mistimed and the ball dropped at the feet of an unidentified Bridgend player who managed to put it over the line to pull the score back to 2-3.  We learned that some of the Bridgend players wore different numbers to those provided on their sheet although the referee had been informed.  It was so foggy it made little difference to spectators half a pitch away.

Nathan Johnson pushed the ball past Chris Ashley who then threw himself into Johnson’s path forcing both to receive prolonged treatment before Ashley was given a yellow card by the referee, flourished by his yellow gloved hand.

With an hour gone, Brian Burke replaced Andy Hammett for Taff’s Well.

Jon “Sid” Seymour then conceded a free kick which, much to the visitors’ relief crashed away off the cross bar. 

Gary Haman then launched a counter attack with his long punt down field taken on the turn by Brian Burke in impressive style before he set up Barrie Gunstone for a shot well saved by Idzi.  This prefaced a series of corners from Taff’s Well, which Bridgend, with Idzi again prominent, somehow survived.  A brilliant burst by Gunstone set up Paul Michaels for a shot but he was foiled.  Moments later a foul gave Gunstone another chance from a free kick but, uncharacteristically, he shot wide.

A Bridgend counter-attack following a Taff’s Well corner allowed Callum McKenzie, just as against Maesteg in the previous game, to show his value to the team by chasing back to tackle an attacker on the edge of his own area with Taff’s Well players outnumbered.  One of Taff’s Well’s outstanding performers on the night in which many played well, McKenzie’s appetite for a tackle and work rate in midfield is exemplary.  His alertness nearly led to another goal when he took a quick free kick just outside the Bridgend penalty box but Gunstone unfortunately shot over the bar.

Nathan Johnson then gave way to his moment of madness when, frustrated at a series of fouls committed on him, he found his legs trapped by Lee Pratt’s tackle and stamped a foot in outrage at the Bridgend man.  The referee brandished his Christmas red card and one of Taff’s Well’s “nice guys” trudged off to the dressing room muttering imprecations.

Seventy-five minutes gone and a man down with Bridgend eager to pull at least one goal back: things were not looking good in the fog.

A heavy challenge on McKenzie saw him require prolonged treatment before he returned to action leaving substitute, Steve Arthur, stripped for action and warmed-up as much as was possible on such a night, thwarted.  He was even more disappointed when Barrie Gunstone was forced off with a groin strain after 87 minutes and Ashley Gittings entered the action to use his electrifying pace on the break.

The game ended at a pitch of intensity with a Bridgend player sent off in the 88th minute and Taff’s Well counter-attacking in search of a clincher. Denner, Seymour, McKenzie and Gunstone were all outstanding at various times in the game but special mention must go to Rhodri Thomas who has struggled to regain fitness and form in the club’s reserve side but made an outstanding return to first team action in the circumstances.

And so Taff’s Well ended 2006 misty-eyed with a deserved victory against opponents who gave everything and who have, so often, proved too strong but on this occasion ended pointless.

As Bridgend (or was it Brigadoon after all?) disappeared into the fog it was not, we hope, for another hundred years but only until next year’s fixture, assuming both teams survive in the First Division.  Who knows what 2007 will hold?

Nadolig Llawen.

Taff’s Well: Haman; Evans; Denner; Thomas; Seymour; Johnson; Marks; McKenzie; Hammett; Gunstone; Michaels. Subs: Gittings; B Burke; Arthur.

Saturday 16 December 2006

Maesteg Park 2 - 1 Taff’s Well  

Taff’s Well’s manager Mark Evans was forced to reshape his team yet again as Christmas work schedules and injuries deprived him of Owain Adams, James Passmore and the hero of the previous game, Wayne Marks.  Also unavailable for selection were Steve Arthur (suspended), goalkeeper, Jon Howe and talismanic winger, Steve Edwards.  Fortunately, Callum McKenzie had trained in the week and newcomer; Ashley Gittings – a pacy winger or striker - were included in the squad.  Also included was promising teenage defender, Gareth Mouncher, whose dual registration had enabled him to play in Cwmbran’s creditable 2-2 draw with Llanelli on Friday night thus restricting him to a substitute’s role for Taff’s Well.

After all the dull, wet and windy weather the country has endured in the last fortnight it was a pleasure to turn up at Maesteg on a cold but still day with the pitch bathed in bright winter sunshine.  The good cheer in the weather did not extend to events on the pitch, however.  Both sides suffered from Scrooge’s “Bah, Humbug” syndrome and bickered their way through a bad-tempered match littered with petty squabbles, sly twists of the rules, late tackles and tit-for-tat vendettas. 

The referee did not feel disposed to indulge anyone reaching for the yellow card early in the game and at regular intervals thereafter as if keen to dispose of all his cards well before Christmas so he could settle back to his turkey safe in the knowledge that both the Royal Mail and the members of the disciplinary committee would have plenty to keep them in business for the foreseeable future. 

The players of both sides acted as if playing on Boxing Day morning: hung over from too much alcohol celebrating Christmas; bad tempered from too little sleep having been disturbed when the children would insist on playing the siren on their Fire engine at six thirty on Christmas morning and then, dozing contentedly in front of “Coronation Street”, being awoken by the impact of those arrows with rubber suckers fired at them from the Robin Hood set bought in a desperate moment of foolishness as they finally recognised it was not possible to get that Nintendo the little darling really wanted at five o’clock on Christmas Eve.

Rushing around as if trying to run off any potential Christmas excess weight or to replace the traditional row with the wife or girlfriend with something far less complicated and puzzling, the players of both sides were keen to follow the example set by Taff’s Well player manager, Mark Evans, cautioned after seven minutes.

Early Taff’s Well pressure failed to yield any reward in the goals for column but saw the free kick count climb inexorably upwards like the mercury measuring the temperature of a winter flu victim.  Taff’s Well failed to secure any reward from a series of corners swung in on the highly capable Maesteg veteran goalie, Gary Wager.  When play switched to the other end, only a decisive intervention from wing back Nathan Johnson tidied up a dangerous cross into the Taff’s Well area with two Maesteg players poised threateningly.

In the 17th minute, Maesteg Park skipper, Paul Evans, joined his namesake from Taff’s Well on the referee’s Christmas card list with a late two-footed lunge on Liam Williams that saw the Taff’s Well striker limp off to take no further part in the match; he was replaced by Brian Burke who went on to have an excellent game.  By this stage, shots from Taff’s Well’s Lee Denner and Paul Michael had both missed the target.

Lee Denner’s probing runs were beginning to trouble Maesteg and only by fouling him in turns and then toughing out the ensuing set piece were the home side able to keep their visitors at bay.  Barrie Gunstone tested Wager with one free kick but the ex-Merthyr star clutched it comfortably to his stomach before launching his forwards on a counter attack.

Maesteg’s recent games had seen them suffer back-to-back defeats but the home side began to settle and threaten Chris Golton in the Taff’s Well goal. Only a brilliant interception by Callum McKenzie prevented a goal when Mark Evans had tripped over chasing Robbie Walters thus presenting him with a two on one opportunity.  McKenzie’s energy, pace and determination combined with astute reading of the situation saw him win the game of bluff by standing up Walters and then intercepting the pass to Walters’s strike partner before clearing.

A corner moments later enabled Chris Golton to show his agility as towering Maesteg defender, Leighton Jones, leaping like a lock for a line-out ball, headed for goal only to see Golton flick the ball from danger on his left hand post.  One for the cameras, Chris!

On 26 minutes, Darren Thomas shot over for Maesteg when it looked easier to score having been set up by a swift break from right to left before the game settled to a spell of stalemate.  Robert Walters, usually the man most likely to score in these encounters, then surged along the inside right channel before cutting back onto his left foot to hit a stunning drive off the Taff’s Well cross bar with Golton still checking his angles.  This ensured a rocky spell for Taff’s Well going into the break as Maesteg stepped up the pressure.

Half Time Score: 0-0.  Taff’s Well leading on cautions 4-1.  There is no pride in that statistic. 

The second half started for Taff’s Well very much as the first had ended: Lee Denner was awarded a yellow card.  5-1 on the card count, still 0-0 on the score.

Andy Hammett tried to give his manager an early present but shot wide from twenty yards.  This plus the effects of the usual half time lambasting encouraged Taff’s Well players to forego the usual hack upfield and cavalry charge for a bout of decent passing on the difficult playing surface.  A close-passing interchange between Michaels, McKenzie and Brian Burke set Andy Hammett up for a volley just wide but the decisive pass in the move had come from Barrie Gunstone doing his creditable impersonation of a youthful Teddy Sheringham.

Maesteg’s number two, Matthew Rae, decided to join the referee’s card list with a push on a Taff’s Well player for no apparent reason unless to wind himself up to a state of frenzy ready for an orgy of parcel unwrapping in a week or so.  Maybe he was jealous of Taff’s Well’s total of bookings?

The ensuing quick free kick intelligently played by Callum McKenzie enabled Brian Burke to round Gary Wager with a deft hip swivel and turn of pace but the wily Maesteg goalie had forced him too wide to do any real damage and the cross was cleared.

Wager then saved a Gunstone drive, not quite hit from the sweet spot by the Taff’s Well number ten, and a threatening five man Taff’s Well move was then frustrated when Lee Denner strayed a fraction offside.

An hour of the match had passed and the game entered a scrappy phase again before the home side began to edge possession and force the visitors back.  With Taff’s Well players characterised as “Kairdiff” city slickers by the home fans, too sly, too streetwise for the pure bred Valleys boys but about to be undone by their own cynical ways, it was instructive to see midfielders McKenzie, from Newtown, and Brian Burke, from just up the road, playing so well in the middle of the pitch.  Chris Golton had to punch clear under pressure and Jon Seymour was performing wonders plugging gaps at the back as Maesteg stepped up the pressure.

Padraig Burke, taking his captain’s role seriously, joined his brother on the referee’s yellow card list for a tackle on Walters on the half way line.  Barrie Gunstone then had the frustration of having the ball taken off his toe as he launched himself into a far post volley with everyone else sucked under the ball to the near post but for himself and the brave last ditch home defender. 

Ashley Gittings then replaced Andy Hammett (75 minutes).  Before he could get into the action, a free kick conceded by Padraig Burke out wide on the Taff’s Well left saw Walters head decisively past Chris Golton with Taff’s Well’s defenders playing statues as the home players ran past them and the assistant referee ignoring their pleas for offside. 

1-0, 83 minutes gone.

The old saying (one of many football clichés): you are never so vulnerable as when you have just scored was then proven.

The Taff’s Well team promptly went straight to the other end and Ashley Gittings marked his debut with a goal getting enough contact on the ball after it had ping-ponged around the area for a spell to force it over the goal line.

1-1 (84 minutes).

Nathan Johnson was then fouled and injured as he burst dangerously between two home players cutting in on goal from the right.  The free kick came to nothing.  Taff’s Well’s hopes of a deserved point then came to nothing: another free kick, another line of statuesque defenders, another Walters’ header, another goal, another Taff’s Well defeat.  It was the 90th minute yet there was still time for Ashley Gittings to get his head to a cross in from the right and flick the ball just over Wager’s bar for the last chance of the game.

Maesteg provide warm hospitality in the clubhouse but on the pitch the only welcome for Taff’s Well was a cold chill, a succession of warm tackles and the icy blast of the referee’s whistle.  Merry Christmas: Bah, Humbug!

Taff’s Well: Golton; Johnson; Denner; Evans; P Burke; Seymour; Michael; McKenzie; Williams; Gunstone; Hammett. Subs: Gittings; Mouncher; B Burke.

Friday 1 December 2006

Taff’s Well 4 - 0 Bryntirion Athletic 

Taff’s Well has a number of reasons for both appreciating and envying Bryntirion: appreciation certainly comes from the warm hospitality extended whenever we have the pleasure of visiting Bryntirion Park, regardless of the result, and that hospitality has often extended to a Taff’s Well victory (as in this season’s earlier fixture); envy extends to the superb facilities the club has worked so hard to put in place and the infrastructure that supports it.  Both clubs have enjoyed the services of a manager with an excellent record in the Welsh League: Phil Clay.  Both clubs have also enjoyed mixed fortunes this season but Bryntirion must have arrived at Taff’s Well confident of victory.  Francis Ford was able to field a well-balanced side and one looking for revenge after being beaten only by a wonder goal from Steve Edwards in the reverse fixture.

Taff’s Well’s rejigged line-up proved slow to settle and Bryntirion dominated the first twenty minutes of the match apart from a couple of corner kicks to the home side.  Manager, Mark Evans, was forced into the desperate measure of selecting himself with midfielders Callum McKenzie, Gareth Wallwork, Steve Edwards and the suspended Steve Arthur all unavailable.

Mark Evans announced his presence with some neat footwork in the middle of a pitch slick from the recent rain and induced early panic in the Bryntirion defence with two expertly delivered corner kicks.  From the second of these, Liam Williams threw himself into a spectacular scissors kick saved by Cronick in the Bryntirion goal.

In the 18th minute, a free kick from the Bryntirion left flank induced a weak clearance from Paul Michael but the chance was fired wide.  Only a minute later, a long range shot from the same flank forced debutant goal keeper, Chris Goulton, into a low save.  His clean handling and text book clutching of the greasy ball into his midriff must have given him confidence as the second replacement in two games for the injured Jon Howe.

With Bryntirion dominating possession a goal seemed on the cards but chances came and went with no visiting player able to hit the target.  The Taff’s Well defence and midfield screen were able to restrict the visitors to long range efforts for the most part.

A rare excursion upfield by Gareth Mouncher earned Taff’s Well a corner but Jon Seymour was unable to keep his shot down and the finish was over the bar.  The confusion the corner kick induced was a warning to Bryntirion.

The visitors fought back forcing Taff’s Well players to concede a series of throws along the right flank with the pressure eventually resulting in a corner leading to Bryntirion shots somehow blocked by desperate defenders throwing themselves at the ball before scrambling it away for another corner.  This time the flag kick was cleared and the danger passed.

On the half hour, Liam Williams was fouled 30 yards from the Bryntirion goal.  Barrie Gunstone tried to place his free kick inside Cronick’s right hand post but the keeper was able to watch it fade wide.  Cronick was called into more serious action to tidy up behind his defence when Liam Williams sprinted onto a Mark Evans through ball behind the visiting defence  Cronick’s quick thinking resulted in a swift Bryntirion counter attack.  The pace was too much for Taff’s Well defender, James Passmore, who was forced to leave the field with a recurrence of his hamstring strain after only 35 minutes of his come back.  Somehow Taff’s Well managed to scramble the ensuing corner away as Wayne Marks came on as substitute and Taff’s Well reorganised in defence.

Taff’s Well players broke along the right flank with Liam Williams and Paul Michael interchanging intelligently before the ball was fed back to their advancing player manager but Evans was only able to shoot high and wide.

In the 39th minute, a weak clearance from Cronick was latched upon by the alert Liam Williams who weaved in and out before setting up Paul Michael for a shot from 10 yards in front of goal but, unfortunately, he shot wide with only Cronick to beat.

Taff’s Well’s defence was at full stretch minutes later when Bryntirion players broke along their left flank.  Mark Evans tripped as he chased an opponent down and this left the player free to cross as another home defender moved out to block.  Chris Goulton in the home goal was unable to intercept the cross so the ever alert Jon Seymour was forced to head over the goal from underneath his own cross bar with an attacker arriving behind him hoping to head in.

The half ended with two more incidents: the first a 35 yard free kick from Barrie Gunstone after a foul on Lee Denner was caught with ease by Cronick; the second was to prove far more significant.

Wayne Marks, who had earlier come on as substitute for Passmore, had struggled to get into the game.  In the stoppage time added on for the substitution Bryntirion’s Ben Bannon was advancing menacingly towards the home goal when Marks intervened.  His tackle was late but more due to mistiming than malicious intent.  It carried the full force of his powerful physique and the Friday night crowd and the whole Bryntirion squad winced.  Bannon required lengthy treatment on the pitch but was able to limp to the touchline before returning to the game.  The blow was far more than physical, however, as it sent a psychological tremor through the whole Bryntirion team that lasted far longer than the half time break for which the referee then blew up. 

Bryntirion had edged the first half and, in boxing parlance, were ahead on points if not on goals.  The second half was to prove an entirely different story.  Taff’s Well came out inspired and Bryntirion withdrew into their collective shells.

On 51 minutes, Lee Denner’s pacy and elusive running induced a foul on the edge of the Bryntirion penalty area.  Gunstone struck the ball better than in his previous attempts and Denner himself deflected the ball with a deft flick of the head past Cronick and onto the bar before the ball was hooked clear.

Owain Adams, continuing his impressive form on his return from long term injury absence, then advanced from his defensive position to drive the ball at goal from long range signalling Taff’s Well’s second half intent.  Nathan Johnson replaced Gareth Mouncher as Mark Evans looked to emphasise Taff’s Well’s attacking intent.

Wayne Marks then won the ball with a superbly timed tackle.  He accelerated down the Taff’s Well right and placed an excellent pass into the path of the advancing Barrie Gunstone: goal, surely?  Gunstone executed a classic drop the shoulder to send Cronick to ground, the goal beckoned, Gunstone paused to pick his spot.  It was just enough to allow a defender to make a last ditch attempt to tackle and the nudge that he gave the ball deflected it into the arms of a grateful Bryntirion keeper.  Amazing!

Would Taff’s Well ever score if the talismanic Gunstone could be thwarted?

The flow of the game was inexorably towards the Bryntirion goal with only the occasional foray in the other direction.

Paul Michaels turned brilliantly in midfield and fed the onrushing Wayne Marks.  He picked his spot inside the post but the keeper saved turning the ball wide for another Taff’s Well corner.  This one was cleared, but not without causing some alarm and the pressure was not over.  Barrie Gunstone crossed and Wayne Marks headed past Cronick, as simple as that.  It had taken 64 minutes to establish the supremacy but now there could only be one winner.

Lee Denner struck a powerful left foot free kick just wide.  Andy Hammett then came off the bench to replace the hard working Liam Williams with 66 minutes gone. 

Taff’s Well forced another corner.  The ball was whipped in at pace by Mark Evans.  Nathan Johnson moved away from goal and his marker and deflected the ball from his forehead with the necessary accuracy to score, the power derived from the strike by player manager Evans.  Taff’s Well players engulfed Johnson to celebrate the goal. With 72 minutes gone the lead had advanced to 2-0 but it might have been twenty for all Bryntirion’s chances of getting back.  They had no answer to the flood of home attacks.

Andy Hammett forced another corner when a defender somehow managed to deflect his snapshot away from goal.  This was followed by a break at pace down the Taff’s Well left led by Barrie Gunstone; the ensuing cross was met at the near post by Andy Hammett, who had lost his marker, but Cronick saved brilliantly this time.

Taff’s Well switched the pressure to the right flank where a series of throws saw the home side make progress before Nathan Johnson escaped the attentions of the Bryntirion defence.  He checked his run, looked up to see Andy Hammett coming towards him and so fed him the pass.  The Taff’s Well striker turned outside and then back in onto his left foot before executing a perfect chip shot into the far corner of the net beyond Cronick’s despairing dive.  The lead was now 3-0 with 78 minutes gone.

A hopeful long ball nearly caught Bryntirion out when Andy Hammett ran onto it before lobbing his shot wide.  His next moment of glory was not long delayed, however.  With Bryntirion having lost their shape as a team, Taff’s Well were able to take advantage of broken play in midfield and a hopeful through ball found Hammett in the clear.  He had simply held his run as Bryntirion’s defenders had begun to move forward and was between defenders and well onside when the ball arrived enabling him to stride forward with confidence and beat the exposed Cronick with a right foot shot for goal number four.  Ninety minutes had elapsed and stoppage time fizzled out with no further goals to heap ignominy on the well-beaten visitors.

After the game the dumbfounded Bryntirion manager, Francis Ford, stayed out on the pitch to reflect upon his side’s capitulation.  His reflections were no doubt focused on what any manager tries to do to sustain his team’s concentration and morale: some managers resort to ranting and raving, some favour changing personnel, others get back to basics on the training field.  Whatever Ford decides, no doubt it will change Bryntirion’s fortunes, he is too wily and experienced as a manager to let one defeat spoil the season.

From the home perspective there were many positives to emerge from a much needed turn around: Mark Evans may have had luck return on a day when everything went well in the end but luck tends to go with teams who are playing well.  The Taff’s Well defence was almost flawless, even when Passmore departed, with Adams and Seymour impeccable and Padraig Burke returning to his early season form enabling debutant goal keeper Goulton a virtually trouble free evening.  The Taff’s Well manager led with his niggling habit of stealing the ball from the opposition and then provided composed distribution not to mention his consistent threat from corner kicks.  All three substitutes were able to benefit from the earlier hard work of their team-mates.  Nathan Johnson’s goal was a worthwhile return for a popular player and Andy Hammett proved yet again that he certainly knows how to find the net.  It is still a mystery that Barrie Gunstone did not score.

The decisive role in the events must go to Wayne Marks who, from his yellow card moment on, enabled Taff’s Well to dominate the middle of the field and whose header gave Taff’s Well a deserved lead they were never likely to lose.  He rampaged through the midfield, in power and stature a man among boys, ably assisted by Paul Michael and Mark Evans, allowing Johnson and Denner the freedom to raid along either flank.

The previous fixture being postponed allowed Mark Evans and his assistant, Adam Moore, extra time to work with the players to try to reverse the tide of defeats.  Maybe they recalled the words of the Liverpool anthem on this wet and windy weekend:

The recent run of defeats has been ended and Taff’s Well’s fortunes have switched from bad to verse!

Taff’s Well: Goulton; P. Burke; Mouncher; Adams; Passmore; Seymour; Michael; Evans; Williams; Gunstone; Denner. Subs: Johnson; Marks; Hammett.

Saturday 18 November 2006 

Goytre United 4 - 2 Taff’s Well 

Injured wing back, Gareth Wallwork summed up the day very neatly from the stand: “There you are, Steve Arthur’s gone from hero to zero!” 

Therein lies the awful truth for Taff’s Well as yet another promising footballing performance is undermined.  Steve Arthur had equalized for Taff’s Well following an incisive pass from a subdued Lee Denner.  Arthur’s positive run inside the full back and decisive shot beyond Goytre’s Chris Curtis’s left hand had brought the visitors back into the game only two minutes after Goytre had taken the lead on the half hour mark. Taff’s Well appeared full of confidence and determination and had begun to match Goytre who had started the game at high tempo where the visitors had been slow to settle.  “King” Arthur had changed all that.

Suddenly, it was a different game.  Goalie, Gary Haman, replacing the injured regular custodian Jon Howe, started a move that in four flowing passes set Callum McKenzie up for a 25 yarder that flew just wide.  It was almost as if Taff’s Well players, by their body language, were saying, “Easy game, this.”  Goytre’s players were beginning to look askance at their bench as if to say, “What do we do?”

The answer, as all good teams know, is simple: keep plugging away, have faith in each other and the system and all will come right, just step up the energy levels.

Driven from midfield by Michael Chaves, Richard Ryan continued to make threatening runs in attack supported by the lurking menace of Luke Bowen, Goytre began to get their game together again.

Enter the referee for his big moment.

Taff’s Well conceded a disputed free kick out wide on the left flank.  The set piece ball was delivered beyond the far post where it fell to a Goytre player who drove it hard at goal only for it to hit a Taff’s Well player as he turned his head away instinctively.  The referee, from the other side of the penalty area, with a view through a crowd of moving bodies, deemed it had hit the arm of the Taff’s Well player and awarded a penalty.  Taff’s Well wing back, Steve Arthur, who was alongside the referee at the time, disputed this using an unfortunate turn of phrase in the heat of the moment, and was promptly dismissed from the field with a straight red card.  He had failed to recognise one simple fact: there is only one referee and it is his view and only his decision that counts, regardless of any other opinion.  Adie Boothroyd, Mark Hughes and Martin Jol of the Premier League all protested this weekend about the same thing and with as much impact on the referee’s decision.

To compound his folly, Arthur made the mistake of using what is euphemistically called, “industrial language” though more properly it should be termed “agricultural Anglo Saxon”.  The referee quite rightly sent him off.

The punishment for Arthur in the longer term is, for him, depressing: a fine and automatic suspension, just when he was back in the starting side and playing with renewed confidence and vigour.

The punishment for Taff’s Well was the firmly struck penalty kick with which Richard Ryan gave Goytre the lead and the fact that the players would be only ten in number for the rest of the game against one of the best teams in the division.

“King” Arthur after 32 minutes would have preferred the Lady of the Lake to row him off into the sunset to Avalon than the long, lonely walk the length of the Goytre pitch to the dressing room he took in the 40th minute. 

Taff’s Well supporters were preparing for the Alamo rather than Avalon as the second half started.  These fears were increased when Wayne Marks was forced off after 50 minutes with a groin injury, replaced by Brian Burke. The signs looked ominous: Goytre’s number 2, Paul Lenihan, rampaged into the Taff’s Well area only to hit the post; Ryan skied over an open goal for a miss Christiano Ronaldo could only just better and the home side were rampant.

On 54 minutes, tiring front runner, Andy Hammett – just back from injury – was replaced by the remarkable Barry Gunstone – returning from a broken leg after only two months.

Taff’s Well had stemmed the tide and began to take the game to Goytre with a series of swift breaks only let down by the final ball.  Paul Michael gave way to Gareth Mouncher in the 65th minute after a high energy performance and Mouncher promptly cleared off the line with the heroic Haman beaten.

Goytre stepped up the pressure as Taff’s Well manager, Mark Evans, urged his players to yet more effort.  The game became stretched and began to surge from end to end.

Good approach play involving Padraig Burke, his brother, Brian, and then Padraig again set up Liam Williams for a twisting, turning run only for his shot to be blocked for a corner.  Lee Denner’s inswinger bounced off the top of the junction of post and cross bar with Curtis panicking for Goytre.

The home side were being restricted to long range efforts by stout defending from Owain Adams and Jon Seymour with the depleted midfield and Callum McKenzie, in particular, seemingly tireless.  That tirelessness proved an illusion in the 80th minute, however.  Andrew Pearson burst through the soft centre of the Taff’s Well defence with a sudden injection of pace and a drop of his shoulder to go past Gary Haman and make it 3-1 to Goytre.  Top contender for man of the match, McKenzie, could only be in one place at a time after all.

Haman then saved brilliantly, low to his left, to deny Ryan yet again but was soon undone once more; a back header from Seymour was intercepted by Pearson and nodded over the advancing Haman for 4-1 (85 minutes).

Callum McKenzie then created a scare for Goytre’s defence when, using quick feet to deceive his marker, he dug out a shot to trouble Curtis.  Play swung immediately to the other end and Gary Haman frustrated Richard Ryan yet again by saving smartly at his feet after the Goytre forward tried to go round him.

The final blow was struck by Taff’s Well, however.  A foul denied the visitors a swift riposte but, despite a four man wall, Barrie Gunstone announced his return with a well-struck free kick, deflected ever so slightly, past Curtis’s left hand for 4-2. 

Time was up but for Taff’s Well hope springs eternal: watch out Dinas Powys, Barrie is back!  

Taff’s Well: Haman; Arthur; Seymour; Adams; P Burke; Denner; Michael; Marks; McKenzie; Williams; Hammett. Subs: B. Burke; Gunstone; Mouncher.

Saturday 11 November 2006

ENTO Aberaman 0 - 1 Taff’s Well 

Shamrock Travel Cup - Round Two 

“To Have and Have Not” was a routine Hollywood thriller of the 1940s starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall; “To be or not to be …” is the opening line of Hamlet’s famous soliloquy: Taff’s Well entered this game as the “Have nots” hoping “To be” with Aberaman, sponsored so generously by ENTO, very much the “Haves” confident that they would ensure that Taff’s Well were “not to be”.  Neil Davies took the Bogart role of grizzled, hard-bitten hero though he ended up with the goal and not the girl and so Taff’s Well’s brief cup run ended on the cutting room floor with manager, Mark Evans, lamenting that, “’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,”. 

Shakespeare’s tragedy is far more significant than Taff’s Well’s cup exit yet the injustice felt by Hamlet is reflected in that felt by the Taff’s Well players: an experimental side played the more fluent football against the current league leaders and belied recent form with an impressive passing game let down by lack of finishing power and one defensive lapse of concentration. 

Taff’s Well started confidently troubling Aberaman keeper, Collins, in the 14^th and 15^th minutes before winning a corner after an exciting left wing break from Lee Denner.  Collins caught the resulting cross and launched the ball down field for Kerry Harding to run into space with only Owain Adams as cover but the Taff’s Well sweeper on the day did enough to force Harding to shoot wide. 

Taff’s Well continued to have the better of the game and excellent approach play involving Nathan Johnson and Steve Edwards set up the rampaging wing back, Gareth Wallwork, for a shot that flew just over the goal (27 minutes). 

Continuing pressure earned Taff’s Well another corner in the 30^th minute that came to nothing but then a tricky run from Steve Edwards, looking more like his old self having been released from defensive responsibilities, set up Lee Denner.  Denner’s right foot pass was cut out but Edwards won it back and hit a right foot curler that Collins plucked from the top right hand corner of his goal at the last second. 

With his confidence restored, Edwards then chased back a good 30 yards to slide in and win the ball from a hesitant Aberaman player only to see his team mates fail to respond and the ball fell again to Aberaman who spoiled the opening with a man well offside. 

Controversy erupted in the 38^th minute.  Owain Adams, having an outstanding game on his return to the first team after a long absence from a broken ankle, won the ball impressively.  He played a pass into space weighted perfectly for Lee Denner to accelerate onto it and withstand an initial challenge before being fouled by the covering defender, yet his pass reached Steve Edwards in on goal.  The referee blew for the foul when a moment’s hesitation would have allowed Edwards a strike at goal.  The advantage was lost as the resulting free kick was cleared.  The referee acted entirely as he saw fit from his interpretation of the situation and we are lucky to have as many effective officials as we do considering some of the treatment they receive on their way up the football ladder.  If only the players made as few errors! 

Taff’s Well’s sense of injustice deepened when, moments later, Aberaman were awarded what, in Taff’s Wells’ supporters’ eyes, was a highly dubious free kick.  A clever, rehearsed move set up a shot that enabled Jon Howe to show his qualities in the Taff’s Well goal with an excellent save. 

The half ended with a flowing Taff’s Well move involving a precise Jon Seymour pass to Gareth Wallwork whose shot was well saved by Collins but who then needed treatment as he caught a cross and, in so doing, collided with the onrushing Wayne Marks who also needed the services of the trainer. 

Taff’s Well continued the second half as positively as the first and good approach play from Lee Denner enabled him to get in a shot that troubled Collins before it was hacked clear by a defender tidying up.  Paul Michaels kept the attack going and enabled Wallwork to smash another shot goalwards saved by Collins at the expense of another corner.  Jon Seymour, attacking Edwards’ dangerous in-swinger just as it says in the coaching manual, got the connection he hoped for but Collins again saved at the expense of a corner.  Edwards’s corner kick was whipped in at pace this time but no player from either side was able to connect and the chance was gone. 

With Paul Michaels, Steve Arthur and Wayne Marks dominating possession in the middle of the field, Taff’s Well’s passing and moving belied the recent run of results and Lee Denner and Gareth Wallwork were able to stride forward with confidence as Owain Adams swept up every danger.  Taff’s Well looked the only winners, despite the odd scare from a subdued Aberaman. 

All this changed in the 65^th minute.  Another, to Taff’s Well eyes, dubious free kick was awarded for a foul on the diminuitive but resilient Kerry Harding.  Taff’s Well’s defenders lined up on the edge of the area in numbers to thwart the attempt but when the free kick was delivered, stood still to allow Neil Davies to run in and head past Jon Howe.  Davies had been outstanding in the League encounter at Taff’s Well and, with pacy danger man Richard Jago more subdued, had come up with the game’s decisive goal. 

Both managers made changes: Taff’s Well brought on two fresh strikers and pacy striker, Nana Baah, replaced Jago for Aberaman.  Paul Michaels might have scored for Taff’s Well when fed by Lee Denner’s excellent pass but his shot fell tamely into the arms of a relieved Collins. 

Further substitutions followed as the respective managers gambled to ensure victory.  Brian Burke ran in on goal for a good chance for Taff’s Well but fell under pressure on the greasy surface and another chance went begging.   

Gareth Mouncher made a good break along the visitors’ left flank, played the pass to Liam Williams who twisted and turned cleverly to elude his marker before crossing but Wallwork was unable to direct his powerful header wide enough of Collins to trouble him.  Steve Arthur then set up Paul Michaels but, again, he was unable to produce a shot to match his awareness of the situation and he shot over. 

The dying embers of the match sparked into cliché-ridden life then when Aberaman substitute, Baah, reacted badly to being chased down and robbed by man-of-the-match, Owain Adams.  Baah’s lunging challenge from behind out by the touchline left Adams in evident distress and he was carried off for prolonged treatment before returning to limp through the final minutes.  The referee took no action with Baah keen to impress on his debut but lucky to escape a caution. 

There was still time for Taff’s Well to develop yet another excellent, flowing attacking move with no end product.  Seymour and Mouncher combined impressively along the left wing for Mouncher to sling over a sweet left foot cross met by Brian Burke’s powerful header but, yet again, Neil Collins produced a save to deny Taff’s Well the final chance of an equalizer.

Taff’s Well’s dreams of cup stardom are over for another year but management duo, Mark Evans and Adam Moore, should take heart from an impressive display of flowing attacking football and once the finishing touches are added, Taff’s Well will return to winning ways.  Injured strikers, Barry Gunstone and Andy Hammett are close to returning to action and those currently misfiring will respond to the threat by, “taking arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them.” 

Taff’s Well: Howe; Wallwork; Seymour; Adams; P Burke; Denner; Michael; Marks; Johnson; Arthur; Edwards; Williams. Subs: B. Burke; Williams; Mouncher.

Saturday 4 November 2006 

Taff’s Well 0 - 0 Grange Harlequins 

Taff’s Well manager, Mark Evans, responded to the defeat away to UWIC by making changes: Callum McKenzie switched to right back, Gareth Mouncher came in at left back for his debut, Lee Denner and Paul Michaels returned to the starting line-up from injury-enforced lay offs and Brian Burke was moved back to a striker role having played wide previously.  Gareth Wallwork was unlucky to find himself on the bench but at least remained in the squad, unlike the injured Andy Hammett or the excluded Lee Street and Haydn Fleming. 

These weren’t the only changes, however, as the team lined up in a 4-4-2 formation after several weeks of experimenting with a variety of systems.

Neither side could complain about the weather as a still, windless day bathed in balmy sunshine offered players of both sides the perfect atmosphere for an entertaining game.  If only they had been able to respond.

It was understandable in the circumstances that Grange Quins struggles this season should see them come with a well-organised defence determined to make life difficult for the home side.  Taff’s Well, despite the changes, looked low on confidence and short of inspiration.  It is greatly to the credit of Eston Chiverton and his young team that they were able to restrict Taff’s Well to very few scoring opportunities and that they were, if anything, the more likely scorers.

The first half passed slowly with few thrills for the small crowd.  A sixth minute corner from Grange Quins flashed across the face of the Taff’s Well goal with players from both sides unable to connect.  A good right wing break led to a cross from Brian Burke that was met by Lee Denner arriving late at the far post but he was unable to keep his header down. 

Both sides struggled hard to win possession of the ball but there was little fluent football despite the best efforts of Paul Michaels to run the game from midfield or Quins’ Nathan White to use his pace and movement to unsettle the home defence. 

An attacking flurry from Quins saw White miss his kick when well placed to score.  Gareth Mouncher then showed neat footwork to keep the ball in when hemmed in tight to the left touchline, he delivered a neat pass to Lee Denner who picked out Paul Michaels advancing at pace to the edge of the visitors’ area but he shot just over (44 minutes). 

The game was heading for stoppage time when two swift Taff’s Well attacks saw, first, Lee Denner fire a shot over and then the same player hit a powerful free kick at goal only for Quins keeper, Alain Fouanguim, produce an excellent tip over the bar.      

The second half produced even less incident than the first as both sides became becalmed by the unseasonal weather and the football deteriorated in quality as the heat induced only petty fouls and frequent stoppages. Chiverton was forced to resort to illegal means to end a pacy Lee Denner run with a foul 30 yards from the Quins’ goal which earned him a 58th minute yellow card.  On the hour mark, Tomos Lubasky shot well wide for the visitors despite being set free by a clever throw-in move. 

This prompted change for Taff’s Well with Brian Burke’s tireless, but on the day, fruitless running being substituted for the extra pace of Nathan Johnson.  This prompted Grange Quins to step up the pressure, however, and Liam Jeremy shot just wide from 25 yards after a dangerous attack along the Quins’ left flank. 

Two further substitutions followed as Omar Abdillahi, who had played for Taff’s Well the previous season, and Gareth Wallwork, came on for the visitors and the home side respectively. 

A superb run from in his own half from Gareth Mouncher past three challenges was ended by, what to Taff’s Well supporters, was a blatant body-check in the area only for the referee to wave away all appeals.  It is now something like 15 months since Taff’s Well were awarded a penalty and it is uncertain who might be the designated penalty taker now Barry Gunstone is out injured.  That remains immaterial, however, as the decision was not given and the chance was lost. 

Steve Arthur came on for Paul Michaels and Nathan Johnson had one excellent run and cross that Lee Denner just failed to connect with before play switched to the Taff’s Well area.  Nathan White escaped the attentions of Padraig Burke forcing Jon Howe into a brilliant double stop on the edge of his area to foil the livewire number nine and so the game petered out into the inevitable draw. 

On the plus side, Paul Michaels made a very positive return to first team action and Gareth Mouncher made an outstanding debut.  Nevertheless, Jon Seymour was the home side’s man of the match with some sterling work in an unsettled defence always threatened by the trickery of Quins’ Nathan White.   

Taff’s Well: Howe; P Burke; Seymour; Mouncher; McKenzie; Marks; Edwards; Michaels; B Burke; Denner; Williams. Subs: Arthur; Johnson; Wallwork.

Saturday 28 October 2006

UWIC 2 - 0 Taff’s Well  

With the portents looking good for a return to winning ways, Taff’s Well’s players arrived keen to put recent poor form behind them with a thumping win over the students.  The hosts, in danger of being cut adrift at the bottom of the table, lost their manager a week ago and have suffered a bad run of results even if those had not reflected their form.  Their warm-up was conducted in a lacklustre way with the players’ body language suggesting that they were not looking forward to facing high-flying visitors on a miserable, wet and windy afternoon.

The opening exchanges reflected the pre-match concerns of both teams: Taff’s Well started threateningly pressurising Jordan Perez in the home goal with a series of raids that forced three corners in the first four minutes.  Rick Hodge, who was to prove a handful throughout, caused the first scare for Taff’s Well after seven minutes when he chipped the ball over his marker and ran in on goal only to hit his shot into the side netting.

This gave UWIC heart and the game began to flow from end to end.  First Andy Hammett set himself up for a good chance for Taff’s Well but Perez saved his effort with ease.  Play went down to the other end forcing Taff’s Well’s Jon Howe to rescue the situation.  Gareth Wallwork, despite playing on the wrong side of the field for him, then set off on one of his trademark runs along the left and into the area only to see his shot blocked and the follow-up attempt cleared.  Nothing would have pleased Wallwork, one of Taff’s Well’s most consistent performers, more than to score the opener against his old college.

Wayne Marks had been spoken to by the referee for an over-robust challenge early in the game but it was a foul on him by student skipper, Tom Morris, that led to the next chance – a free kick struck powerfully by Liam Williams deflected wide for a corner to Taff’s Well.  Nothing came of that 25th minute effort and the visitors had to wait until the 33rd minute before a good shot on the turn from Andy Hammett forced the UWIC keeper into a save.  A minute later, Jon Seymour hit a powerful shot that flew just over and then Steve Edwards embarked on a trademark dribble into the UWIC area before shooting just over.

At the other end, a poor clearance from Haydn Fleming let in UWIC’s Ross Plane but he too missed the target.  The half ended with a speculative chip from Liam Williams that nearly caught out Perez and caused UWIC supporters’ hearts to flutter but they had survived with their goal intact and against the gale blowing end to end. 

The second half saw Taff’s Well embark on a series of early attacks that suggested a goal would not be far away.  A positive injection of pace from Steve Edwards followed by a clever 1-2 with Brian Burke enabled Edwards to set up Liam Williams for a shot that flew just over.  This set the pattern for Taff’s Well for the half with the wind affecting the run of the ball and tending to lift it into the air at the slightest bobble.  Another Steve Edwards run, a pass to Brian Burke, a dip of the shoulder and a set-up ball in to the onrushing Wayne Marks led to an open goal.  Marks adjusted his run to meet the ball, it sat up crucially at the last moment and he sliced his attempt into the grateful arms of home keeper, Perez.

UWIC’s players were hanging on and it seemed only a question of time when the floodgates would open and a deluge of Taff’s Well goals would follow.

Padraig Burke played in a well-placed free kick that was cushioned skilfully by Liam Williams who then half-volleyed over the bar.  Wayne Marks then flicked a header over the UWIC defence, from Jon Howe’s long clearance, for Brian Burke to outpace the cover to sky his attempt high and wide with only the keeper between him and an open goal.  He then embarked on a brilliant run from the right, past three ineffectual challenges, before forcing Perez into a good low save.

The Taff’s Well followers were beginning to wonder what it would take to score a goal when UWIC provided the answer.

Perhaps Taff’s Well’s defenders had become complacent with the flow of the game predominantly in their favour but, whatever it was, they stood off too far and allowed hard-working front runner Jon Howells too much room and he was able to slot a hard, low shot past Jon Howe to give the students the lead on 56 minutes.

This was just the tonic they needed and the lift in the students’ spirits was obvious. 

Taff’s Well responded well to this setback inspired, first of all, by a trademark Gareth Wallwork run only defended at the expense of a corner. This led to a flurry of activity in the UWIC goalmouth but still no Taff’s Well goal.  Pressure mounted and in the 68th minute, Brian Burke set up Andy Hammett for a left foot shot comfortably saved by Perez who was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers.

Mark Evans decided to try to change things by throwing on Paul Michaels, returning from a long injury lay-off, and the experienced Lee Street.

This bold move nearly paid dividends when pressure along the Taff’s Well left wing set up Andy Hammett for another chance but his low left foot shot flashed across the face of the UWIC goal (72 minutes).  This was soon followed by a flurry of three good chances in a hectic goalmouth melee all of which failed to hit the target.

UWIC were beginning to believe that luck had turned their way.  This was confirmed in the 82nd minute.  Good luck is always helped by good play and a hopeful run by UWIC’s Rick Hodge out to the left wing saw him execute a clever turn to throw his marker off track; he steadied himself before crossing hard and low across the Taff’s Well penalty area for substitute Huw Neil to arrive at pace between two statuesque Taff’s Well defenders and hit his shot past Jon Howe.

The visitors had no option but to gamble further on attack to try to pull something back from the unfolding debacle.

Wayne Marks had endured a difficult spell where the game had by-passed him for twenty minutes but now he began to impose his presence on the midfield as he had done in the first half.  First of all, he joined a brilliant three-man passing move down the Taff’s Well right flank by switching play with both vision and accuracy.  Callum McKenzie was the beneficiary arriving unheralded at the far side of the area but was unable to keep his half volley down enough to score.  The same combination, Marks’ through ball, McKenzie’s run and shot, once more threatened to pull a goal back but this time Perez saves with his feet.

Throwing bodies forward in cavalier fashion to pull back a goal inevitably exposed Taff’s Well to the counter-attack and Jon Howe was rescued by a brave last-ditch clearance off the line from Jon Seymour in the 88th minute.

UWIC then resorted to time-wasting tactics to “run the clock down” for the last few minutes mimicking the professional game, but who could blame them?  They had secured a much-needed victory against a Taff’s Well side who only seem able to perform against teams near the top and they have left Taff’s Well’s manager, Mark Evans, with some hard thinking to do before the next fixture.  

Taff’s Well: Howe; P. Burke; Seymour; Fleming; Wallwork; Marks; Edwards; McKenzie; B.Burke; Hammett; Williams. Subs: Michaels; Street; Arthur.

Friday 20 October 2006 

Taff’s Well 1 - 3 ENTO Aberaman  

Taff’s Well entertained a good crowd for the visit of ENTO Aberaman on Friday night but the evening did not go the way the home fans hoped. 

Both sets of players were slow to get into their stride and plenty of aimless and inaccurate long passes from either end failed to find their intended targets.  The ball spent too long in touch or being tussled for in messy challenges often culminating in a minor foul.  Nathan Johnson, doing what forwards do least well, trying to win the ball back, was warned by the referee for an untidy tackle after only two minutes and then four minutes later became the first player to enter the referee’s notebook for an innocuous challenge. 

Half chances came and went at either end in the first twenty minutes with neither side really looking like scoring and it took Taff’s Well until the 36th minute before Andy Hammett gave the home side the lead.  The goal was typical of the game: a surging run from Gareth Wallwork into space on the right flank, a defence-splitting miscue that squirted past several attempted interventions before Hammett miskicked his shot into the bottom left corner of the net. 

Aberaman threw players forward in an effort to get an equalizer before half time but also left themselves looking more vulnerable to the counter-attack yet, for all the end-to-end flow of the game, the score remained unchanged at the break.  

Pictured (left) Steve Arthur challenging for the ball, and (right) Liam Williams contesting a header.

(Photos courtesy of www.imagevision.co.uk)

The second half began with a reorganisation for Taff’s Well as Callum McKenzie replaced Nathan Johnson, still fighting his tight hamstrings, and the reshuffle saw manager, Mark Evans, try a reshuffled 3-5-2 from the previously unproductive 4-4-2 formation. 

The game was only in the 48th minute when Taff’s Well’s longest-serving player, James Passmore, chased a through ball at full throttle only to stop suddenly with a pulled hamstring, thus ending his involvement in the game.  This was a pity as he had been the dominant defender for Taff’s Well winning every header he went for.  Wayne Marks came on as substitute necessitating a further reorganisation with Gareth Wallwork pulled into the back three from his previously threatening attacking wing back role. 

Brian Burke threatened for the home side with an exciting run past two defenders but the chance was missed as the ball bobbled up and he thrashed it over the bar. 

Aberaman had started to look more threatening and Jon Seymour was forced to put the ball out for a corner.  From the ensuing ball in, good defensive work from Steve Arthurs saw him chest the ball off the line as he covered the near post for another corner.  A third followed, cleared to the wing but, with Taff’s Well slow to get out, the resultant ball in was headed home by Richard Jago for Aberaman to equalize. 

With 58 minutes gone the visitors’ collective tails were up so Mark Evans made his final gamble bringing on Liam Williams for the tiring goal scorer of the first half, Andy Hammett. 

On 64 minutes, Brian Burke missed another difficult chance when he pulled away on the far post to meet a long cross and just fire his shot over. Aberaman then broke upfield and when the cross came over, Richard Jago arriving at pace met the cross for a free header past Jon Howe but Padraig Burke cleared the ball with an acrobatic aerial volley having raced back to cover. 

The respite was only brief, however, as yet another Aberaman attack resulted in a clumsy challenge by the unfortunate Wayne Marks to give way a clear and uncontested penalty.  Jago scored with an emphatic drive into the roof of the net with Wayne Marks feeling more like Groucho Marx.  This 75th minute lead was extended in the 81st minute. 

Taff’s Well conceded a free kick out wide on the Aberaman right wing.  The defence lined up expertly with much pointing of fingers and shuffling of position.  The ball was bent in behind the defenders, now playing statues, and Aberaman’s centre forward finished with ease to make it 3-1 to the visitors. 

Taff’s Well piled on the pressure to try to pull a goal back but were restricted to long range efforts dealt with comfortably by the Aberaman keeper, apart from one Liam Williams pile-driver which bounced out off his chest with not a single home player following up. 

The result was probably about right considering the lack-lustre performance from the home side but Aberaman’s second half showing obscured their own lack of quality in a disappointing first half.  For management duo Mark Evans and Adam Moore, it is back to the drawing board in midweek training with passing the ball to a team mate high on the agenda.  Perhaps the return to a Saturday fixture next week away to the students of UWIC will see a return to form.    

Taff’s Well: Howe; P Burke; Seymour; Passmore; Wallwork; Arthurs; Edwards; Street; B Burke; Hammett; Johnson. Subs: Williams; McKenzie; Marks.

Saturday 14 October 2006

Pontardawe Town 1 - 2 Taff’s Well

This match proved to be a close encounter of the end-to-end kind as Taff’s Well overcame spirited resistance from a young but hard-working Pontardawe team.

Both sides started by closing down opposition players whenever they gained possession and the opening was characterised by lots of huff and puff but little cohesive football. 

In the sixth minute, a slick right wing break involving Gareth Wallwork and Steve Edwards released forward Nathan Johnson who cut in onto his left foot forcing Pontardawe keeper, Mark Snell into a comfortable save.

Play switched from end to end with neither side able to establish discernible superiority, though Taff’s Well tested Snell’s goalkeeping skills more than Pontardawe were able to test Jon Howe.  In the 12th minute, Snell was forced to punch away a dangerous free kick from Callum McKenzie and then the busy Taff’s Well midfielder managed to get his head to the ball and force it over the line after Snell had been buffeted rising to reach a long cross under pressure from several players.  Not surprisingly, the effort was disallowed as Snell fell over his own goal line.

Two minutes later, on 21 minutes, Lee Denner made one of the trademark left wing breaks that earned him a move to Carmarthen Town recently. Accelerating past his opponent he was unable to keep his shot down and it flew over Snell’s goal.

With James Passmore and Jon Seymour starting solidly, Pontardawe were unable to turn their attacks into shots and before long Denner was seen bursting forward into space on the left flank.  This time, with bodies queuing up to score on the far post, Nathan Johnson was crowded out by Pontardawe’s defence, but only at the expense of a corner.

The corner was initially cleared but Andy Hammett read the situation and reacted swiftest to claim possession and drill the ball past the keeper to give Taff’s Well the lead on the half hour mark.

This resulted in a period of superiority for the visitors with Nathan Johnson again going close and Lee Denner appealing in vain for a penalty after being felled in the box.  The game began to deteriorate then as a series of niggling fouls broke up the flow.

The half ended with Taff’s Well threatening to extend the lead as Lee Street followed up a dangerous run from Steve Edwards cutting in from the right only to see his shot blocked by a brave defender throwing himself in the trajectory of Street’s powerful drive.

The second half opened with Taff’s Well emerging too relaxed after the break and Pontardawe began their most dangerous period of the game.  Richard Cleverley was beginning to look a real threat as he prompted the home attacks.  A combination of increased tempo from Pontardawe and half time-induced lethargy from the visitors meant that the flow of the game had turned in Pontardawe’s favour.

In an attempt to force his team forward, Taff’s Well captain, Padraig Burke tidied up an abortive Pontardawe raid and his team mates poured forward in anticipation.  Unfortunately for Burke, he then trod on the ball leaving it behind him for Pontardawe to seize the opportunity against the wrong-footed visitors who burst down the exposed right flank and when the cross came in, Darren Griffiths was able to side foot his finish past Jon Howe to equalise.

This 54th minute reversal was nearly doubled to Taff’s Well’s disadvantage when, shortly afterwards, slick first time passing down the left flank enabled Pontardawe to create a chance for Cleverley, but he fired his shot over.

The home side had begun to play with renewed confidence.  Strong defending from Steve Cox and Steve Williams ensured that the visitors found it hard to create clear-cut chances and Nathan Johnson, Andy Hammett and Steve Edwards all threatened without really troubling Snell.

Just after the hour mark, Pontardawe manager, Rees, pulled off the tiring front man, Dale Gardner and sent on Jamie Rickard.  Mark Evans retaliated with a double switch replacing Hammett and Edwards with Liam Williams and Brian Burke.  Burke was sent flying down the right flank by an accurate pass from his brother, Padraig, only for home defender O’Brien to clear the danger at the expense of a throw.

Play switched to the other flank where yet another throw released Lee Denner into space.  Swerving outside and then back in to wrong-foot the home defence, Denner crossed hard and low for Brian Burke to arrive at pace and side foot into the roof of the Pontardawe net to restore the lead to Taff’s Well in the 66th minute.

Play swung from end to end as Pontardawe tried their frantic best to regain parity and Taff’s Well sprung counter attacks in response.  Nathan Johnson’s enthusiasm earned him a chance saved by Snell for a corner.

Pontardawe then threw on Chris Gardner for Steve Williams as a final gamble but the more threatening attacks were now coming from Taff’s Well as Denner created a half chance for Liam Williams (82 minutes) saved by Snell; Nathan Johnson then flicked on a free kick for Williams to run in on goal and score only to be given off-side.  Johnson, who had given everything in his front-running role then made way for Steve Arthur who was promptly flattened with a blow to the head only resuming after prolonged treatment.

There was just time for Liam Williams to turn and fire in yet another testing shot that went just wide before referee, Paul Walters blew for time.

Outstanding performances from Callum McKenzie in midfield and James Passmore in defence helped Taff’s Well to victory, the visitors always just having the edge in experience over a youthful Pontardawe side. 

Taff’s Well: Howe; P Burke; Seymour; Passmore; Wallwork; Denner; Edwards; Street; McKenzie; Hammett; Johnson. Subs: Williams; B Burke; Arthurs.

Friday 6 October 2006 

Taff’s Well 2 - 3 Pontypridd Town  

A wet and windy Friday night proved too stormy for Taff’s Well as the home side were eventually blown away by two goals from the ironically named Chris Summers. 

Taff’s Well battled gamely against the visitors from just up the A470 but the extra class belonged to Pontypridd throughout.  It is not for nothing that Leighton Samuel and Clayton Jones are enabling manager Ryan Nicholls to acquire some top class players at this level.  Pontypridd are an ambitious club and on this showing may well have the necessary quality to earn promotion. 

Taff’s Well were forced to shuffle the starting line-up yet again with Callum McKenzie unavailable from the midfield and striker, Liam Williams, who has returned to goal scoring form away. 

An even opening saw both sides develop threatening attacks with no immediate reward; that is until Taff’s Well won a corner in the 12th minute.  Steve Edwards, hero of the previous week’s away victory curled an inswinger into the Pontypridd area where it was met by a powerful header from Steve Loverso into the roof of the “Ponty” net.  A 1-0 lead to the home side was greeted with dismay by the sizeable vocal support “Ponty” had brought with them. 

The visitors stated their intent with a swift response, James Ryan shooting just wide.  Tackles began to fly in as Taff’s Well resisted and the visitors stepped up the tempo.  Both benches were warned by the referee to temper their comments as the local derby spirit took over from more measured reactions. 

Jon Seymour eased the pressure on Taff’s Well with a well-placed clearance to Andy Hammett who broke down the left flank before cutting in and trying his luck with a 25 yarder straight into keeper Mark Poole’s midriff.  The flow of the game was beginning to change just as the direction of the gusting wind and driving rain strengthened and eased.  Concerted play was beginning to flow towards the Taff’s Well goal with former home captain, Geza Hajgato, pulling the strings and Geraint Frowen and another ex-Taff’s Well player, Daniel Hooper, seeing more of the ball on the flanks. 

Hooper nearly pulled his side level when his marker, Steve Edwards, under pressure conceded a corner.  A misdirected clearing header from Steve Loverso fell nicely for Hooper’s dangerous left boot but, fortunately for the home side the effort from 20 yards flew just wide. 

Hooper again caused consternation in the home ranks when he raced into space along the left flank, skipped past James Passmore’s ineffectual challenge, and crossed to the far post where one of his team-mates made a hash of his acrobatic attempt at a shot. 

Taff’s Well responded with a well-crafted attack featuring excellent approach play from Wayne Marks, Lee Street and Brian Burke enabling Andy Hammett to force Poole into another excellent save.  The resulting corner was cleared but only at the expense of another as Taff’s Well enjoyed the team’s best spell of the half.  Another surge downfield along the right flank enabled Steve Loverso to switch play to overlapping defender, Gareth Wallwork, who shot wide.  The first half hour passed with a warning header wide from a “Ponty” player after a well-directed free kick from the visitors’ left flank. 

This warning was brought to fruition minutes later when a pacy attack split Taff’s Well apart.  The ball was swept wide to the left and home keeper, Jon Howe was lured from his goal towards the right hand edge of his area but too late.  The cross was swept beyond him to the onrushing Ryan Jenkins who got to the ball to force it over the line before the desperate home defenders could race back to intervene. 

The “Ponty” supporters were ecstatic. 

They should have been even more ecstatic moments later when a dynamic burst from Geza Hajgato carried him and the ball deep into Taff’s Well territory from well inside his own half.  Curving his run out to the left wing, he surged past a desperate lunge from a home defender to put his cross perfectly into the path of one of his strikers.  The guilty party slid in and pushed the ball wide of an open goal with the “Ponty” supporters howling in anguish.

Taff’s Well’s players gathered themselves for a last onslaught down the slope before the break.   

A right wing attack was switched to the Taff’s Well left where Gareth Wallwork arrived at pace but his shot was turned wide for a corner cleared by the visiting defence. 

Some slack play in stoppage time proved Ponty’s undoing.  The ball was intercepted from the visitors’ throw and Andy Hammett tried a speculative shot from the inside left position.  There seemed to be no problem but a combination of the greasy conditions and poor body positioning by the “Ponty” keeper, Poole, allowed the ball to squirm from his grasp and spin over the line to give Taff’s Well a half time lead. 

The second half started brilliantly for Pontypridd and disastrously for Taff’s Well with an almost immediate equaliser.  Perhaps the home players were still mulling over the parting words of manager, Mark Evans.  Perhaps it was the change necessary due to injury, Lee Denner replacing Gareth Wallwork.  Regardless of the reason, there was no excuse for conceding so quickly.  A high cross from the Pontypridd left wing, hung up perfectly by Daniel Hooper, allowed Chris Summers to do what he is paid to: elude casual marking to head comprehensively past a rooted Jon Howe. 

Buoyed by the equaliser and attacking down the slope, Pontypridd began to control the game when in possession of the ball.  Taff’s Well’s players had their own share of the game but never quite managed the composure of the visitors.  Jon Seymour, who by his own admission had a disappointing game, swung in a dangerous free kick that forced Pontypridd to concede a corner from which James Passmore should have scored but Poole was able to save Passmore’s firm header.  A strong burst from Steve Loverso produced a comfortable catch from Poole minutes later though Andy Hammett made him produce a more acrobatic response in the 52nd minute.

Taff’s Well replaced a tiring Lee Street with the fresh legs and strong running of Steve Arthurs in the 64th minute.  Shortly afterwards, Steve Loverso was pulled back by a “Ponty” defender, for which he was rightly yellow-carded, allowing the Taff’s Well striker to chip in a 30 yard free kick in an attempt to surprise Pontypridd.  Taff’s Well’s American had about as much luck as his compatriot’s Ryder Cup team. 

A period of scrappy play followed but then Taff’s Well began to assert some sort of attacking control without any real threat or fluency. 

All this ended when Pontypridd produced a move of real quality.  Pontypridd played a long, hopeful ball out of defence.  It fell into the path of Chris Summers who put it out to the other side of the Taff’s Well penalty area where Geza Hajgato volleyed it deftly back over the home defenders for Summers to stride into the space and pick his spot beyond Jon Howe for a worthy 78th minute winner. 

Nathan Johnson came on up front for Taff’s Well to inject some pace into the home side’s efforts to get an equalizer.  He was able to lead a number of attacks without threatening a goal and Pontypridd continued to look more likely on the break, Hughes and Hajgato both coming close before the final whistle. 

Pontypridd proved worthy winners on the day with the home players agreeing that they had stood off too far and therefore failed to pressure the ball or make enough telling tackles.  Danny Street for “Ponty” emerged the winner in the family battle against Taff’s Well’s Lee. 

Taff’s Well’s next game is against Pontardawe (away) next Saturday.

The Taff’s Well Over 40 Veterans kick off in this season’s Umbro Veterans competition with a home game against Cardiff Academicals on Sunday 29th October, kick off will be 2.00 p.m. 

Both the Over 40s and the Over 45 Super Vets are looking for friendlies, either floodlit games in midweek or on Sundays, competitive fixtures permitting.      

Taff’s Well: Howe; P Burke; Seymour; Passmore; Wallwork; Marks; Edwards; Street; Hammett; B Burke; Loverso. Subs: Arthurs; Johnson; Denner.

Saturday 30 September 2006

Bryntirion 1 - 2 Taff’s Well  

Goals, again, rather than performances, have been at the heart of Taff’s Well’s fortunes and in a tense game dominated by some mystifying refereeing, Bryntirion were eventually overcome by a contender for goal of the season.

Taff’s Well had shown too much respect for the unbeaten League leaders, Neath in the previous game so Taff’s Well’s management duo, Mark Evans and Adam Moore, made sure the visitors got off to a positive start.

With Gareth Wallwork unavailable and Steve Arthurs dropped to the bench, Wayne Marks was included to add some physical presence to the midfield for a tough away game and Liam Williams, scorer of last week’s match winning goals, was included in the starting line-up.

It was Williams who stunned Bryntirion with his first real intervention of the match.  Taff’s Well’s first attacking move of any note saw a well-constructed bout of passing around the edge of the home penalty area.  Williams received the ball under pressure from a home defender but held him off long enough to reveal one of the strengths of his game: his awareness. Registering the presence of his strike partner, Andy Hammett, in close attendance, Williams played a clever pass inside the Bryntirion defence for Hammett to control the ball and side-foot a very composed finish past Cronick to open the scoring with only nine minutes elapsed.

Taff’s Well did not seem to draw strength from this, however, and were fortunate after 13 minutes when disarray in defence saw Bryntirion threaten an equaliser but Jon Howe saved twice to rescue the situation and then concede a corner.  Bryntirion’s captain, Ceri Thomas, then shot wide.

The game deteriorated into a series of minor skirmishes as both sides tried to assert their supremacy and the referee set himself a precedent with a series of yellow cards as first one side, then the other transgressed.  This would eventually culminate in a sending off in the second half.

Steve Edwards came close for Taff’s Well on 18 minutes but the more threatening openings were being created at the other end.  Ian Gearie’s pace and the steadying influence of the experienced Darren Bodenham were beginning to give the home side hope of an equaliser.  Taff’s Well looked shaky as a series of crosses flashed across the face of Howe’s goal and it was a mystery how it remained intact for so long.  This was especially true when a left wing cross was headed against the underside of the bar.   Either one of the home strikers, Lanyon or Cuss, was responsible; in the chaos it was hard to tell.  The ball was hooked clear and the game resembled pinball for a long minute and a half as shots were blocked and fired back in with no reward for the home side.

Taff’s Well steadied and ended the half with several effective attacks without reward, Andy Hammett slipping at the crucial moment when in on goal and Wayne Marks shooting just wide. 

The second half opened promisingly for Bryntirion with Lanyon shooting just wide when clear on goal followed swiftly by the equaliser. 

A free kick out wide was cleared at full stretch by the Taff’s Well defence but when it was fired back in from the right flank it fell to a Bryntirion player who scored with a well-placed half volley through a crowded penalty area with Howe unsighted until too late.

Such was Bryntirion’s dominance at this stage that Taff’s Well needed to change and Mark Evans again made bold substitutions bringing on two fresh strikers for Hammett and midfielder, Street.  The balance shifted and Taff’s Well began to create chances with Steve Loverso twice, Nathan Johnson and Liam Williams all going close.  Bryntirion managed a 65th minute break upfield from which Scott Lanyon should have scored before the pressure went back on the home goal.  Two more chances went begging for the visitors before they earned a corner.  The ball was cleared to Jon Seymour who was then fouled from behind by Lanyon who was dismissed by the referee for a second bookable offence.  Taff’s Well exerted more pressure with little reward, despite the extra man and Bryntirion defended bravely, relying on swift counterattacks with Gearie again prominent.

All this was brought to nothing with the defining moment of the game.

Steve Edwards, the Taff’s Well number seven, latched onto the ball on the defensive edge of the centre circle.  It was the 92nd minute.  He dropped his shoulder to go past the first man, then a second, then a third.  The opposition defenders were uncertain whether to back off or challenge but by now he had picked up pace and made their minds up for them skipping past yet another challenge before hitting an unstoppable drive past the flailing right hand of Cronick in the home goal from all of 25 yards.  He was engulfed by delighted team-mates.

Bryntirion managed a late lacklustre rally but the last two minutes passed with no further score to see the visitors depart with a hard-earned victory and memories of the goal of the season.

The hospitality of Bryntirion did not end with the winning goal, however, and the visitors were able to celebrate in the well-appointed home club house where the helpful and pleasant staff and the excellent food made the end to the day a total delight..

Taff’s Well: Jon Howe; Padraig Burke; Jon Seymour; James Passmore; Wayne Marks; Callum McKenzie; Steve Edwards; Lee Street; Andy Hammett; Brian Burke; Liam Williams. Subs: Steve Arthurs; Nathan Johnson; Steve Loverso.

Under 21 Football

Taff’s Well Football Club feel very disappointed at the decision not to run an Under 21 Welsh Premier League this season having established a squad of players and a management team.  As a result, the club would be delighted should any other club be able to offer the side friendly fixtures, either home or away.

Please contact the club secretary, Mrs Norma Samuel, should your club be interested.

Saturday 23 September 2006

Taff’s Well 3 -1 Neath Athletic

Goals, rather than performances, have been at the heart of Taff’s Well’s mixed start to the season: dominating attacking play comes to nothing if chances are not converted and eventually misses are paid for when goals are conceded at the other end.

Neath’s start to the season has seen them top the Division One table with five victories and one draw in an unbeaten opening run.  Scoring 17 goals and only conceding three represents putting down a challenge other teams have struggled to meet.  The resources at Neath’s disposal, whether it is the superb facilities they boast for home fixtures or a strong blend of youth and experience both on the pitch and behind the scenes, make them a formidable outfit worthy of the utmost respect at this level of football.

The way the game started, it appeared that Taff’s Well had too much respect for the unbeaten League leaders.  The first frantic ten minutes was dominated by Neath as the home side stood off their opponents and allowed them to settle into a series of fast-moving attacks sweeping from side to side of the pitch and threatening the Taff’s Well goal.  The pressure began to tell and, though the referee might be thought to be over-zealous, he was forced to yellow-card two Taff’s Well players as they chased in on Neath goalkeeper, Huw Liddell, in separate incidents the second leaving him requiring treatment.  He proved to be little more than winded, however, as Neath continued to trouble Taff’s Well.

John Howe, in the Taff’s Well goal, was left exposed by his defence in the 15th minute when Carl Shaw was released into space in the inside left channel.  Fortunately for the home side, Howe was off his line to close Shaw down and the Neath number 11 shot tamely into Howe’s hands.

This proved but a brief respite and in the 18th minute Taff’s Well were undone by a long throw from the Neath left flank.  Clever movement and naïve defending saw the home defenders sucked in under the throw leaving John Keaveny free to drive his shot inside Howe’s right hand post.  The forward finished with all the assured self-confidence to be expected of an ex-Swansea City player.

This heralded the turning point of the match.  Neath broke upfield almost immediately after the kick-off with John Keaveny, again, the source of danger as he broke down Neath’s right flank and crossed invitingly across the face of the goal with none of his teammates able to convert.  The attack did not end there, however, as attempts from several players forced John Howe into two superb reaction saves from close range and, whilst still getting to his feet from each of them, defenders cleared off the line in an incredibly chaotic flurry of shots.

Surviving this onslaught seemed to give Taff’s Well heart.  From simply hanging on, the home players realised that they had nothing to lose and should show less respect for the League leaders.  Typified by Lee Street exhorting his midfield colleagues to start winning some challenges and the tireless running of Hammett and Brian Burke in attack, Taff’s Well players began to realise that the manager’s tactics of putting the ball in the channels to ease the pressure forced Neath’s defenders to turn and cease looking like world-beaters.  Suddenly, they too looked vulnerable.

On 21 minutes, Andy Hammett was only able to force Liddell into a comfortable save but it was a chance.  Hammett then turned and set up a chance for strike-partner, Brian Burke, which somehow slipped away.  On 27 minutes, Steve Edwards fired over but Taff’s Well had begun to play with the same free-flowing attacking panache that had so troubled Bridgend without the goals to reward the dominance.

This was another day, however, and the goal Taff’s Well deserved duly arrived.

Gareth Wallwork was the creator and inspiration.  Lucky to stay on the field after his earlier yellow card and then a late lunge on a Neath forward, Wallwork redeemed himself with one of his trademark surges along the flank.  It was a gamble.  So often is the ball fired along the channel for the Taff’s Well wing-backs.  So often does it come to nothing; yet, undaunted, Wallwork and Edwards, repeatedly suck in their breaths and repeat fruitless charge after fruitless charge for just such an opportunity to present itself.

This time, escaping behind the Neath left-sided defender, Wallwork kept his composure and chipped the ball over the advancing Liddell.  It looked in. The defenders hesitated.  Not Brian Burke.  The Taff’s Well striker followed up the attempt to see it rebound off the angle of post and cross-bar for him to cushion his header in for the equaliser. 1-1 on the half hour mark.

The intensity of the game went up yet another notch.  Not for nothing are Neath top of the table.  Taff’s Well created a number of chances and half chances with Hammett, Burke and the eager-to-please midfielder Steve Arthurs prominent.  Neath, however, had ideas of their own and a dangerous break led to another cross flash across the Taff’s Well goal with no final touch applied. 

Injury to Carl Shaw who had, unfortunately, kicked the bottom of Jon Seymour’s boot, allowed a much-needed respite in the breathless action and both teams drained water bottles as they discussed what to do next whilst waiting for Shaw to be stretchered off.    

The half finished with Taff’s Well on top.  Under pressure, Neath defender Andrew Fairbairn conceded a corner headed for goal by Lee Street, cleared, and then fired over by Callum McKenzie.

The second half began as the first had ended with Taff’s Well returning from the dressing room determined, the nervous start to the previous half forgotten and self-belief surging through the players.  Now they appeared to be confident in the system favoured by management duo, Mark Evans and Adam Moore, and to believe in their team-mates.

This was typified by Andy Hammett who came out so fired up he stole the ball from a Neath defender and it took three Neath players to crowd him out straight from the restart.  Maybe he was too pumped-up.  Hammett then chased back thirty yards only to flatten Neath’s Paul Fowler and earn a yellow card that seemed inspired more by the letter of the law than the spirit.  This inspired the Neath number 10 to perform a piece of individual brilliance controlling the ball with the outside of his foot, escape the Taff’s Well cover, only then to drive his shot just wide.

Hammett was back in the action in the 56th minute when John Howe’s long kick from his hands went over most of the Neath team and Hammett took it on the half-volley to trouble Huw Liddell.

Neath still had the dangerous look of League leaders and one attack saw earlier Taff’s Well hero, Gareth Wallwork, forced into defensive heroics throwing himself in the way of the ball and converging Neath attackers to clear the danger only to be hurt in the process.   John Howe eventually caught the ball and kicked into touch to allow Wallwork treatment.

When the substitution came minutes later it was not the dazed Wallwork who was replaced but the tiring midfielder, Steve Arthurs, who had run himself to exhaustion.

Wayne Marks came on to add his physical presence to an area Neath always threatened to dominate if Taff’s Well switched off for a moment.

Wallwork showed he had shaken off some of the ill-effects of his earlier clash when he made yet another right wing break only for Brian Burke to lash the resultant shot just over with only the keeper, Liddell, to beat.

Surging with confidence, Taff’s Well’s players were beginning to dominate. A 70th minute corner was cleared by Neath only for them to concede a free kick they cleared, the ball was fired back in, put out for a corner with which Brian Burke connected but only to send it into the arms of the keeper.

Shortly after this, Taff’s Well’s players switched off forcing James Passmore to lunge in to make a last-ditch interception as Neath broke away.

Home manager, Mark Evans, decided to make a double substitution to refresh his team and took the gamble of putting on two strikers and taking off Lee Street from the midfield and Andy Hammett from the attack.

This nearly paid dividends when one of the replacements, Nathan Johnson, burst down the left to cross for the other, Liam Williams to get his head to the ball but top-quality defending from the Neath centre back denied him.

As time ticked away the game became stretched, sweeping from side to side and end to end.  Tired players began to make errors and even fresh ones caught the bug with Nathan Johnson yellow-carded for a lunge from behind on a Neath player only a few minutes after joining the action.    

Neath had given everything and appeared to have secured a point, something Taff’s Well would have been happy to settle for, but young home striker Liam Williams had other ideas.  A long punt up field from Jon Seymour caused uncertainty in the minds of the Neath defenders.  Williams used his striker’s instincts and took a chance.  The defender made the mistake of allowing the ball to bounce and as it sat up it flew over him to Williams who had run in behind and was able to head over the advancing Liddell into the empty net. 

Taff’s Well had the lead with little but stoppage time left.  Neath went on the attack with a young striking substitute of their own, Chris Vardon, coming close but only forcing a corner and home defender, James Passmore throwing himself into a challenge and getting hurt in the process.  Neath piled players forward in desperation as added-on time stretched and stretched and Taff’s Well hung on. 

In the 94th minute, John Howe cleared long, Wayne Marks held off a defender to head the ball on and Liam Williams raced through to cut in on his right foot and shoot the clincher into the Neath goal for a 3-1 home win and time only for the kick off before the final whistle.

Taff’s Well delight contrasted with Neath despair but such are the fortunes of football.  Neath’s unbeaten run had been brought to an end and their goals against column doubled.  Luck played its part, undoubtedly, but so too did fighting spirit and shrewd management: coaches deserve credit for victory and Taff’s Well’s had responded brilliantly to recent reverses and stayed true to their beliefs to inspire a fine win.  It could not have been achieved without tireless attacking from the strikers, relentless doggedness from the midfield and resolute bravery from the defence.

Make no mistake: Neath are too good a side to let this defeat ruin their season, their Indian Summer may be over but Neath will bounce back.  The challenge for Taff’s Well is to repeat this level of performance next weekend away to Bryntirion.

Taff’s Well: John Howe; Padraig Burke; Jon Seymour; James Passmore; Steve Arthurs; Callum McKenzie; Steve Edwards; Lee Street; Andy Hammett; Brian Burke; Gareth Wallwork. Subs: Liam Williams; Wayne Marks; Nathan Johnson.    

Saturday 16 September 2006

Bridgend Town 2 - 0 Taff’s Well

FAW Welsh Cup, Round One 

The line between clichés and eternal truths in football is a fine one.  Taff’s Well’s cup exit to Bridgend Town on Saturday demonstrates that truism perfectly: goals win matches; Bridgend scored from relatively few chances, Taff’s Well couldn’t score from the many openings created.  Exit the cup with no lucrative payday to look forward to.

The draw might have been kinder: Bridgend away for Taff’s Well is a bit like Watford drawing Arsenal away; their resources are greater despite the uncertainty over the move from Coychurch Road.  There is, as yet, no Emirates Stadium equivalent.   Bridgend’s shrewd Arsene Wenger counterpart – Ryland Morgan – was able to leave experienced striker, Andrew Mainwaring, on the bench whereas Taff’s Well’s Mark Evans had only two defenders and a midfield player to bring on and two of those were returning from long injury lay-offs.  Taff’s Well were disappointed to lose Lee Denner, scorer of four goals from midfield this season, to Carmarthen Town and physiotherapist, Matt Powell, to Merthyr Tydfil, both ambitious to move up the football pyramid.  The club wish them well. 

Anticipating Bridgend’s 3-5-2 formation, Mark Evans chose to counteract the home side with an adventurous 3-4-3 line-up.  This appeared to be a wise choice as Taff’s Well launched a series of sweeping attacks switching from left to right flank in an effort to unhinge Bridgend’s defence during an exciting opening twelve minutes.  This was punctuated at that point when a left wing break from Bridgend saw a mis-hit cross fall to Bridgend captain, Chris Ashley.  The former Taff’s Well centre back, operating in a midfield holding role on the day, struck a hard, low drive held low to his right by Taff’s Well goalie, John Howe.

This warning shot did not deter Taff’s Well and Steve Edwards’s trickery out wide on the right for Taff’s Well created a fifteenth minute chance for striker, Liam Williams who decided to take a touch before shooting and found himself crowded out in the Bridgend penalty area.

Only a minute later, following another left wing break, Bridgend took the lead.  Forcing a corner taken by Leigh Pratt, Bridgend employed a ring of players around the Taff’s Well goal.  Bevan Humphries ran in a loop around the D, somehow eluding the visiting defenders, to head unchallenged past John Howe.  Taff’s Well’s bright start meant nothing.  Suddenly the warm autumnal weather became stifling.  The freshly cut grass now revealed all the pitch’s undulations and pot-holes and all its imperfections appeared more troublesome.

There is only one response to adversity and that is to fight harder.  Giving up is not an option.  Steve Edwards proved this with a seventeenth minute shot held safely by Bridgend’s goalkeeper, Lee Idzi, who looked on gratefully just a minute later.  Taff’s Well pressure earned a corner headed over the bar by a defender only to be awarded erroneously as a goal kick by a referee offering few other causes for complaint from either side.

Undeterred, Taff’s Well continued to pile pressure on the resilient Bridgend defence.  A series of throws deep in Bridgend’s half resulted in a right wing cross from Steve Edwards.  Adventurous wing back, Gareth Wallwork, launched himself at the ball but pressure from two home defenders saw his diving attempt force only a corner.  This was one of the defining moments of the match as Jon Seymour escaped his marker on the far post but was only able to head back across goal rather than in the tantalising gap that had been opened by the quality of his run and the cross.  The resultant second phase came to nothing as Idzi caught Edwards’s next cross.

Gareth Wallwork’s next raid along the left flank ended in a cross that caused panic in the Bridgend defence but the ball was somehow hacked clear.  It fell to Lee Street who played Edwards in but his shot fizzed over the bar rather than into the net with Idzi raising an anxious arm towards a ball he had little hope of blocking had it been a fraction lower.

The incessant pressure was beginning to tell on Bridgend and right back, Darren Robinson, conceded a foul out wide to break up yet another Taff’s Well attack.  The free kick flashed across the Bridgend box leaving a line of prostrate Taff’s Well players who had all thrown themselves at the cross to no avail.  A breathless half hour had elapsed with nothing to show for Taff’s Well’s efforts.

On 32 minutes, Gareth Wallwork went down injured to receive prolonged treatment and, although able to carry on at this point, eventually he was replaced having become a limping passenger.

The enforced delay enabled the Bridgend team to gather themselves and the home side enjoyed a spell of pressure culminating in another Chris Ashley long range shot.  Good work by, first Andy Hammett and then, second by Jon Seymour came to nothing for Taff’s Well.  A 44^th minute tussle between Bridgend’s Pratt and Taff’s Well’s Edwards saw both yellow-carded as a culmination of an ongoing feud.  The visitors were now guilty of some sloppy play as tiredness reduced the players’ effectiveness.

The inevitable consequence arrived right on the 45^th minute marker with the referee checking how long to add on for stoppages.

Taff’s Well gave the ball away going forward and Bridgend’s Anthony Waters worked himself free of the cover to drive a low shot beyond John Howe to double the lead.

The second half opened with a series of Taff’s Well chances: Steve Edwards on 47 minutes, Neil Brett – 51, Andy Hammett – 52, all of which came to nothing.  Controversy erupted then when Bridgend’s Waters found himself free and clear with Taff’s Well defenders claiming offside but the assistant referee waving play on.  John Howe made amends, however, standing up to the forward to make himself look big and the goal tiny and forcing a feeble shot straight into his midriff.

Sweeping Taff’s Well moves enabled Neil Brett, Liam Williams and Steve Arthur to cause near panic in the Bridgend box but none earned a goal as Bridgend readjusted to 4-4-2 and relied on the occasional breakaway dealt with comfortably by Passmore, Padraig Burke and Seymour in the visitors’ defence.  Only a free kick that fell to Bridgend’s substitute, Andrew Mainwaring, who mis-hit his shot straight to John Howe caused any real problems whilst chance and half-chance came and went at the other end with some regularity. 

Steve Edwards mixed clever trickery on the ball with bad luck or tired fallibility as he and the impeccable James Passmore and hard-working Steve Arthurs tried manfully to get Taff’s Well back on terms.  Andy Hammett worked and harried up front too with little reward as his partners, Williams and Brett endured a day when their good moments came to nothing and their approach play too often petered out.

Full credit to Bridgend for resolute defending, competitive midfield play and the ability to take enough of the chances on offer ensured something to defend.  Ryland Morgan will be pleased with his side’s control of the game considering they were on the back foot for most of it but Mark Evans now has to lift his players for the visit of Neath next Saturday.  For Bridgend, read Arsenal; for Neath, read Chelsea.  Perhaps Evans should phone Watford’s Adie Boothroyd or Wigan’s Paul Jewell for advice.  Such are the resources available to Welsh League managers he may well content himself with referring to assistant manager, Adam Moore and spending time on the training field trying to find ways of turning creating chances into finishing them.   

Taffs Well: John Howe; Steve Edwards; Gareth Wallwork; James Passmore; Jon Seymour; Padraig Burke; Lee Street; Steve Arthur; Liam Williams; Andy Hammett; Neil Brett; Subs: Michael Nesbitt; Owain Adams; Rhodri Thomas.    

Saturday 9 September 2006 

Caerleon 1 - 2 Taff’s Well 

In every season there are games whose significance rates much higher than just the three points on offer for a win – for Taff’s Well this fixture was one of those.  

Defeat against Ton Pentre represented the first real crisis of the season for management duo Mark Evans and Adam Moore.  It wasn’t so much the humiliating 6-0 scoreline of the previous game as much as the circumstances: an injury crisis and poor performances from almost all the players that led to serious questions being asked of everyone. 

With some players returning from injury or work-enforced absence and young striker, Liam Williams, back from holiday the axe had to fall.  Mark Evans also had the services of new signings Lee Street and Andy Hammett.  The big question for all at Taff’s Well was how would the players respond?  For former Caerleon players, Jon Seymour and Steve Arthurs, the match was also about reminding their former club of their ability: for the selected Seymour this was an opportunity he could relish, for Arthurs picked as substitute it was only the frustration of kicking every ball from the dugout rather than on the pitch.  Six of the previous week’s squad did not even make the bench. 

A Saturday in September sunshine at Caerleon provided a contrast to the wind and rain of Ton Pentre.  If only the dry, bumpy and rutted playing surface had matched the previous week’s in the Rhondda.  The strong wind blowing corner to corner also played a part in a scrappy opening with awkward bounces disrupting the continuity of play as much as the understandable desire of both teams to contest every ball and impose themselves on the game. 

It was after six minutes that Taff’s Well ‘keeper John Howe unexpectedly became the first player to trouble his opposite number, the evergreen Fitzroy Hutchison. His long kick downfield just threatened to drift into the top corner before missing narrowly. 

Caerleon then forced a corner caught by Howe.  He threw wide to returning wing back, Gareth Wallwork, who burst forward to feed his pass into the path of the onrushing Brian Burke.  His return ball to Wallwork was only diverted for a throw by a brave last-ditch covering tackle from a Caerleon defender. 

On 12 minutes, a dangerous Caerleon break along the inside left channel forced Howe into a good low save.  The match settled into a pattern of end-to-end breaks punctuated by a series of petty fouls induced by the desire of the players to compete despite the difficulties of the playing surface and gusting wind. 

In the 15th minute, Liam Williams for Taff’s Well had what he thought was a good claim for a penalty turned down as he turned inside a defender and was felled.  Free kicks to Taff’s Well in the 18th and 19th minutes were dealt with by the Caerleon defence without too much trouble before Taff’s Well’s Callum McKenzie shot wide from 25 yards out. 

The next real threat then came from Caerleon with one of their defenders heading just over following a free kick out wide.  The Caerleon number 10 then forced John Howe into a save on 27 minutes as the fouls proliferated and the players became frustrated at the lack of continuity in the game.  Play was scrappy and both managers would have been pleased with the effort put in but perhaps not the quality on show. 

Caerleon’s young midfielder, Ben Davies, looked to be the man most likely to make the breakthrough:  he delivered a series of terrific crosses and free kicks that none of his team was able to convert.  Good work from target man, Andy Hammett, created opportunities for Wallwork and then Lee Denner whose approach was ended by a foul with the free kick cleared.

Callum McKenzie then created a chance for himself with a looping run to the far post after good approach play by Wallwork and Brian Burke but he was unable to beat Hutchison with a strong header.  The half ended with a save by Howe following a break by Caerleon along the inside right channel leaving honours even and possession about 50:50.

Taff’s Well started the second half powerfully.  A weak goal kick from Caerleon’s Hutchison, troubled again by tight hamstrings, led to a Liam Williams lob going just wide.  Gareth Wallwork enjoyed yet another powerful forward burst along the right that came to nothing before Caerleon struck back in the most dramatic fashion. 

A strong attack along the flank led to a driven ball across the Taff’s Well area being missed by everyone.  Last in line, Lee Denner, failed to intercept Ben Davies as he ran in and his deft feint allowed him the space to size up Howe’s goal before driving the ball in to give Caerleon a 51st minute lead. 

Fortunately for Taff’s Well, they were able to strike back almost immediately.  Wallwork intercepted a careless pass and surged forward feeding Brian Burke in the penalty area.  He shielded the ball holding off two defenders, feinted to go one way, then cut back the other.  This gave him the space to fire home his shot much to the delight of his team-mates.  A vital finish scored by a popular player who needed a goal. 

In the 54th minute, Caerleon were awarded a free kick following a foul by Taff’s Well skipper, Mark Hennessey.  The cross into the box caught the visiting defenders playing statues and they were lucky to see the ball somehow fly wide.  Promising moves by Taff’s Well involving Andy Hammett and Liam Williams came to nothing before disaster struck Mark Hennessey. 

Contesting a long cross into the visiting penalty area with a Caerleon forward, Hennessey collapsed in pain and distress and needed prolonged treatment for a badly broken arm before being led off to hospital. 

When Lee Denner went down clutching his back after a late tackle almost immediately things looked bad but he was able to continue rather gingerly after prolonged treatment. 

It was just as well he did as he nearly scored with a header in the 81st minute following good work by McKenzie and some neat trickery out wide by substitute, Steve Edwards.  With Taff’s Well now dominating play the other substitute, Neil Brett, should have scored when picked out in open space by Edwards’s corner; but with perhaps the excuse of rustiness in mitigation, he blazed over. 

Lee Denner put all this dominance to good use when another Edwards’ corner curled in his direction glanced perfectly off his head to beat everyone and nestle into the back of the net.  Delight all round for Taff’s Well and despair for Brendan Dowd and his players.  

Oozing confidence, the visitors penned Caerleon in their own half to see out the last few minutes of a very welcome 2-1 victory.  It was hard on Ben Davies and his hard-working team-mates but Taff’s Well had dominated the later stages of a hard-fought encounter. 

Taff’s Well must now prepare for a tough away fixture in the Welsh Cup to Bridgend Town without top striker Barry Gunstone (broken leg) and captain, Mark Hennessey (broken arm).  At least manager Mark Evans is faced with a selection dilemma after a much better performance and with other players returning from injury or absence. 

Taffs Well: John Howe; Gareth Wallwork; Lee Denner; Padraig Burke; Mark Hennessey (Capt.); Jon Seymour; Callum McKenzie; Lee Street; Liam Williams; Brian Burke; Andy Hammett.  Subs: Steve Edwards; Steve Arthur (not used); Neil Brett.   

SATURDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2006

TON PENTRE 6 - 0 TAFFS WELL

TUESDAY 22 AUGUST 2006

TAFFS WELL 2 - 2 NEWPORT YMCA

FRIDAY 18 AUGUST 2006

TAFFS WELL 1 - 3 CROESYCEILIOG

SATURDAY 12 AUGUST 2006

BARRY TOWN 0 - 5 TAFFS WELL

FRIENDLY REQUIRED

Taffs Well are urgently looking for friendly on Saturday 22 July 2006 and have a pitch booked for that afternoon.

If interested please contact Norma Samuel, Secretary, telephone Home: 029 20 813020 or Ground: 029 20 811080.