Match Report

 

Wednesday 11th September 2013

 

Cardiff & District Under 16 A Division

 

Hailey Park

 

AFC Whitchurch 1 - 1 Pentwyn Dynamos 

McLaggon

 

Another tough game - seems like they will all be tough this season. There has been very little between us and Whitchurch over the years so I expected it to be close.

 

We had Matty missing following his injury on Saturday - plus Mike was unavailable due to rugby commitments - so I had to shuffle the pack a bit on a very wet evening. Jake had to play out of position and Swabes came straight into the starting XI despite not playing at the weekend.

 

They started well and bossed the first 10 mins without really threatening our goal. We settled, grew into the game and started to pass the ball well. There were limited chances in the first half mainly due to Lloyd in the Whitchurch goal playing so well - almost like a sweeper - so quickly out of his goal to clear any through balls - and brave down at the strikers' feet when we did get the ball right.

 

Whitchurch were very strong in the midfield and their centre backs - as always - were proving difficult to beat. They played much more football Today and will be a difficult team to beat for most sides this season.

 

Matthew had to come off injured and Swabes had to come off feeling unwell and Dan was playing with an injury - so a fairly big squad was suddenly looking threadbare!

 

0-0 at half time and we had shaded it - but it was close and either team could win from here.

 

Jared came on for Swabes and Josh had replaced Matthew and we went out for the second half determined to win it.

 

We bossed the second half completely from start to finish - limiting Whitchurch to counter attacks and playing some lovely football.

 

We took the lead from the aftermath of a corner - Huw laid the ball back to Dan, who sent a beauty of a cross in to Jared - who planted a lovely header past Lloyd.

 

Minutes later we should have made it 2-0 - Ryan went through but Lloyd came out so quickly and managed to get something on the ball to send it for a corner.

 

Then disaster struck - We allowed one of their players to dribble through us and into the box - a few desperate failed challenges and the ball ended up bouncing free - and what looked like a simple clearance was rushed and miscued straight to one of their players, who made no mistake.

 

We continued to press and Ryan Pomeroy was getting at them down the right constantly. We had more chances to win it - Huw hit the bar with a great header from a corner, Charlie went through but sent his shot over the bar - and Dan went through in the last minute and sent a lovely ball across the six yard box but no one could get anything on it.

 

A good performance in bad conditions, missing players and coping with several injuries during the game-  but yet again a mistake cost us the win - we must correct this if we are going to do anything this season.