The Saints won 1-2 at Bont yesterday in the Central Wales Cup to progress to the quarter final stage for the second year running where they will meet either Welshpool Reserves or Cardigan Town.
The game was late kicking off due to 3 cars getting lost after the road was closed at Devils Bridge, they finally got to the ground with 10 minutes to spare.
Rob Snedden nearly scored after 10 seconds when Sam Mayglothling released him down the right, Sned skinned the fullback and hit a 20 yarder which clipped the top of the bar. The game then was end to to end with both keepers having to be their best, on 30 minutes the Saints had a corner which Ben Bevan whipped in, Kevin Jones glancing header beat the keeper but the ball hit two Bont players on the way to the back of the net for an own goal, 0-1. Rob Snedden could have made it two after another Bevan cross which found Josh Wisniewski who played in Sned only for his shot to go just wide with the keeper beaten. It’s wasn’t all Hay chances with Kirkham having to pull off saves after several break away chances by the pacey Bont wide men.
The Saints started the second half on top and were soon 0-2 up when Bevan crossed a teasing ball into the box which the home keeper got to first but spilled it, he was about to pick it up when the quick thinking Wisniewski nipped in and played it back to Sam Mayglothling whose first time effort was cleared off the line but only to the advancing Snedden who smashed a left shot from 20 yards up into the top corner of the net. Within a minute it was 1-2 after a rather bizarre goal, the referee gave a free kick just outside the box after Bryan Kirkham had supposedly handled outside his area, while Bryan and the Saints defence were asking the ref why he had given it a Bont player chipped the ball into the net and to everyones amazement the ref awarded the goal 1-2.
It was Bont who were now in charge and Kirkham again had to be at his very best to keep the Saints in the lead, the Saints were again relying on breakaway chances, Kev Jones missing a one on one after he was put in by Wisniewski, Wisniewski also hit the post with a header and Snedden had a good shot saved after a mazy run. Stuart Davies who was deputising for Mike Havard was also having a stormer at the back winning several headers against a very big Bont midfielder who had pushed on looking for the equaliser.
Joe Maygothling was booked for the a dive in the box trying to win a penalty but the referee was having none of it and showed him a yellow(Joe was still protesting his innocence several hours later). The Saints held out until the ref blew for full time and send the Saints into the quarter final stage 1-2.
Many thanks to the Bont players and committee who were very understanding about the delay in getting there and were wiling to put the tie back to 2.30 but the ref wasn’t having any of it and wanted us to kick off as soon as we got there after a very short warm up.
A battling performance on a heavy pitch against a very good quick side, Josh Wisniewski worked exremely hard all game and his desire not to give up got us what turned out to be the winning goal, Stuart Davies had a great game at the back but the man of the match in the end was our keeper Bryan Kirkham who pulled off numerous saves and caught everything that came into the box.
Team- B.Kirkham, R.Jones, C.Preece(c), S.Davies, P.Davies, B.Bevan, S.Powell(J.Mayglothling), S.Mayglothling, R.Snedden(J.Daw), K.Jones, J.Wisniewski.