Pontypridd were left to rue a plethora of missed chances as they were held by bottom club, and previously point-less, Caerphilly Argyle. In a game Ponty dominated, poor finishing meant they had to settle for a point at Aneurin Park; a result that means promotion hopes have been left a very remote possibility.
This was the first match in which the side were led by Daniel Perry as club captain. Despite nine weeks without a fixture there was no evidence of rustiness early on. Pontypridd were quick out of the blocks and penned Argyle in their own half for much of the opening ten minutes. Joe Vellam might have opened the scoring inside the first minute but his strike from outside the box was high and wide. The winger had an even better opportunity not long after. Played through by Huw Ward, Vellam was let down by an unfortunate bobble and mis-kicked his shot when he looked destined to score.
With the traffic largely one way it came as a bit of a surprise when Argyle took lead and the goal’s freakishness was, with hindsight, maybe a sign of the sort of day it would be for Pontypridd. A cross from the right by James Dimond was clearly mishit but sailed over the head of Tolak into the top corner.
Pontypridd came back at their opponents. There were tentative appeals for a penalty when Huw Ward tumbled under a challenge but then came an extraordinary sequence when Ponty hit the post twice in the same attack. Mayhem caused by a corner created a chance for Ward, his shot hit the post and the rebound, picked up by Vellam, was then struck against the opposite frame of the goal before Liam Griffiths’ close range shot was cleared off the line.
At the other end it was Argyle’s turn to hit the post but again through good fortune rather than good play. Tolak’s attempted clearance deflected against a retreating Argyle player, looped goalwards and bounced off the post before being cleared by Dan Outing.
It was largely Ponty making all the play though, enjoying sustained periods in the final third but not quite finding the margins to make the difference. Whether it be the final ball, or a quality ball with nobody positioned to profit, or the lack of clinical touch in the finish. While it wasn’t happening in the final third it might even have got worse at the back when a penalty was awarded to Argyle ten minutes before half-time.
Tolak came to the rescue with a fantastic double save. That was the kickstart for another dominant period for Ponty and before Vellam levelled the game, Huw Ward missed a gilt edged chance from two yards after Griffiths had flicked on an Outing long throw.
Vellam’s goal was a peach. Winning the ball in midfield, the attack was fed and Griffiths threaded a superb through ball for Vellam who made no mistake this time, finishing into the top corner.
HALF-TIME | Caerphilly Argyle 1-1 Pontypridd
It had been evident towards the end of the first half the hosts were tiring. There had been a similar pattern in the previous meeting in January. Argyle produced a strong first-half performance (even leading 1-0) before Ponty pulled away in the second-half to complete a 6-2 win. Only a short amount of time would pass before Ponty’s authority on the play would show.
Ward and Vellam’s running ability was providing problematic in wide areas and Ward found himself one on one after beating the offside trap early in the second-half, but his finish was rash and off target. Kieron Cook and Griffiths tried their luck from free kicks before Josh Husband – whose energy and endeavour on the day was a real asset – had two chances; the second he squandered badly having made the opportunity for himself.
The chances kept on coming. Daniel Perry had a couple of headed chances, one cleared off the line. Huw Ward was again profligate; taking too long to get his shot away from six yards and instead firing wide from a less advantageous position.
As the game entered the final stages, Lewis Roberts and Ceri Williams were introduced in attack. They combined when Williams put a chance on a plate for Roberts but he scooped what looked like a tap-in over the bar. Hywel Patterson was centimetres away from the breakthrough inside the final ten minutes, a brilliant turn and shot was unfortunate to hit the underside of the bar and bounce down on the wrong side of the goal-line.
Pontypridd kept pushing until the five minutes of added time were up but in the end it wasn’t to be and a resolute Caerphilly Argyle were able to celebrate their first ever point at the final whistle.
FULL-TIME | Caerphilly Argyle 1-1 Pontypridd
Where does this leave Pontypridd? Mathematically, promotion remains a possibility but it will take an extraordinary sequence of results from here for Pontypridd to finish among the two promotion places. The likelihood is another season in Division One.
Pontypridd FC: Piotr Tolak (GK), Artur Cegielka, Gareth Kear, Daniel Perry (c), Dan Outing (Chris Salter 82), Kieron Cook, Hywel Patterson, Joshua Husband, Huw Ward (Ceri Williams 67), Joe Vellam, Liam Griffiths (Lewis Roberts 74)
Subs not used: Tom Slater, Fifolu Akinyemi
Goal: J. Vellam (43)
Man of the Match: Joshua Husband
Referee: David Humphreys
