Pontypridd ended a 3-match winless run with an emphatic home win against Aber Valley 2nds. Despite falling behind to an early penalty, Ponty fired back with a ruthless attacking display and but for several top class saves from the visiting goalkeeper might have scored more.
After three tough weeks on the road, it was home comforts for Ponty for the first time since January 19th. Since then promotion hopes have faded but there remains an intent to finish the season as strongly as possible. An unchanged starting XI was named, with Ceri Williams and George Archer on the bench for Tom Slater and Ryan Wheeler.
Rustiness has been a feature of recent performances and it looked like that might continue when Gareth Kear was penalised for a clumsy challenge in the 6th minute and Aber Valley were awarded penalty. The spot kick was slotted home low to Piotr Tolak’s right. Heads did not dip for Ponty and they were soon level.
Joe Vellam thread a pass through the eye of a needle to play in Lewis Roberts and the forward showed strength to hold off a defender and finish with aplomb. It didn’t take long for Ponty to go in front either. Artur Cegielka – whose game continues to improve – picked out a pass of his own for Joe Vellam to run onto and fire low across the keeper from a tight angle.
Vellam may have had more inside the first twenty minutes. A superb counter led by a a powerful Josh Husband run through midfield gave Vellam a crossing chance and his centre almost caught out the keeper at his near post. There was nothing flukey about his next effort through. A raking crossfield ball by Lewis Roberts found Vellam in space on the right. When he was confronted by a defender he jinked his way into a shooting chance and forced a fine low save from the Aber keeper.
Chances continued to flow and Liam Griffiths was rewarded for his endeavour with a goal against his former club, raising to meet a long free-kick and looping his header accurately over the opposition goal keeper. Griffiths wasn’t too far away from a spectacular half-volley on the turn, but his effort from the edge of the box was just over the bar.
Three became four just after the half hour when Pontypridd were awarded a penalty after an Aber defender was judged to have blocked a Vellam cross with his arm. Kieron Cook stepped up and finished low into the keeper’s bottom right corner; his third of the season from the penalty spot. A fifth goal arrived just before half-time.
Another long free-kick did the damage, captain Daniel Perry was brave going for the header only to be clattered by the Aber goalkeeper. Vellam mopped up the loose ball and poked into the empty net. There were appeals for a foul on the keeper by Aber players, but if there was a foul it was more likely to have been the other way around.
HALF-TIME | Pontypridd 5-1 Aber Valley 2nds
The second-half didn’t feature the same fluency of play as the first but it was still Ponty doing most of the running. Liam Griffiths was denied a second goal by a save of the highest class by the Aber custodian, while Joe Vellam continued to threaten and had opportunities to complete his second hat-trick of the season.
At the other end, Daniel Perry had to save one off the line before Aber did grab a second goal with ten minutes to play. A mistake by Tolak allowed a tap in for an Aber attacker.
Emphasising this was very much a whole squad performance, substitutes came to the fore to play their part in the final ten minutes. George Archer, with his first touch, denied any chance of a Aber comeback with a cool finish to score his first goal for the club. Ceri Williams had the space and licence to pick out passes and he laid on an opportunity for Lewis Taylor, who was denied by a good save. Kieron Cook rounded things off for Ponty with a long-range strike.
FULL-TIME | Pontypridd 7-2 Aber Valley 2nds
Pontypridd FC: Piotr Tolak (GK), Artur Cegielka, Daniel Perry (c), Dan Outing, Gareth Kear (Fifolu Akinyemi 80), Hywel Patterson, Kieron Cook, Joshua Husband (George Archer 81), Joe Vellam (Lewis Taylor 73), Lewis Roberts (Ceri Williams 68), Liam Griffiths (Huw Ward 68)
Goals: L. Roberts (8), J. Vellam (12, 41), L. Griffiths (23), K. Cook (32 pen, 84), G. Archer (82)
Man of the Match: Liam Griffiths
Referee: Wayne Morgan
