The season started with a poor performance and defeat at Llantwit Fardre 2nds. Three soft goals conceded from dead balls were the undoing for Pontypridd and despite a fightback in the second-half it is the second time in as many seasons Ponty have left Tonteg Park empty handed and dejected.
The starting line-up saw three players making their league debuts for the club: Lewis Watkins, Bradley Harris, Aled Evans; while Owain Lewis would come off the bench to make his competitive bow for the club.
After a promising finish to pre-season there were hopes of starting the season with more momentum than the last campaign but a slow start was a sign of what was to come. In a steady drizzle on a slow grass pitch, the Ponty play always looked disjointed in the first half and most of the 50/50s seemed to go the way of the homesters.
Although there was little open play attacking threat from Llantwit beyond the pace and trickery of Harrison Rudd, there was also a lack of creativity from the visitors. It took 13 minutes for Lewis Taylor to register Ponty’s first effort on target, a long range strike that was worth a go but lacked the power to trouble the home custodian. Llantwit were presented with a similar opportunity of their own three minutes later with a direct free-kick. Lewis Watkins’ positioning meant he was blinded to James Wood’s low drive which found the bottom corner.
Ponty’s first spell of control followed the concession of a goal without really testing the opposition. Lewis Taylor pounced on a loose ball but his acrobatic effort was again little trouble for the home keeper, but there was a sense that Ponty were gaining the upperhand when they were hit by another set-piece disaster. A corner from the left was headed in from close range by Craig Minton. Given his size and stature, allowing Minton a free header was almost criminal.
The rest of the half saw the majority of the play from the Ponty ranks but without much quality or conviction. Kieron Cook and Huw Morgan both had sighters from outside the box but neither could dent the deficit before the break.
HALF-TIME | Llantwit Fardre 2nds 2-0 Pontypridd
Three substitutions and with little left to lose saw an energetic start to the second-half. Artur Cegielka’s tenacity and direct running proved a boon to the visitors and Hywel Patterson’s height added physicality. Cegielka had a fantastic chance to shoot after being played in by Patterson but he attempted to offload to a team-mate and the chance went begging. Then followed a flurry of chances as Cegielka’s driving runs created opportunities for Cook and Patterson. The latter squandering the best chance one-on-one. Owain Lewis advanced with a follow-up effort which was blocked before Huw Morgan’s effort was saved.
Llantwit rode out that storm and had a one-on-one chance of their own that went begging and Ponty were lucky to keep 11 players on the field after a late challenge from Kieron Cook was only punished with a yellow card. However, when Dan Perry’s header hit the post and bounced out midway through the second-half it was beginning to look like one of those days when fortune wasn’t with Pontypridd.
Soon after the game was well and truly out of reach. A low corner was allowed to pass across the width of the goal for Harrison Rudd to control and fire unchallenged into the net. Another soft goal that Llantwit barely had to work for.
Daniel Perry did grab a consolation, pouncing on to Patterson’s flick from a long free kick to poke past the home keeper. Lewis Taylor was then denied setting up a grandstand finish by a good save and despite continuing to rally Pontypridd couldn’t apply any further pressure to the home defence.
The final incident of the match saw Llantwit forward Harrison Rudd needlessly sent off for kicking Bradley Harris off the ball. A petulant given the circumstances and scoreline.
FULL-TIME | Llantwit Fardre 2nds 3-1 Pontypridd
Pontypridd FC: Lewis Watkins [gk], Bradley Harris, Gareth Kear (Owain Lewis 46), Daniel Perry [c], Dan Outing, Aled Evans, Kieron Cook, Huw Morgan, Lewis Roberts (Artur Cegielka 46), Lewis Taylor, Liam Griffiths (Hywel Patterson 46)
Subs not used: Piotr Tolak, Matthew Bennett-Jones
Goal: D. Perry (80)
Yellow card: K. Cook
Man of the Match: Artur Cegielka
Referee: S. Waters
