Artur Cegielka came off the bench to score twice against Gadlys Rovers and help Pontypridd progress in the South Wales FA Intermediate Cup. After a poor first hour of play at the Maritime, Pontypridd produced a stirring last half hour to overcome their visitors from the Aberdare Valley League.
After the midweek derby win at Treforest, squad rotation meant four changes to the starting line-up as Hywel Patterson and Gareth Kear returned, while Tom Slater and Piotr Tolak made their first starts of the season. Artur Cegielka, Dan Outing, Huw Morgan and Liam Griffiths had to await their chance from the bench.
This being the fourth fixture in 10 days there were clear signs of fatigue from Pontypridd from the off. Inside the first minute they were behind, the Gadlys 10 flicking a long ball around the corner before running on to round Watkins and score. An all-round sloppy goal.
There was no panic and Ponty settled into the game, they even hit the back of the net before 10 minutes were up; Kieron Cook with a crisp half-volley from the edge of the penalty area that flew into the top corner. Unfortunately, Cook was denied his 4th goal of the season by an offside call.
That proved to be a high point for Pontypridd in a first half in which they really struggled to make any impact on the game. Gadlys were finding it too easy to work their way through central areas and the defence looked stretched several times before a panicked Daniel Perry deliberately handled the ball to deny an attacker a run at goal. The referee must have felt it was not an obvious goal-scoring offense because a yellow card was the sanction. There was a further blow when Owain Lewis limped off with a suspected hamstring injury.
For much of the half Ponty were under the cosh, only occasionally getting into advanced areas and when they did long-range speculative efforts from Cook and Huw Morgan the best the homesters could offer. At the other end, a combination of woeful finishing and some desperate defending – both Perry and Patterson had to block or clear goal-bound efforts – kept the deficit down to one.
HALF-TIME | Pontypridd 0-1 Gadlys Rovers
If there was a positive note to take into the second-half it was, despite a lacklustre display in the first period, trailing by just one goal meant Ponty were very much still in the tie. However, that slender deficit looked increasingly at jeopardy in the first 15 minutes of the second-half.
There could have been another first minute goal but Gadlys blew a one-on-one chance with a chip drifting wide. Within a minute a long ball left Watkins exposed. The goalkeeper initially did well when racing off his line but the Gadlys forward still got a bite at an open goal only to fire wide. Three more clear-cut chances followed with Gadlys missing the target every time and, with hindsight, the opportunity to seal the tie.
The likelihood of a comeback for Pontypridd took a blow when Kieron Cook was forced off with injury but the introduction of player-coach Ryan Wheeler injected some fresh energy into a team performance that suffered from lethargy and a lack of tempo going forward. Wheeler was charging around like a man released from a cell, barking instructions, linking play, getting in the faces of the opposition.
It was no surprise he was involved in the moment the flow of the game shifted on the hour mark. Bradley Harris lofted a free-kick from the right towards Liam Griffiths, the loose ball found its way towards Wheeler, his first touch wasn’t his finest but landed at the feet at Lewis Taylor who scored his first goal of the season with a low drive.
As their opponents began to tire, Ponty finally looked warmed-up. Tom Slater was unlucky not to break his duck for the club with an overhead kick but soon after the turnaround was complete as Hywel Patterson got above his marker and the advancing Gadlys keeper to head home Harris’ free kick.
It looked now like there would only be one winner but as the game entered the final 15 minutes, a mistake by Daniel Perry allowed the Gadlys 10 a run at goal. Despite being so profligate since his first minute strike, he finished with aplomb past Watkins. Then came a flashpoint and the game’s second controversial moment. After a strong tackle by Patterson, Gadlys’ 9 reacted by pushing the Ponty man. The referee felt a yellow card for each player (Patterson for his challenge rather than any afters) was sufficient.
Soon after came the match-winning change for Pontypridd as Cegielka was introduced for the luckless Slater and it didn’t take long for the Polish utility player to make his mark.
Bradley Harris’ selfless run from wide and deep was picked out by a lovely long pass. As Harris flicked the ball over a defender’s head it fell perfectly into the path of Cegielka. His first effort was blocked but he was quickest to the rebound and finished from close range. Two minutes later Wheeler’s through pass sent Cegielka in down the right, he drew the keeper and coolly slid the ball into the net.
There might even have been a hat-trick. Cegielka had two opportunities but couldn’t take either so had to settle for a brace and a good win for Pontypridd on a day they struggled to find their best form.
FULL-TIME | Pontypridd 4-2 Gadlys Rovers
A win for Pontypridd means they move into the final 16 of the competition, which is expected to be drawn and announced by the South Wales FA during the next week.
Pontypridd FC: Lewis Watkins [gk], Bradley Harris, Daniel Perry [c], Hywel Patterson, Gareth Kear, Aled Evans, Piotr Tolak (Liam Griffiths 54), Owain Lewis (Huw Morgan 30), Lewis Taylor, Tom Slater (Artur Cegielka 78), Kieron Cook (Ryan Wheeler 55)
Sub not used: Dan Outing
Goals: L. Taylor (60), H. Patterson (69), A. Cegielka (82, 84)
Yellow cards: D. Perry, H. Patterson
Man of the Match: Aled Evans
