Pontypridd crashed to a damaging home defeat to Fochriw Village, leaving hopes of promotion to the Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Football League Premier Division completely out of their hands.
Despite Pontypridd taking an early lead, visitors Fochriw were worthy winners on the day, avenging the 5-2 defeat Pontypridd delivered at Fochriw Welfare last month. Pontypridd’s advantage over their promotion rivals is now just two points, but significantly Fochriw have three games in hand. Pontypridd have now lost 3 of their last 5 home league fixtures.
Familiar goalkeeping issues didn’t help Pontypridd. With both registered keepers unavailable, manager Ryan Wheeler took his turn to deputise between the sticks; the sixth player to player in goal for Pontypridd this season. Not that this could be used as an excuse as Wheeler – in his first ever league appearance for the club – was in no way a liability, instead preventing the defeat from being even heavier with several interventions.
Knowing a win would put them in a very strong position for the run-in, Pontypridd started superbly and when Lewis Taylor was allowed space to fire home his 9th goal of the season from 20 yards it looked like it would be their day. However, after a slow start the visitors grew into the game and once they had equalised in the 15th minute with a well-executed goal, they always looked the more controlled side, playing the Maritime 3G surface and the conditions much better than the home team.
Lewis Taylor conjured a good chance to restore the lead immediately with a superb run down the right, beating several Fochriw defenders. His cut-back cross was met by advancing right back Bradley Harris but his first time strike was dragged narrowly past the far post.
Fochriw always posed a threat on counter attacks and pounced on any Ponty errors with quick breaks. The first goal – although superbly worked – came about after four failed attempts to clear the ball and when Fochriw took the lead before the half hour mark, it again came from the home side failing to deal with the danger. Fochriw’s Corey Flew was allowed to break into the box almost unchallenged before a smart low finish left Wheeler flat footed.
Kieron Cook tested the Fochriw keeper from a free-kick and Aron Barnes couldn’t get a good enough connection on his shot after good work by Huw Morgan, but Wheeler twice had to deny Fochriw efforts, including a point blank save on the stroke of half-time after a Fochriw attacker once again broke through two tackles far too easily.
HALF-TIME | Pontypridd 1-2 Fochriw Village
With 45 minutes left to “save the season”, Pontypridd did come out fighting in the second half. Dan Perry was centimetres from an equaliser just after the break when he reacted quickest to a fumbled free-kick, but his effort struck the outside of the post. Artur Cegielka had a headed chance before Huw Morgan was denied by the Fochriw stopper and fired his follow-up effort over on the turn.
Despite changes of personnel, including the introduction of Liam Griffiths, Pontypridd couldn’t find a breakthrough. The middle period of the second-half particularly disappointing with too many long balls sent forward without much purpose and Fochriw were able to hold out without too much threat to their goal. When Travis Greening thumped home from close range ten minutes from the end it all but confirmed the inevitable, as well as being a deserved reward for an excellent display from Greening.
Matthew Bennett-Jones came closest for Ponty in the final stages as they kept pushing until the final whistle, but overall it was a display that lacked the required quality all over the pitch.
FULL-TIME | Pontypridd 1-3 Fochriw Village
Pontypridd FC: Ryan Wheeler [gk], Bradley Harris, Daniel Perry, Dan Outing, Ryan Jones, Aled Evans, Kieron Cook [c] (Tom Sheppeard 83), Huw Morgan (Liam Griffiths 58), Aron Barnes (Owain Lewis 72), Lewis Taylor (Matthew Bennett-Jones 83), Artur Cegielka (Hywel Patterson 55)
Goal: L. Taylor (1)
Man of the Match: R. Wheeler
Referee: Steve Waters
