Late heartbreak as Reserves losing run continues.

Pontypridd FC Reserves suffered a third consecutive loss in Taff Ely Rhymney Valley League Division One. After fighting back from 3-0 and 4-2 down and looking set to earn their first ever point, visitors Pickford Stars struck in the 91st minute to secure all the points.

Due to the unavailability of pitches, Pontypridd hosted the game at Upper Boat Playing Fields, on the same pitch where the first team endured a miserable second-half capitulation seven days earlier and the reserve team continued in that vein, finding themselves 3-0 down inside the opening 20 minutes.

That left the team with a mountain to climb but heads did not drop. Huw Morgan struck twice to reduce the deficit to a single goal, although the back door creaked once more and the Pontlottyn-based visitors added a fourth goal before the interval.

HALF-TIME | Pontypridd FC Reserves 2-4 Pickford Stars

The big turning point in the game arrived early in the second-half when Pickford had a player sent-off for deliberate handball to deny an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Liam Griffiths converted the penalty to reduce the arrears before substitute Jack Watkins scored his first ever goal for the club to level things in the 66th minute.

It was very much a case of next goal wins and despite playing most of the second-half with ten men, it was the visitors that profited with that late strike.

Once again the reserve team showed plenty of heart and character to fight back and go so close to their first ever competitive point but giving teams such big head starts early in games has to change if results are to improve.

FULL-TIME | Pontypridd FC Reserves 4-5 Pickford Stars

Pontypridd FC Reserves: Michael Krawcow, Cameron Curry (Brendan Payne 80), Brad Harris (Jack Watkins 40), Daniel Outing [c], Jake Swainston, Connor Bickford, Dan May (Dan Rees 86), Huw Morgan, Elis Hughes, Liam Griffiths (Karwan Jawad 80), Ryan Mehenni

Referee: S. White