Pontypridd were beaten by a late goal in a seven-goal thriller with TERV champions Church Village at Upper Boat Playing Fields. Despite an improved performance on last weekend’s 4-1 home defeat to Rhydyfelin, Ponty went home empty-handed after some charitable defending and wasteful finishing.
A slow start was underlined by the concession of a shambolic goal from a corner kick but The Black Sheep worked their way back into the game and deservedly equalised through Aled Evans’ close-range finish. Having fought hard to level, Ponty quick handed the initiative back to the hosts with more bad defending. Despite this, Ponty squandered more than enough chances to have won the game before half-time.
In the second-half, Huw Morgan raced behind to score Ponty’s second equaliser before Church Village went ahead for the third time with a free header from a corner. Ponty kept going though and after Ruben Owen won a penalty, Joe Thomas converted with eight minutes left.
The next goal would win and it was Church Village that got it. A failure to clear a high ball into the box and a fortunate ricochet allowed Tom Starr to poach the home side’s fourth – and his third – goal of the game.
Aled Evans was the width of the crossbar away from grabbing Ponty a point with a long-range strike in added time but it wasn’t to be on the day.
FULL-TIME | Church Village 4-3 Pontypridd FC
Pontypridd FC: Alex Mitchell-Charman [gk], Josh Adams (Piotr Tolak 80), Ryan Jones (Nathan Eratne 63), Mani Owen, Liam Ormson, Aled Evans, Dylan Porter, Joe Thomas, Huw Morgan (Bradley Harris 80), Ashley Moyle (Geraint Lewis 66), Kieron Cook [c] (Ruben Owen 80)
Goals: A. Evans (27), H. Morgan (68), J. Thomas (82 pen)
Yellow cards: K. Cook, N. Eratne
Referee: R. Hillman
