Despite Ashley Moyle’s hat-trick – his first for The Black Sheep – Pontypridd AFC fell to defeat in an entertaining Ynysangharad Park derby against Graig FC.
Both sides started their league campaign with defeat the previous weekend but midweek cup wins meant both sides were aiming to try and start a run of positive results.
Ponty started well and had chances to break the deadlock but as against Church Village last weekend were undone by a swift counter attack and the ball over the top, Graig’s Jack Green profiting from a couple of defensive errors to open the scoring on 12 minutes.
After squandering more chances, the home side hit back when Moyle finished emphatically from Frowen’s pass but a messy looking goal from a corner restored Graig’s advantage before half-time. Ponty’s profligacy in front of goal costing them.
Injuries meant four of Ponty’s five substitutions were made before the start of the second half, but there was no evidence of disruption as Moyle got the Black Sheep back on terms after being put through by captain Aled Evans.
This end to end encounter was there to be won by both sides but Graig claimed the advantage with clinical strikes from Logan Perris and Scott Badman after further individual errors had allowed the “visitors” counter-attacking opportunities.
Moyle struck again to complete his hat-trick with five minutes to spare and set-up a grandstand finish. The best chance of a third equaliser fell to Huw Morgan but he blazed over after working a yard of space to shoot inside the penalty area and Graig’s defence held firm to secure the points.
FULL-TIME
PONTYPRIDD AFC 3 A. Moyle (34, 49, 85)
GRAIG FC 4 J. Green (12), L. Perris (40, 57), S. Badman (73)
Pontypridd AFC: Dylan Greedy [gk] (Justice Igwe Ebi 46), Jack Foxley (Piotr Tolak 8), Artur Cegielka, Connor Bickford (Hywel Patterson 74), Liam Barter (Geraint Lewis 46), Elis Hughes, Tom Frowen, Dan May (Tom Slater 46), Huw Morgan, Ashley Moyle
Yellow card: T. Frowen
Referee: A. Lloyd
