With another season under the club’s “wool”, it’s always important to reflect at the end on a campaign that had some very low points but in the end almost delivered the club’s first ever piece of silverware.
In senior football both teams had disappointing league campaigns. For the first team, their TERV Premier Division campaign never got going, having won just two of 18 league fixtures they deservedly finished bottom of the table and will almost certainly be relegated to Division One. Not even pyramid permutations can alter that fate. One big change this season saw Ryan Wheeler take a step back from his senior coaching responsibilities (although he remains a key component in running the club behind the scenes), handing the mantle to John Radnor. John couldn’t arrest the slide in the league but managed the club through a memorable end of season cup run.
That Bernard Martin cup run saw the first team defying the odds with a superb run through May, beating Cascade and Llanbradach on their way to a final meeting with Talbot Green. Given that Talbot Green are the TERV champions and we have never even come close to beating them, it probably surprised a few spectators that our team ran the champions so close in a 1-0 defeat.
It was a fantastic occasion, however, enjoyed by the entire club and it was brilliant to involve some of our Pontypridd AFC minis as mascots on the day.
For Pontypridd AFC Reserves it was a season where the league table showed little improvement, although the team managed a best-ever three league wins and a cup win against Graig Reserves in January to set up an historic all-club Bernard Martin Cup tie. The Reserves even threatened an upset on the night by leading 2-0 at half-time.
The Youth team enjoyed a much more productive season, this time completing all their fixtures despite their squad being reduced to 13 for the final six fixtures due to players leaving and many showing inadequate commitment. Results and their league position probably didn’t reflect the quality of some of their performances but they get one more crack at it next season and it was superb to see so many youth players also involved in senior football, including Nathan Eratne, Charlie Hobby, Tomas John and João Leal playing important roles in the Bernard Martin Cup run.
Individual recognition goes to Ashley Moyle, who became the first senior player to score 20 goals in a season at the club (18 for the first team, 2 for the reserves). Dan Outing, Hywel Patterson and Liam Griffiths became the first members of the club’s “100 senior apps” club. Their commitment over the years has been unwavering.
Minis football continues to grow after the decision to focus exclusively on under 6 and under 7s football this season. Both age groups have enjoyed weekly training and participation in the TERV League organised small sided football at Ystrad Mynach, as well as taking part in several summer tournaments.
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Off the field, several projects remain ongoing and we hope to share positive news in the coming months. However, the club does not function without the day to day commitment of our committee and coaches, who give many hours every week to this club without taking a penny or expecting anything in return.
We are very fortunate to have long-standing relationships with excellent local businesses and thank Tom Prichard (Prichard’s Contracting Ltd), Steve Outing (Western Security Systems Ltd) and Dean Marenghi (DM Recycling Services) for their continued financial support, helping the club provide high-quality kit and equipment for players at every level.
Thanks to our friends and supporters, and, of course, a massive thank you to the players who wear the club’s badge with pride and always try to deliver the best possible outcomes on the pitch.
