João Leal’s first ever senior hat-trick and a late brace from debutante Michael Clare helped Pontypridd AFC to a superb comeback win against Gelligaer.
After three heavy cup defeats, conceding 23 goals, the Black Sheep were desperate to get their season back on track in their first home league fixture. However, with the visitors 2-0 up at half-time it looked like Ponty might be facing another defeat.
Enter Leal and Clare.
Teenager Leal turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead with a 16-minute hat-trick but Gelligaer struck back quickly to level. As the game entered the final stages, the relentless Clare scored twice on his club debut, after signing this week, to make it two wins from two games in the league this season for the Black Sheep.
