Pontypridd AFC men’s first team secured their first ever win at Taff Vale Park with an injury time winner against Cilfynydd and brought to an end a run of four consecutive defeats.
Tom Frowen was the match-winner, nodding home from close range first team debutante Leo Wilson’s cross. It was a deserved win for the Black Sheep based on the balance of chances created.
After a cagey start by both sides, the home side suffered a double blow midway through the first half. First, Aled Evans was forced off with a knee injury that hopefully doesn’t keep him out action too long. Then a few minutes later Cilfynydd drew first blood after Banfield’s speculative drive squirmed inside the near post.
That seemed to spur the home side into action but when Huw Ward and substitute Owen Kingsbury spurned good chances it had that feeling of one of those days where things wouldn’t go Ponty’s way. However, the game turned on it’s head within one minute in first added time.
Kingsbury made amends for his earlier miss with a thumping finish to level the scores. A minute later, after Michael Clare’s persistence on the right created a chance from nothing, Kingsbury fired home from close range to give the Black Sheep a half-time lead.
The second half was equally back and forth but the better chances came from the home team. Kingsbury was denied a hat-trick by a brilliant save from Pennell. Joe Hathaway, Wilson and Frowen all missed further chances to add to the scoreline.
Banfield struck his second of the game to equalise and Gowan thought he had won it for the visitors with an excellent finish from a long ball but the referee deemed him to have controlled the ball with his arm.
The final chance fell to Frowen and he made no mistake running from deep to get on the end of Wilson’s inviting cross and give The Black Sheep all three points.
John Radnor (head coach): “I wanted a good performance after some tough results. We know Bargoed and Rhydyfelin are a level above in this league, we weren’t happy with our performances against them. Today we were superb. I thought we created a lot of chances and could have scored more. We deserved the win, so to get the winner in the last minute was great and hopefully we can build again from here.”
POTM: Geraint Lewis – deputising at right back for the first time, it was a typically combative performance from a man who bleeds black and white.
Special mentions – Huw Ward was outstanding in midfield, Nathan Eratne was highlighted by the opposition and Leo Wilson had a superb assist on his first team debut.
