The weather conditions have taken its toll on Taffs Well’s Rhiw Dda’r ground as both the home team and Ton Pentre found the conditions difficult. However, taking the conditions into consideration this was a poor Rhondda Bulldogs performance, although credit is due as they showed enough character to win the match and pick up all three points.
Ton had a good opening ten minutes to this match as Ian Jones came close to scoring from a free kick on the edge of the box. Jones hit the ball well but former Bulldog’s shot stopper, John Howe, dived skilfully to save the ball at the top left hand corner of the goal.
With their next chance Ton took the lead from a corner kick. Gareth Wharton was the first player to connect with the ball into the box but he struck his shot against the crossbar. The ball rebounded to the penalty spot where Chris Jones was well positioned to drill his shot back towards goal and into the net.
Following this Taffs Well upped the ante as Ton struggled to keep possession due to miss-placed passes.
The home team should have equalised in the 25th minute when from the right wing a diagonal ball was sent forward onto Leigh Ashman’s run through the middle of the park. He found himself clean through and one-on-one with Richard Jeffries, who was making his goalkeeping debut for the Bulldogs. Ashman lacked composure and blasted his effort high over the bar.
As half time approached the same player was presented with another chance to equalise and on this occasion he did not squander his chance. The Ton defence failed to keep a straight line and Phil Clarke played Ashman onside when he made his run through the middle of the defensive line. He tapped the ball past Jeffries as the Ton keeper rushed out from the goal line.
The Rhondda Bulldogs regained the lead within the first five minutes of the second half when Chris Jones broke up the right to cut inside near the corner. He looked up and decided to cross into the box. It wasn’t the best of crosses but it didn’t matter as the ball found Captain Ryan Morgan who smashed it in past Howe to score Ton’s second of the afternoon.
The Ton Pentre goalkeeper was called into action several times throughout the second half as Taffs Well looked determined to find another equaliser. Jeffries was forced into making a good save from a free kick taken from just outside the box moments after Ton’s goal. The shot was on target and the former Cwmbran keeper held on well to the ball.
The home team came close again from a corner kick in the 65th minute when an in swinging ball caused problems in the box. Jeffries came to his near post in an attempt to punch the ball away, but the Ton keeper missed it and luckily for the Bulldogs the Taffs Well player at the far post sent his header over the bar.
A few minutes later Shane Brewer almost added security to the Bulldogs lead when he ran into the box where he struck the ball across the face of the goal. With Howe beaten the ball painstakingly rolled past the post.
As the game went into the 76th minute an opportunity for an equaliser was gifted to Taffs Well when the Referee awarded the home team a penalty following Brewer’s challenge on Lloyd Toghill. Brewer appeared to make a legitimate shoulder barge as he attempted to edge Toghill off the ball. As he did so Toghill easily went to ground and the Referee pointed to the spot.
Liam Williams took the penalty but was denied an equaliser by Jeffries fine save as he dived to his left to block the ball’s destination.
With just a few minutes to the match remaining Williams was denied again when his shimmy outside of the Ton box opened up space for a strike at goal. His well hit effort was matched by Jeffries who leaped across the goal line to make the save and effectively secure all three league points for Ton Pentre.
Ton’s next match is at Ynys Park when Cardiff Corinthians visit the Rhondda on Saturday 21st February 2009. The match will kick off at 2pm. The teams last met at the end of October and the Corries shocked the Bulldogs by beating them 3-0.
Match report © Ton Pentre AFC Press
