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| The Welsh League Week Ahead |
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02/05/05: TON PENTRE finished their season at AFC Llwydcoed last Saturday by lifting the Welsh League Division One Championship trophy. Players and supporters will celebrate this sixth league win in eight seasons on Friday evening when the Ton Pentre AFC Presentation takes place at the Clubhouse. One award is already known as Carl Thomas made sure of being Ton's top goalscorer with his equalising penalty last Saturday in the Cynon Valley to notch up 19 goals this season.
The winners of the other awards will be announced online here at TonPentreAFC.com over next weekend. Another Headbut The following message appeared in the Welsh-Football.net guestbook on Friday 29 April: Adrian of Ponty, UK said on 29/04/2005 "Must be something in the water down in Briton Ferry. Saw the McWhirter League Under 17 cup Final on Monday, when a Ferry parent ran on following an injury to his son and headbutted the Taff's Well manager!" This follows the attack on Ton Pentre manager Kevin Richards back at the beginning of April in Briton Ferry. News Stories From Welsh-Premier.com: A PROPOSED rule to restrict players to one club could spell disaster for the Welsh pyramid, according to a senior administrator. The unnamed executive says the rule will mean teams are unable to fulfill fixtures - forcing them and their leagues to fold. Players are currently allowed to sign for two different weekday clubs as long as they are not in the same league, but the FAW is proposing that players can "register for only one weekday club and/or one Sunday club". "This proposal is a disaster waiting to happen to clubs in senior leagues throughout Wales," said the man who does not want to be named while he does everything he can to thwart the change. "If players are only to be allowed to sign for one club and are out of the team, they'll not be content to remain and will move on to a lower league to get regular football. "It will mean clubs finding it extremely difficult to maintain their squads and one-player, one-club will be more harmful to senior football than the so-called junior leagues." If approved, the new rule would mean that a Welsh Premier club calling up a feeder league player would need to complete a transfer form, signed by the player and both clubs and approved by the secretaries of both leagues. "The same time-consuming procedure would have to be undertaken to enable the player to return to his original club, possibly after a couple of days or a week," he added. Also: AFAN Lido are preparing for life in the Motaquote Insurance Welsh League still rueing the failure of their appeal against a three-point deduction last week. The Aberavon-based club were found guilty of fielding the suspended Leigh Shrimpton in a league game against Airbus, but based their appeal on a precedent when UWIC Inter Cardiff were forced to replay a match against Aberystwyth for fielding an ineligible player. "We hoped that ruling woud apply to us," said secretary Phil Robinson. However, Lido's appeal was doomed to failure because the Welsh Premier rulebook clearly states that a game featuring an ineligible player will be replayed, whereas those in which a suspended player appeared are not. An FAW Commission threw-out Lido's appeal, with Robinson adding: "We were not given a reason for Thursday's decision - the commission simply announced the original decision had been upheld." Welsh League Fixtures for the Week Ahead: Tuesday 3 May 2005
Thursday 5 May 2005 Saturday 7 May 2005 Rob Dowling |
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25/04/05: TON PENTRE will lift the Welsh League Divsion One trophy at their match in AFC Llwydcoed this coming Saturday to round off a fine season for the Rhondda Bulldogs. It has been quite interesting looking at the papers over the past few days to see what they've said about Ton Pentre's win. Although coverage is bleak Ton were mentioned in Sunday's Non League Paper and the South Wales Echo & Western Mail on Monday. The latter reports that Ton Pentre need a further point to secure the title?! I think the Western Mail need a new abacus to work out that the Bulldogs are Champions. The top of the table currently looks like this: Welsh League Division One (Top)
The pressure will be off this Saturday when Ton face AFC Llwydcoed having now secured the win. It is expected that manager Kevin Richards will dust off his boots to play an entire 90 minutes as the Bulldogs look to give Grange Quins a helping hand into gaining promotion by beating second placed AFC Llwydcoed. Hotshot Bulldogs With just one game to go who will be the 2004/05 Ton Pentre top goalscorer? Take a look at the leaders in the table below:
Ton Pentre Congratulated Following the Rhondda Bulldogs confirmation as 2004-05 champions, Welsh League website www.welshleague.org.uk has congratulated Ton Pentre on its home page. The Welsh League website can also celebrate as it has won the Welsh Football magazine Best Newcomer Website Award. Bulldogs Featured Throughout Football Magazine Ton Pentre feature throughout the May edition of Welsh Football magazine. Dwayne Mardenborough is pictured in the 'Action Photos' section from the match at home against Bettws. For details on how and where to buy the magazine check out their website at www.welsh-football.net. Afan Lido in Welsh League Next Season? Relegation matters in the highest echelon of Welsh football is yet to be decided with Afan Lido appealing against their 3 point reduction. The following report appeared on Welsh-Premier.com today (25/4/05): WHATEVER the outcome of Afan Lido's appeal against their three-point deduction, 17th-place NEWI Cefn Druids are definitely relegated. A Welsh Premier rule change last season states that "the bottom two clubs WILL be relegated". This means that, should either or both of the Cymru Alliance and Welsh League fail to provide a successful promotion candidate, the Welsh Premier would reduce in size to 17 or 16 clubs. Should Lido win their appeal, Airbus UK will return to the Cymru Alliance. The Welsh Premier's member clubs agreed the rule change after Welshpool Town appealed successfully against their relegation in 2002/3, when Welsh Leaguers Neath AFC failed to meet ground criteria. The following was also reported on today: AFAN Lido's seven-year reign in the Welsh Premier is over following Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Welshpool Town, which left the Aberavon club anchored to the bottom spot. Victory at Welshpool would have secured Lido's top-flight status and they now hope for a successful appeal against a three-point deduction for playing the suspended Leigh Shrimpton in the 4-0 victory over Airbus. The last time Lido were relegated in 1995/6, they spent two seasons to return to the top flight. "Relegation is hard to bear," admits manager Mark Robinson. "Once again we worked hard but our lack of goals this season has been a constant problem. "When we went a goal down that was difficult enough, but 2-0 down was a massive task considering our problems in finding the net. "We still feel aggrieved, but we have a good case for the points penalty to be overturned as there is a precedent which we will be highlighting to the appeals panel. Meanwhile, we have to start to prepare for next season as if we were in the Welsh League, but it's a bitter pill to swallow." Asked about his future, Robinson said: "I don't know. I'll be thinking things through over the weekend and discussions will probably take place next week." Neath Athletic To Begin Life In Division Two? Welsh-Premier.com are again credited with the next story as questions are raised over the Neath and Skewen Athleic merger: WEEKEND results in the Motaquote Insurance Welsh League have placed a question mark over the proposed merger of Skewen Athletic and Neath. While Skewen defeated Grange Quins 3-1 at Tennant Park, Neath went down to a 2-1 home defeat against Ely Rangers and are now likely to fill one of the three relegation spots. The League's management may now rule that the new Neath Athletic club, which was expected to make a bold bid for promotion to the Welsh Premier, must play in the second division. Welsh League Division One Fixtures For the Week Ahead Tuesday 26 April 2005
Wednesday 27 April 2005 Saturday 30 April 2005 Rob Dowling |
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18/04/05: TON PENTRE could be champions of Welsh League Division One by the time they play UWIC on Wednesday because if Grange Harlequins draw or lose at home against Briton Ferry on Tuesday evening the Rhondda Bulldogs will be out of reach. If Quins win then Ton Pentre need two points to be certain champions although a draw will probably be enough with their superior goal difference. For Ton not to win the league they must lose their remaining 3 matches and Quins must win all 6 of theirs. But if Quins overcome Briton Ferry they have another tough task away to Skewen on Saturday. Quins could find themselves out of a promotion place by the end of the week if they fail to win their matches and AFC Llwydcoed beat Garw and Bettws. Welsh League Division One (Top)
Lido Docked Points On 14th April 2005 Welsh-Premier.com reported: AFAN Lido's hopes of avoiding relegation from the Welsh Premier have been dealt a severe blow after being deducted three points for fielding a suspended player. The Aberavon club - who were also fined £100 - played defender Leigh Shrimpton in the 4-0 victory against Airbus UK on 11 March, apparently unaware that he was serving a three-match ban. Shrimpton allegedly played under an assumed name for Port Talbot & District Sunday League side Red Lion and was suspended after being sent-off and recognised by the match official. The points deduction leaves Lido level on points with next-bottom Airbus UK, who have played one game more. They also have one game in hand and are two points clear of bottom placed NEWI Cefn Druids, who they meet at Plas Kynaston on Sunday. Lido have indicated they will appeal against the Welsh Premier board's decision. Since that report they lost 4-2 at Connah's Quay on Saturday before making the short journey to Plas Kynaston on Sunday and a 3-0 defeat at the hands of NEWI Cefn Druids. Their situation at the bottom looks like this:
If they finish in the bottom two they will be relegated to Welsh League Division One. Welsh League Division One Fixtures for the Week Ahead Monday 18 April 2005
Tuesday 19 April 2005 Wednesday 20 April 2005 Thursday 21 April 2005 Friday 22 April 2005 Saturday 23 April 2005 Rob Dowling |
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11/04/05: TON PENTRE travel to play Garw Athletic on Saturday, a team that will most certainly be relegated from Division One come the end of the season. Garw were deducted three points earlier this season for failing to field a team and their match at AFC Llwydcoed was postponed because the side were unable to travel. Although they are down on their luck one thing is certain, the eleven players that they'll field on Saturday will attempt to make it as difficult as possible for the Rhondda Bulldogs as they guide themselves to the title. Up & Down With the end of the 2004-05 season drawing ever closer promotion and relegation matters will soon be resolved. Below you'll find the relevant league tables that will effect who will be in and out of Welsh League Division One. Welsh League Division One
N.B. Neath and Skewen Athletic will merge at the end of the season to form Neath Athletic for next season. Welsh Premier (Bottom)
Welsh League Division Two (Top)
Police probe assault on Ton manager POLICE and football authorities are poised to investigate an alleged attack on Ton Pentre manager Kevin Richards during a Welsh League game last Saturday. It is alleged Richards was headbutted in an incident as he was walking towards the dressing rooms with his Briton Ferry opposite number Steve Price at the interval. The confrontation followed a controversial penalty which gave Division One leaders Ton a 2-0 advantage…they eventually won 3-0. Richards, whose career included spells with Ton, Merthyr Tydfil, Inter CableTel and Newport County, said he had reported the matter to the police. “I didn’t retaliate because there’s no place for anything like that in football,” he said. Officials of both the Football Association of Wales and South Wales police said the alleged incident was being investigated. Welsh League Division One Fixtures For The Week Ahead Tuesday 12 April 2005
Wednesday 13 April 2005 Saturday 16 April 2005 Rob Dowling |
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04/04/05: TON PENTRE play host to Barry Town on Wednesday 6 April as the former Welsh Premier champions visit Ynys Park for a Motaquote Welsh League Division One match. The match kicks off at 7.30pm and manager Kevin Richards should be able to welcome Nathan Prygodzicz back to the starting line up following his absence at Briton Ferry last Saturday due to work commitments. Barry Town will be without goalkeeper Damien Lack after the player got injured in the closing minutes of the first half in their 4-0 defeat against Maesteg Park at Treforest. They currently lie in 10th place in the league and will certainly find it an incredibly hard task to overcome the Rhondda Bulldogs on Wednesday evening. Ton Pentre beat Barry 5-0 in the away fixture with Carl Thomas grabbing a goal and Lyndon Williams scoring the other four. On Saturday April 9 the Bulldogs welcome Ely Rangers to Ynys Park who lie third from bottom in the league. Ely were beaten 6-0 at home to a rampant Ton side in November with Carl Thomas and Lyndon Williams on the score sheet once again. However, the star of the show was Ton captain Andrew Hughes who notched up four goals. As Ton look to win six points in these two matches they will also keep an eye on Saturday's match between Maesteg Park and Grange Harlequins. As Maesteg proved when they beat Ton 3-1 in March they are certainly capable of beating the top teams. Welsh League Fixtures for the Week Ahead: Tuesday 5 April 2005
Wednesday 6 April 2005 Saturday 9 April 2005 Rob Dowling |
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28/03/05: WITH Ton Pentre losing to Maesteg Park last Wednesday a glimmer of hope was created for Grange Harlequins chasing the Welsh League title. Ton's title rivals will be looking out for the result of this coming Saturday's match with Briton Ferry for another upset. As Briton Ferry proved on March 2 they are a tough team to beat and could very well throw Ton Pentre's championship hopes off balance. The defeat at home to Maesteg proved that Ton are not indestructible, however, the loss will certainly make the Rhondda Bulldogs more determined for a victory at Briton Ferry. Quins Sign Former Bulldog For Title Run-in Grange Harlequins have signed former Ton Pentre player Eston Chiverton from Carmarthen Town for the Welsh League title run-in. Chiverton's other former clubs include Bath City, Newport County, Merthyr Tydfil and Evesham United. Lido Set For Dive? From welsh-premier.com: AFAN Lido's future in the Welsh Premier League could now lie in the hands of a league enquiry rather than with performances on the field, after the relegation battlers unwittingly fielded an ineligible player. Allegedly, defender Leigh Shrimpton had been playing under his brother's name for Port Talbot and District Sunday League team Red Lion and, following a sending off, received a three-match suspension. He has since played for Lido in the 4-0 home win over Airbus UK before the ban had been served and the league management committee must now decide whether the club are deducted three points for the offence. Lido claim they were unaware of Shrimpton's ineligibility but, in a similar case last season, Welshpool Town were thrown out of the Welsh Cup after discovering they had also made a mistake over a player who had appeared for a feeder club in an earlier round. The loss of points would be a severe blow to the club's hopes of avoiding relegation - they currently lie second bottom on 20 points, level with Airbus and one point adrift of Llanelli. Welsh League Fixtures for the Week Ahead: Tuesday 29 March 2005:
Wedneday 30 March 2005: Saturday 2 April 2005: Rob Dowling |
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21/03/05: MAESTEG PARK will look to frustrate the Bulldogs on Wednesday 23 March as they visit Ynys Park for a Motaquote Welsh League Division One fixture. Ton Pentre sit eight points clear at the top of the league following their 4-0 win over Bettws last weekend but will face a tougher test against Maesteg. Ton's opponents, who currently lie in 7th position, held the Rhondda Bulldogs to a 0-0 draw at Tudor Park and will feel that they can go one better in an attempt to derail Ton's title hopes. Kick off for this match is at 7.30pm. There are no domestic fixtures on Saturday 26 March due to the World Cup 2006 Qualifier between Wales and Austria at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (3pm). The Welsh squad for that match is as follows: Danny COYNE Burnley Tickets are still available for the match. The group currently looks like this: FIFA World Cup European Qualifying Group Six Table
Neath Athletic View Premier Football Taken from welsh-premier.com: ALTHOUGH Afan Lido and Port Talbot have recently rejected a merger proposal, two more clubs in the area will definitely be uniting. Welsh Leaguers Neath AFC and Skewen Athletic have agreed to join forces next season under the banner of Neath Athletic with the aim of securing a place in the top flight. Fifth-placed Skewen and 14th-placed Neath await ratification from the FAW before playing in Welsh League Division One next season at Neath's Llandarcy Park home. In a joint statement, the clubs says a merger will benefit both parties in strengthening their committee, finances and facilities as well as providing a higher standard of football for the whole community. "We're thrilled at the prospect," said Skewen's secretary Tony Melding. "This is a very amicable partnership." Although Port Talbot look likely to avoid the drop from the Welsh Premier, Lido are still in the relegation zone. The merger means that only two clubs will face relegation to Division Two at the end of the current campaign unless two South Wales clubs lose their place in the Welsh Premier, in which case three will go down. Motaquote Welsh League Division One Fixtures for the week: Wednesday 23 March 2005
Thursday 24 March 2005 Rob Dowling |
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14/03/05: WHILE Ton Pentre were beating Dinas Powys 2-1 to take a seven point lead at the summit of the Welsh League Bettws, Ton's next opponents, were going out of the League Cup to Goytre United on penalties. A match against Bettws is never easy home or away but when they visit Ynys Park this Saturday for a 3pm kick off they'll be looking to bounce back against Ton. "Grrowler" The official Ton Pentre matchday programme has been given a good review in the latest issue of Welsh Football magazine (no.100). "There's usually enough reading material to fill the half-time interval at Ynys Park, if not the train journey home." So well done to programme editor Gary Matuszczyk. Welsh Football Appeal The appeal published below popped up on the Welsh League mailing list over the weekend: Welsh Football magazine, the only publication which is dedicated to covering any and every aspect of football in Wales, reaches a major milestone next week with publication of its 100th issue. For over 13 years, this independent publication has charted the highs and lows of the national team, the League of Wales/Welsh Premier and its clubs, as well as countless clubs elsewhere in the pyramid. Hundreds of club features and histories have been published, and thousands of programmes, books, DVDs and websites reviewed. Current editor Dave Collins, who has been involved from the outset in late 1991, and has held the editorial and administrative reins for the past eight years, expresses both pride in the ‘100 up’ and frustration that the magazine still has to fight for survival, its main enemy being apathy from within the game: “Obviously it is great to reach our century of issues, and to be able to say that the magazine’s popularity with its loyal readership is apparently as high as ever, judging by the feedback I receive. Many followers of the game in Wales share my view that Wales simply must have a national soccer magazine, or our claim to nationhood loses some credibility. But the magazine’s popularity goes far beyond Welsh borders too. There is no doubt, either, that the present reproduction quality and the content, is as good as it has ever been. For that I must thank our printers, Harris Printers of Porthcawl, as well as the people who contribute articles, news, statistics and photos – all of them of course giving their time and effort for the love of the game rather than material reward. It remains a matter of pride that we’ve never paid any contributor – not that we could afford to. However, when you’re spending so much of your own time producing something you believe in, it is disappointing that its existence and viability continue to hang in the balance. A handful of Welsh clubs stock Welsh Football in their club shops, quite a few more have a subscription or two, but they are still a minority; we have always said that if every senior club in Wales subscribed, the magazine would be financially secure. I know also there are dozens of people – well-wishers if you like - who tell me they have “always meant to subscribe” (but never get round to it). It’s all very frustrating” Whether Welsh Football will achieve another 100 issues, or even another 50, Dave admits he cannot say at the moment. The key to the answer probably lies in how much the football community of Wales really cares. As the song went “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone” – what a shame if that proved to be the epitaph for Wales’s Independent Soccer Magazine. Issue 100 is out now and can be bought at TS0 Bookshop in Cardiff. Or visit www.welsh-football.net for subscription details. Welsh League Division Fixtures Wednesday 16 March 2005
Friday 18 March 2005 Saturday 19 March 2005 Rob Dowling |
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07/03/05: A SCORCHER from Andrew Hughes and the coolest of finishes from Carl Thomas guided the Bulldogs to victory over title rivals Grange Harlequins last Saturday giving Ton Pentre a five point lead at the top of the Motaquote Welsh League Division One. The table is great to look at:
However, Kevin Richards and his team must stay concentrated to the job in order to keep this fine lead. Such concentration must be used when Ton visit Dinas Powys who despatched of AFC Llwydcoed 1-0 last weekend. For that journey Ton should have a full fit squad if defender Nathan Prygodzicz can get over an injury problem that he picked up in the Briton Ferry match last Wednesday. Hot Shots Although it was a potential for goal of the season, Andrew Hughes' strike against Quins was not enough for him to regain the top spot in the Ton Pentre 2004-05 Top Goalscorers Chart as Lyndon William still sits on top clear by two goals. The top 5 are:
Neath and Skewen to Merge! You may have read about this in the forums on TonPentreAFC.com but incase you've not seen it this message was posted on the Skewen website: Tony Melding 3 March 2005 16:30:40 The committees of Skewen Athletic and Neath AFC are pleased to announce that the two clubs will merge in readiness for season 2005/06, subject to ratification from the Governing Body - the Football Association of Wales. In a joint statement , the respective Chairmen, Steve James and Willie Sandbrook wish to point out that the merger will benefit both parties in strengthening their committee, finances and facilities, as well as providing a high standard of football for the local community. The name of the merged club will be Neath Athletic AFC, and they will use the superb facilities at Llandarcy Park as their new home. In deciding the new name, the respective committees recognised the fact that Skewen Athletic were previously known as Neath Athletic, until circumstances led them to move the Skewen area to play, necessitating them to change to their current name. Neath AFC took on their name after BP closed the refinery at Llandarcy, with the club taking the opportunity of being identified more closely with the town. It was therefore a logical decision that the merged club would be known in future as Neath Athletic AFC. Further information on the agreed merger will be issued in due course. Fixtures for the Week Ahead: Saturday 12 March 2005: Shamrock Travel League Cup Round Four, Kick Off @ 2pm
Motaquote Welsh League Division One Rob Dowling |
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28/02/05: FIRSTLY I must apologise for the absence of an article last week, unfortunately a computer error denied it from being published. Since then Ton Pentre beat Barry Town with a convincing 5-0 win at Treforest FC with the superb Lyndon Williams scoring four goals. Things got better for Ton Pentre last Saturday as AFC Llwydcoed clashed with Grange Quins with neither team able to find the net. This leaves Llwydcoed top, clear by just the one point having played a match more than Ton, and Quins two points behind the Bulldogs on the same amount of games played. Ton play Briton Ferry (who lost 3-1 at home to Ely Rangers last Saturday) on Wednesday evening at Ynys Park, but whatever the result in that match Saturday should provide an exhilarating prospect when Ton play host to Grange Quins. Ahead of the weekend's Division One crunch tie, Grange Quins player/manager Paul Giles said: "I want promotion for the sake of (chairman) David Peaches. He's backing this team and because he's done so much for the Quins we simply want to reward him with promotion." So the Cardiff based team will be ready for their trip to the Rhondda. Neath and Skewen? Rumours have been bouncing around over the past week that neighbours Neath and Skewen Athletic may be considering a merger. "This is south Wales in association with the Evening Post" reported last Friday that: 'Neither Skewen nor Neath wished to go on record over any link-up, but several meetings have been held and it appears as if Llandarcy Park would form the base for any new entity. However, if the move is to go ahead for next season then an announcement would have to be made soon in order to clarify the relegation situation in the top flight.' Motaquote Welsh League Division One Fixtures Wednesday 2 March 2005
Saturday 5 March 2005 Rob Dowling |
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14/02/05: IT’S another vacant Saturday for Ton Pentre as the team are without a Welsh League Division One fixture. Although, that’s not the case for the rest of the league, with two of the weekend’s plum ties seeing Barry Town and Goytre United look to upset AFC Llwydcoed and Grange Harlequins title challenges. Saturday’s full fixture list for Division One can be found below. Top Of Welsh League Division One
New Signing Ton Pentre have signed former Neath, Llanelli and Swansea City winger Richard Cleverley. The player made his Ton Pentre debut in the superb 2-1 away win over Skewen Athletic last Saturday. The signing will strengthen Kevin Richards’ team as the Bulldogs go in search of winning back the Welsh League title. Motaquote Welsh League Division One Saturday 19th February 2005
Rob Dowling |
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07/02/05: IT'S A CRUNCH match for Ton Pentre on Saturday February 12th as the Rhondda Bulldogs visit title chasers Skewen Athletic. The Bulldogs were without a match last Saturday due to UWIC's involvement in the Welsh Cup Fourth Round. However, there were quite a few league fixtures, one of which saw Ton's opponents this coming Saturday involved in another top of the table clash. Skewen were beaten by a Matthew Doherty strike as AFC Llwydcoed took a three point lead over Ton. www.skewenathletic.ik.com published this match report: AFC Llywdcoed 1 Skewen Athletic 0 Saturday February 5th 2005. Of the five games we have lost this season this was the first one that we have deserved to. Our opposition passed it better and worked harder , particularly in the first half when the goal was scored. Sometimes in football you have to admit that a team was better on the day and this was the case here. We did come back at Llwydcoed in the second half but as manager Andrew Dyer reflected our keeper was the busier and they created more chances through the game. It was very disappointing as it was a massive game but we must bounce back at home next week to Ton and hope for some twist and turns as the run in unfolds. Motaquote Welsh League Division One Fixtures: Saturday 12th February 2004
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31/01/05: TON PENTRE are without a match this Saturday due to UWIC’s involvement in the Welsh Cup Fourth Round. However, you’ll still find the weeks Welsh League Division One fixtures at the bottom of this article along with Welsh Cup Round Four matches. News Round Up From Welsh-Premier.com 30 January 2005: QUINS SIGNAL WELSH PREMIER AMBITIONS GRANGE Quins have underlined their ambitions by applying for membership of the Welsh Premier League. One of four Motaquote Welsh League outfits to register their interest, Quins are keen to end the capital's four-year drought since UWIC Inter Cardiff were relegated. Former champions Barry Town has also applied, along with Goytre United and Taffs Well, and any of the four could go up by finishing first or second in their league. However, current leaders and former Welsh Premier side Ton Pentre are not among the promotion hopefuls. "Anything outside the top two would be a complete failure for us," said Quins chairman David Pinches. They currently lie third with games in hand and Pinches added: "We obviously want to be champions and that is still in our hands." From South Wales Echo 28 January 2005: CARDIFF Corries, the oldest football club in South Wales, could fold at the end of this season. The club, formed in 1898, are confident of finishing the current season, but secretary Gerry Thomas admits: "There is a danger Corries could disappear altogether." The problem for Cardiff Corries is a lack of people willing to help run the club off the pitch. They don't have a chairman, while Thomas, 65, is secretary, treasurer, groundsman and bar steward. He marks out the pitch before all games - and then runs the hospitality for visitors. "We have the finances and the players to complete the season and plan for 2005-2006," said Thomas. "But we simply don't have enough people helping in other areas. There are a few of us, but if one can't make it to a game it causes real problems. "We have already called a meeting to discuss the future and we have to be realistic. Can we carry on without more help?" Welsh Cup Round Four Saturday 5 February 2005
Welsh League Division One Fixtures Saturday 5 February 2005 Rob Dowling |
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17/01/05: IT’s an interesting week of fixtures ahead with AFC Llwydcoed travelling to Treforest FC to play Barry Town Tuesday night (February 25) and the Third Round of the Shamrock Travel League Cup on Saturday. Ton are of course out of the cup having lost on penalties in the last round against Goytre United, who face Tredegar Town as their reward. The Rhondda Bulldogs will look to cement their position on top of the Motaquote Welsh League instead on Saturday when they travel to play Maesteg Park Athletic. Before that however, Ton will hope that Barry can upset Llwydcoed’s title challenge with a win at makeshift home White Tips Stadium in Treforest. A win for Llwydcoed would take them to the League’s summit but would have played one more match than Ton. The Weeks fixtures: Tuesday 25 January 2005 Welsh League Division One
Saturday 29 January 2005 Shamrock Travel Cup Round Three (2.00 p.m.) Welsh League Division One Rob Dowling |
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17/01/05: NEATH will prove a tougher test for Ton Pentre than Gwynfi did last Saturday but the Bulldogs will be in search of three points as they look to keep their lead in the Motaquote Welsh League Division One table. Bettws shocked Grange Quins by beating them 1-0 on Saturday leaving the Cardiff outfit five points behind Ton. Quins also face a tough test this coming Saturday when they play host to Dinas Powys. AFC Llwydcoed lie in second place, two points behind Ton, having destroyed Maesteg Park at home 6-1 and must be expected to win all three points when they visit Gwynfi United on the weekend. By full time on Saturday they could find themselves top of Division One if Ton were to lose against Neath. Welsh League Division One (Top of the table)
Welsh League Fixtures for the Week Ahead Wednesday 19 January 2005
Friday 21 January 2005 Saturday 22 January 2005 Rob Dowling |
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10/01/05: SATURDAY will see top versus bottom of the Motaquote Welsh League Division One as Ton Pentre on 40 points take on Gwynfi United on –2 points at Ynys Park. Gwynfi are yet to win a match this season and were deducted 3 points by the Welsh League for failing to field a team earlier on their campaign. Welsh League Division One (Top of the table)
Welsh-Premier.com report today that that national league could be used to test new law changes. The Welsh Premier League could be used as a guinea pig for radical law changes proposed by the FAW. Top of the agenda at February's meeting of the international committee will be a proposal that players can be offside only in their opponent's penalty area. The Association wants to amend the controversial current law which is open to wide interpretation of whether a player is active or passive, although Manchester City boss Joe Mercer once opined "If a player is not interferring with play, what is he doing on the pitch?" A similar experimental law known as the 'goal-hanger's charter' was trialled during Watney Cup games in the early 70s. But Carmarthen Town manager Mark Jones is sceptical about the proposal and suggests it will only lead to more confusion: "I was taught basics as a boy and that is certainly the way I feel football should be played," he said. "If it's not broke, don't fix it." The FAW will also propose that players be booked rather than automatically dismissed for denying an opponent an obvious scoring opportunity, but that the attacking team be awarded a penalty. The latest in goal-line technology will also be demonstrated at the Millennium Stadium following the controversy over Tottenham's 'goal' at Old Trafford last week. It is more than 75 years since the last major change to the offside law, when the number of players needed between an attacker with the ball and the goal-line was reduced from three to two. Welsh League Fixtures for the Week Ahead Friday 14 January 2005
Saturday 15 January 2005 Rob Dowling |
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03/01/05: TON PENTRE face Caerleon at Ynys Park this weekend as leaders of Welsh League Division One. Plus with AFC Llwydcoed and Grange Quins drawing 1-1 over the festive period Ton couldn’t have asked for a better present. With Saturday’s fixture being their first in three weeks the Ton squad should be back to full strength. This is how things stand at the top: Ton Pentre 37, Grange Harlequins 35, AFC Llwydcoed 35, Skewen Athletic 34, Barry Town 32, and Taffs Well 31. Rumour Rumour has it that Kevin Richards has re-signed a midfielder that will boost Ton’s chances of lifting the Welsh League title this season, and it is hoped that he may appear in the team for the match against Caerleon. Ellacott Joins The Well Former Bulldogs ‘keeper Marty Ellacott has left Barry Town to join up with Mark Evans at Taffs Well. This can only be good news for Ton as Ellacott is a talented goalkeeper and is likely to be in the team to face Grange Quins on Saturday. Pulling In The Crowds Welsh-Premier.com reported attendances over the Christmas and New Year festivities vindicated Welsh Premier League secretary John Deakin's back-to-back fixture planning, which saw local derbies on 27 December followed by reverse games over the New Year weekend. Crowds at the 15 games averaged 607 and Caernarfon with 998 spectators, Newtown (915), Port Talbot (840), Caersws (812) and Welshpool Town (480) all broke their record for a home league game. In total, 5,384 fans watched the eight-game programme at Christmas, a league record for a single day's fixtures, headed by the 1,012 who watched Haverfordwest host Carmarthen, only one short of the Bluebirds' highest-ever attendance. A total of 1727 saw the Newtown - Caersws derbies with both clubs breaking their league attendance record. As a result, attendance’s at all league games - which had been running 10% behind last season's - are now averaging 294 - only 2% down on the last campaign. However, Deakin said today that the clubs who managed to get their January 1 fixtures postponed this season will need a better excuse next year than wanting their players to be able to enjoy a New Year's Eve drink! It’s a shame that the Welsh League don’t have a full fixture list over the festive period. Fixtures for the week ahead: Saturday 8th January 2005
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