JD Welsh Cup Second Round
Saturday 8th October Pencoed Athletic BGC 0 Aberystwyth Town 0 (Aber win 3-4 on pens) Aber Town progressed to the last 32 of the Welsh Cup on Saturday, beating South Wales Alliance side Pencoed Athletic on penalties after the hosts held out for a goal less draw in ninety minutes. Successful spot kicks from Jack Thorn, Niall Flint, Jon Owen and Harry Arnison saw the Black and Greens through, although Coed deserve huge credit for a very disciplined defensive performance which prevented Anthony Williams’ men from finding the net. On a sunny afternoon in Bridgend, a good atmosphere was set by the support of Pencoed’s Youth teams, and the redoubtable Aber Sole Crew who came up from Cardiff to roar on the Greens. Will James blasted an early shot wide for Pencoed, then at the other end Sam Litchfield had a shot blocked for a corner, and Iwan Lewis curled an effort just over the bar from the edge of the area. Steff Davies flicked on a goal kick for Flint to shoot wide down the right, and 16 year old home keeper Blazej Krezolek denied an attempt off Louis Bradford’s shoulder soon afterwards with Aber creating plenty of chances. Pencoed’s Jack Delve sent an attempt over the bar from the left side, before the Seasiders responded with Phil Perry sending an excellent attempt from out on the left sailing just over the bar. Ben Erickson delivered a ball which Litchfield headed wide, Flint had a shot blocked and Bradford had a header rebuffed. Despite the pressure Pencoed’s massed defence was holding out well, and in injury time Glyndwr Davies’ free kick tested Lewis Webb’s handiwork in the Aber goal, and the on loan netminder held firm to ensure a goalless scoreline at half time. The first half pattern continued after the break with Aber pressing hard but struggling to find that killer pass. With the Green Army singing them on Thorn sent in a deflected cross which Flint headed over the bar. Coed’s Delve then crossed from the left for Leon Rayner, but Webb got down well to deny the home striker before Aber sub Jon Owen tapped wide from Flint’s corner. Second sub Alex Darlington’s low free kick was deflected for a corner, Flint had a volley blocked, Arnison fizzed a shot just over the bar and Darlington found space down the right before volleying wide, with Aber still struggling to find their shooting boots. Despite Aber’s probing there seemed no way through, and when Perry’s dangerous ball in from the left found Flint’s head the ball deflected agonizingly wide. Bradford’s back header from Thorn’s throw was saved by Krezolek, who then saved a header from Thorn, and Aber survived an injury time corner from Pencoed’s Adam Carpenter to take the tie to penalties. Lewis Webb gave Aber a dream start to the shoot out, brilliantly saving Will Jones’ penalty down to his right, but then Krezolek denied Darlington to keep the scores level. Bleddyn Webster, Glyndwr Davies and Jack Delve converted for the homesters, as did Thorn, Flint and Owen for Aber, and then the crucial moment came when Adam Carpenter skied his spot kick over the crossbar, leaving the door open for Harry Arnison to convert the winning penalty for Anthony Williams’ men, to the relief of the visiting supporters. On a day of shocks in the JD Welsh Cup, progressing was Aber’s first priority and this they did, albeit by the narrow margin of pens. Town failed to convert from a litany of chances, but dominated the game and never really looked like losing the tie – however Pencoed deserve huge credit for their redoubtable defensive effort, and for coming close to a huge cup shock. Everyone at Aberystwyth Town FC wishes Pencoed Athletic BGC all the best for the season, while Town supporters can look forward to this weeks’ Welsh Cup Third Round Draw, and a home game against Haverfordwest County this Friday. Onwards and upwards! Aberystwyth Town Women have had a hellish start to their league campaign - with three defeats out of four so far this season in the Genaro Adran Premier.
But manager Gav Allen is calling on his squad to put that behind them this weekend as they take on Pwllheli in the first round of the FAW Women's Cup at Park Avenue. "It'll be good to get away from the league, get some key individuals back, and I think we can start getting some momentum," Allen said ahead of the cup clash. "I know they're disappointed at the moment, but football is highs and lows - and we're in a low at the minute. "We won our first game last year against Barry, then lost five on the bounce, so we've been here before. I've got a great belief in our squad." The Seasiders kick off at 2pm against Pwllheli at Park Avenue on Sunday 9th October. Pencoed Athletic BGC vs Aberystwyth Town FAW Welsh Cup 2nd Round Saturday 8th October (KO 2.30pm) Aber Town’s Welsh Cup journey gets underway for the 2022/23 season this Saturday, with an intriguing tie away to South Wales Alliance Premier Division outfit Pencoed Athletic BGC. The Welsh Cup holds a special place in the heart of the Green Army, with Aber having reached the final of the famous old competition three times in the last fifteen years, with the famous Declan Walker inspired Semi-Final win over Newtown in 2018 and Freddie Thomas’ extra-time winner against Carmarthen Town in the 2009 semi still talked about to this day. Last season, the Seasiders Welsh Cup journey saw a 9-0 victory at home to Aber Valley FC in Round 2, followed by a 4-1 home win over Cefn Druids in Round 3. In Round 4, a resolute Saltney Town of the Ardal Leagues NW held out for a 0-0 draw, but ATFC won the resulting penalty shootout, before Antonio Corbisiero’s side bowed out in the Quarter Finals to Bala Town. Saturday’s hosts, Pencoed Athletic BGC, play in the 4th tier of Welsh football and are currently 8th in the 15 team South Wales Alliance Premier Division, having won 3 and lost 4 of their 7 games so far. In Harry Davies, they have the 3rd top scorer in the league with 5 goals, whilst Leon Rayner has 4. To reach this stage of the competition, Pencoed beat Afan Utd 3-2 and then Garden Village on penalties following a 0-0 draw. This set up a tie with Brecon Corries, which they won 6-2 with Jack Delve netting a hat-trick. The venue for Saturday’s match will be familiar to ATFC fans, as Pencoed use the SDM Glass Stadium – home of Penybont FC. This will be Aber’s second visit to the ground in three weeks, following the league encounter with Penybont back on 23rd September. The SDM Glass Stadium can be found on Llangewydd Road, Bridgend and the postcode for your sat-nav is CF31 4JU. Entry will cost £5. Our 2022/23 Welsh Cup journey starts here…!! Girls and young women inspired by Sophie Ingle and the rest of Gemma Grainger's Wales superstars - and Aberystwyth Town Women's own national under-19 goalkeeper Elen Valentine - can try football for themselves this half-term.
Aberystwyth Town Women are running another of their hugely successful, award-winning girls-only football camps - where girls can give football a go in a safe, encouraging environment, coached by women from the Aber Town first-team squad. "We are so excited to be back at Park Avenue and introducing even more girls to the beautiful game we love," said Lucie Gwilt, who is leading the initiative for the club. "We look forward to meeting more budding footballers this half-term." Aber Town Women's girls' camp and development centre was recently honoured as FAW's Central Wales Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the year. This half-term's course will run on Wednesday 2nd November, with sessions for 7- to 14-year-olds (9am - 3pm full day) - with 4- to 6-year-olds enjoying a half-day (9am - 12pm). For more information or to sign up, just drop Lucie a line on abertownladiesfc@gmail.com. It was another defeat for injury-ravaged Aberystwyth Town Women, soundly beaten 4-0 at Park Avenue by six-time top-flight champions Cardiff Met WFC.
The Seasiders staged a lively second-half response after going in at the break three down - but could not muster anything in the way of goals. And Rebecca Mathias - stand-in skipper while Kel Thomas recovers from a knock - is urging the team to keep their heads up and concentrate on taking their chances. "It's frustrating again, really, to lose another game," she said afterwards. "In a game against the top three, you're always limited with chances. For us it's not about creating, it's taking them. The last couple of games could have been completely different." Libby Isaac, Tania Wylde and Hannah Pusey showed glimpses of a good understanding going forward. But even another impressive display from Wales under-19 keeper Elen Valentine couldn't keep Aber in touch with their illustrious opponents after a series of defensive errors. JD Cymru Premier
Saturday 1st October Cardiff Met 2 Aberystwyth Town 1 Aber Town came back down to earth after Tuesday’s win, going down to Cardiff Met in the Capital by two goals to one on the first day of October. On a blustery day Lewis Rees gave the hosts the lead on 9 minutes, and doubled the lead 18 minutes later, but the visitors fought back in the second half and Alex Darlington’s fourth goal of the season gave the travelling hordes hopes of a comeback with ten minutes to go, but Met held on for the victory. A superb and noisy following of well over thirty souls greeted the Black and Greens as they ran out, however the hosts played with a strong wind in the first half, and dominated the early exchanges. Harry Owen crossed early for Eliot Evans to head wide in the early stages, then Owen set up Rees on the edge of the area and the TNS loanee found the bottom corner to open the scoring. Evans saw a cross cut shot gathered by Lewis Rees in Aber’s goal, and then punched clear an Emlyn Lewis effort to Evans, who shot wide. The hosts kept coming, and on 27 minutes Rees sent in a devilish wind assisted corner from the right, which deceived Rees and crossed the line for a second Cardiff Met goal. Aber were mostly restricted to a small number of free kicks, although there were penalty shouts when Jonathan Evans burst into the box, and Niall Flint sent in a great cross which evaded all visiting players: however Cardiff Met definitely coped with the difficult conditions the better and deserved to be ahead at the break. Visiting supporters hoped for a fight back in the second 45 and certainly the conditions were in Aber’s favour with a strong Westerly wind now blowing towards Alex Lang’s goal. Harri Horwood did well to block Evans early on, and then at the other end Charley Edge had a shot blocked and Horwood fired wide. John Owen was called offside before scoring, then Chris Craven volleyed wide for Met and Lewis Rees curled another attempt over. The Seasiders were inches from a goal when Iwan Lewis nicked into the box and smashed a shot against the crossbar from the right, then Lang punched Sam Phillips’ corner clear, with the visiting fans in good voice and roaring their side to a recovery. Harry Arnison made a superb tackle to deny Met a third, and a series of Aber free kicks came to nothing. However with ten minutes to go an Edge corner was recycled back the selfsame player, and his ball in from the right wing was snaffled home by super sub Darlington from close range to halve the lead. Webb had to save an attempt from sub Craig Davies, but Aber kept pressing with Met breaking the game down at every opportunity. Sam Phillips’ ball in was headed wide in injury time, before Jack Thorn’s deep ball found big Jon Owen at the back stick, but his volley skimmed narrowly past the post, and the hosts held out for a big win, although Aber were clapped off the field by their loyal supporters. In truth this match was not helped by the weather conditions, and neither side would claim it as a classic. The visitors recovered from a shaky start and were inches away from a late equaliser, but they also know they can play better, and will look forward to the opportunity to bring some sunshine to their travelling fans next Saturday in the Welsh Cup Second Round. The SDM Glass Stadium, home of Penybont, hosts the match away to Pencoed Athletic Boys and Girls Club, with a 2.30pm kick off. Another date with the M4 beckons! |
Gem Nesaf
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Ebost / Email: AberTownFC@live.co.uk
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