Six points gained (From Penarth Times)

Six points gained

LAST WEEK Dinas Powys AFC again played two games in their third Division Welsh League campaign.

It was another six points gained as they defeated Caldicot away 2-1 on Tuesday night and then were victorious on Saturday at the Murch beating Caerau Maesteg 4-1.

Two wins, but the way in which they were achieved was entirely different. The Caldicot fixture was always going to be difficult. The Villagers would be playing only their second match of the season under floodlights against a team who were desperate for the points to maintain their promotion prospects.

The game commenced at a frantic pace (in fact it didn't let up until the final whistle), but a little bit of Nathan Hosgood magic calmed things down momentarily when Dinas took the lead after only eight minutes.

Hosgood took a short pass just inside the opposition half, dummied two defenders and made progress towards goal, feinting to pass to his co-striker Jamie Dix, who had made an excellent run, he opted to shoot from all of 30 yards and found the top corner with a superb strike.

Five minutes later Hosgood almost put daylight between the two sides when he flicked on a David Mann header from close range only for the keeper to make an exemplary instinctive save. Moments later the Dinas striking duo were at it again. This time Dix threaded a ball to Hosgood who, under severe pressure from chasing defenders still managed to get his shot on goal but the Caldicot keeper was certainly making amends for being caught off his line for the first goal, with another fine stop.

It wasn't one way traffic and the defensive trio of Danny Street, Neil Herniman and Peter Walker had to be at their best to stem the flow of the Caldicot counter attacks.

It seemed like a job half well done as the Dinas players approached the break for a well earned rest, but then disaster. Herniman got too involved with one of the Caldicot strikers and the referee deemed it a red card offence when perhaps yellow would have been more appropriate. So Dinas faced the next 45 minutes against a marauding side with only ten men.

Managers Paul Giles and John Herniman moved Mann from midfield to defence and Dix into midfield leaving Hosgood as the lone strike force. It was going to be backs to the wall stuff as Caldicot threw everyone forward in search of the equaliser. On the hour they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box. The resultant shot was arrowing towards the top corner but keeper Duncan Smith acrobatically turned it onto the cross-bar, unfortunately for him it didn't bounce over but fell into the goalmouth for the Caldicot centre forfard to tap into an empty net.

With 30 minutes remaining the clever money was now on Caldicot to snatch the winner along with the Villagers unbeaten league record. But this squad has courage and character in abundance and after defending stoutly for 15 minutes, they got a deserved break. Again it was Hosgood at the centre of the action. He chased a long ball out of defence, beat one defender and teased and turned another just inside the box and was pulled down for an obvious penalty.

With regular penalty taker Paul Giles sidelined it was left to Hosgood to shoulder the responsibility which he did, sending the keeper the wrong way with a cool spot kick.

The last 15 minutes was a reenactment of 'The Alamo' as Caldicot put on the pressure. Peter Walker showed his leadership qualities and was formidable in cajouling every ounce of effort from his team mates.

This was a game for heroes which the players and the large contingent of travelling supporters will remember for a long time.

Perhaps it was a case of "After the Lord Major's Show," but Saturday's game against Caerau was certainly an anti-climax. The visitors are struggling at the foot of the league so the form book suggested an easy win the the Villagers. The only change was Neil Jeremy for the injured Geoff Poole.

The Villagers has most of the play in the first half but chances went abegging and bad luck also played its part with both Herniman and Foote hitting the woodwork.

The first goal came just after the restart when Hooper found the top corner with a header from a corner. The floodgates didn't open to Caerau's credit and it took another 15 minutes for Dinas to get the second and make the game apparently safe. Jeremy knocked a short pass to Hosgood who made the bye-line and then put over a delightful cross for Foote to head home. However, just five minutes later Caerau were back in it when a defensive lapse allowed them to make it 2-1.

Just before the end a Dix thunderbolt from 20 yards added another and Robbie James tucked home a rebound from the keeper's chest. So, with three to go up, another four points will secure the Villagers first objective of achieving promotion.

On Saturday the team is away at Ebbw Vale while the following Wednesday they are away again at Albion Rovers under floodlights.