Murch Cup battle (From Penarth Times)

Murch Cup battle

DINAS POWYS AFC had a rest from the hustle and bustle of league football last Saturday as it was the cut and thrust of the cup with the visitors to the Murch being Pontlottyn BF.

The Cynffig Motors Cup competition is open to clubs from the three divisions of the Welsh League. In the opening round the Villagers had secured a memorable victory overcoming Maesteg from Division One after extra time and penalties.

This time the opposition was from Division Three, so with Dinas riding high at the top of the second division they were odds on to progress into the last 16.

Progress they did, but only after an almighty battle scraping through 3-2 after extra-time.

Player manager Paul Giles kept the same team which had put together six straight wins in the league with the one exception being the return of assistant coach Peter Walker for the unavailable Ray John in the heart of the defence.

Early on the game went with the script as Dinas pressurised the visitors playing neat controlled football and it was no surprise when they took the lead after only 12 minutes.

Geoff Poole was the instigator finding Leigh Vick with a superb 50 yard cross field pass. Vick found Giles backing up and his 'dinked' cross to the far post left Spencer Lamb with the simple task of prodding the ball into the empty net.

The hosts kept up the momentum but couldn't get the all important second goal which would have finished off the visitors.

Chances came and went and they paid dearly when, against the run of play, the visitors equalised on the half hour after sloppy play in the Dinas defence.

Offside trap

The game changed as the Villagers confidence seemed to visibly drain away and they were fortunate not to go behind when, from a corner, Pontlottyn had a header cleared off the line by the ever alert Neil Jeremy.

At the other end the Dinas strike force were being continually caught in the visitors offside trap and it seemed at this stage that Pontlottyn wanted the game more than Dinas.

It went from bad to worse when, just before the break, the visitors took the lead. A shot from just outside the box beat keeper Duncan Smith all ends up.

Dinas came out after the interval determined to get back into the game but the visitors were vigorous in defence and frustrated the Villagers with time wasting tactics.

Ringing the changes

On the hour Giles tried substitutes as a means of breaking the deadlock with Robert King and Nathan Hosgood coming on for Lamb and Matthew Higgenson.

It was good to see Hosgood back in the fold after his four week break due to injury.

Still Dinas couldn't get back on terms and Giles made his last change sacrificing a defender for an attacker taking off Lloyd Davies for Rhodri Foote.

Pontlottyn were getting desperate and an illegal challenge and subsequent retaliation saw Foote and a Pontlottyn defender being sent off for an early bath.

With only minutes left on the watch the Villagers' persistence paid off.

Again it stemmed from a long diagonal pass from Poole. This time it found Giles whose cross was headed home by an ecstatic Jamie Dix.

Extra time

So it was extra time again.

The visitors defence was tiring, but their keeper was on top of his game bringing off a series of excellent stops. It would take a good one to beat him and it was that man Hosgood again.

Taking a short pass from Jeremy, he went forward and blasted a grass cutter from 25 yards into the corner.

Pleased

On the overall balance of play Dinas deserved the victory with manager Giles complimentary on the efforts of the visitors.

They came down looking for a scalp and almost overturned the form book but he was pleased with the spirit shown by the squad in never giving up to the final whistle.

He was delighted to be in the last 16 and was looking for another home draw!

The man of the match award, presented at the club's headquarters, The Star, went to Leigh Vick whilst supporters found out what the BF stood for in Pontlottyn BF - blast furnace!

The team is home again on Saturday (kick off 2.15pm) against Treharris in the league.

The visitors are in a rich vein of form having beaten Taffs Well recently.