Poole saves the day (From Penarth Times)

Poole saves the day

IT WAS another home game for Dinas Powys last Saturday when they entertained Treharris in the Second Division of the Welsh League.

The visitors had improved comsiderably since the beginning of the season putting together a run of good results and like the Villagers were making a bold bid for promotion to the higher echelons of the pyramid system in Welsh football.

Pre-match debate centred around the pitch. Considering the amount of rain that had fallen it was remarkable that there was any possibility of a match.

Suffice to say it would take a stud! But would it hamper the free-flowing football that had been the hallmark of the Villagers campaign so far this season?

Before the kick-off it was cameras to the forefront as Jay from Bargain Booze on the Cardiff Road in Dinas presented a hefty sponsorship cheque to the Dinas Chairman Paul Marks.

Team news was that assistant manager Peter Walker continued to deputise for the unavailable Ray John in the heart of the defence whilst manager Paul Giles took a rest to the bench to accommodate the return to the starting line-up of Nathan Hosgood.

It was certainly welcome back Nathan as in the first minute he was unceremoniously dumped to the ground and the Treharris defender was booked.

This set the pattern of play as far as the visitors were concerned.

They were determined to ensure Dinas didn't get any rhythm into their game by attemtping to out-muscle them on every occasion.

Set pieces would seem the hosts best bet and after 10 minutes Jamie Dix glanced in a header from an excellent Geoff Poole corner but the referee adjudged he had impeded the keeper.

The war of attrition continued as the hard-pressed referee dealt out more cards than Paul Daniels, all of the yellow variety but it was still the Villagers who were playing the better football and threatening to open the scoring.

Poole had found his range with the corners and another effort caused consternation in the visitor's defence but Hosgood just failed to make the right connection.

It wasn't one way traffic and Duncan Smith brought off a flying save to deny the visitors a breakaway goal.

After the break it was still Dinas ahead on points and they continued to press for all three whilst Treharris seemed to have settled for the draw.

Then, against the run of play, the visitors opened the scoring.

An innocuous looking attack was broken up and the danger had seemed to have passed but an unfortunate slip let the visitors in and they took full advantage.

Now the Villagers were up against it as Treharris defended even deeper, ensuring every man was behind the ball to hold on to what they had.

Dinas threw caution to the wind, ringing the changes with Giles and Lee Street providing fresh legs in an attempt to claw back a deserved equaliser.

It came with only three minutes remaining

Another free-kick was awarded to Dinas and as they say, "cometh the hour cometh the man", and Poole stepped up to hit a 25 yard humdinger into the bottom corner.

A frustrasting day for the Villagers but one point is better than none. Stars of the show were the unsung heroes at the back who were strong against very physical opposition.

Captain Danny Street led by example and was ably supported by the experienced Walker and youngster Lloyd Davies, while keeper Smith, in difficult conditions, handled everything that came his way.

Quite rightly the Alan and Maureen Giles award for Man of the Match presented at the Star after the game went to one of the boys at the back, skipper Danny Street.

On Saturday it's another home fixture against Taffs Well, kick off 2.15pm.