Villagers slip up (From Penarth Times)

Villagers slip up

IT WAS a depressing Easter Bank Holiday for Dinas Powys AFC, taking the long trek to Tredegar Town last Saturday they went down 2-0.

The glorious sunshine preceding match day had given way to cold blustery conditions on a pitch exposed to the elements from all sides.

A swirling wind was going to make it difficult to get the ball on the deck and play attractive football, but as they say, it's the same for both sides.

The Villagers injury list was getting longer with Joe Finlayson unavailable and Neil Jeremy confined to the bench, to play a walk-on part if required.

Assistant manager Peter Walker again deputised at the back.

The home side adapted to the conditions better in the opening exchanges and threatened the Dinas goal by effective use of route one.

On the half hour the Tredegar method paid dividends but it still had an element of luck.

A long ball into the heart of the visitors defence looked to be odds on to be cleared, especially when the lone Tredegar striker tumbled to the ground.

Unfortunately the clearance didn't come and the ball fell to the surprised striker, who got to his feet and chipped the ball over keeper Duncan Smith into the roof of the net.

To be fair to the Villagers they kept plugging away but all to no avail.

Their luck was out when neat skill from Nathan Hosgood on the left gave him space but his curled shot hit the angle between post and bar and went out for a goal kick.

Player/Manager Paul Giles rang the changes after the break bringing on Jeremy, Spencer Lamb and David Mann in a desperate attempt to get the equaliser.

The closest they got was when Lamb hit a snap-shot from close range but the keeper brought off a "David Seaman save".

With minutes remaining and Dinas pressing forward, a break-out left the Villagers exposed at the back and a low angled shot beat keeper Smith to make the game safe for the home side.

Giles was magnanimous in defeat and congratulated the "Town" officials on a deserved victory.

Although disappointed with the team's performance he told the players it was a "blip" on the road to the championship and it was important not to look back but concentrate on the next three games to ensure promotion and finish at the top of Division Two.

His immediate after-match comments were vindicated when in the Tredegar clubhouse after the game other results in the league filtered through.

The all important match was between near rivals Bridgend and AFC Llwydcoed which finished in a 1-1 draw.

This meant that Bridgend could only equal the Villagers current points total if they won their two remaining games whilst their goal difference was 24 worse than the Villagers!

So mathematically Dinas are not in Division One of the Welsh League yet so the champagne stays on ice but one point from the last three games guarantees promotion.

By the time of publication the team will have played one of these matches, away to Treharris yesterday (Wednesday, April 23), whilst this Saturday they travel to Newport YMCA.

Their last league fixture is at the Murch on Saturday, May 3 against Ammanford, so make a date to be at the Murch to see if promotion and possibly the championship are still to be played for.

Top of the table placings are shown below, note that the Quins have to travel to AFC Llwydcoed.

So it's important that Giles' comments are taken on board because there is still everything to play for.