Sports bounce back and go four points clear (From Penarth Times)

Sports bounce back and go four points clear

PANT YR AWEL 1

SULLY SPORTS 5

SULLY travelled to the Ogmore Valley for their South Wales League Division One match last Saturday and found the pitch in fair condition after the recent rains.

An improved performance was needed after the disappointment of last week's cup exit.

Third-placed Pant are a strong force on their own ground and they took a 10th-minute lead when a clearance was pounced on by Simon Locke and he volleyed home via a deflection.

The play went end to end, with Joe Hinds raiding down the line, causing problems for the experienced Pant defence.

Sully were applying the pressure and deservedly equalised when Drew Fahiya and Spencer Lamb combined for Lamb to slot the ball past the keeper.

Both teams were playing hard football and the referee was busy calming the situation down, but things erupted on half-time when a late tackle felled a Sully player.

The first action after the resumption saw a full-blooded, committed tackle from Ross Taylor, which set the scene for a determined Sports, and they continued in the same vein throughout the match.

Sports took the lead with a spectacular Anthony Ferguson shot from 25 yards which finished in the top righthand corner of the net.

A Joe Hinds run took him into the box and he was blatantly taken out, but the resultant penalty was skied over the bar, which could have proved costly.

Spencer Lamb soon made amends when he capitalised on a defensive error to increase Sports' lead.

A fine run from Fahiya into the box saw him find Ferguson, who drove home from the far post.

The Sports defence had coped excellently with the classy Pant forwards and the confidence spread through the team as they notched a fifth goal, when Nigel Underdown's shot was too hot for the keeper and the ball span over the line.

With Pant chasing the game, Sports played out the final moments for a very professional victory which takes them four points clear at the top.

Next Saturday, Sports entertain old rivals Ynyshir, who are facing a relegation battle, so Sully will have to be at their best. Players to report at 1pm at Swanbridge

SULLY SPORTS 1

RHOOSE 2

A well-contested game in the Vale of Glamorgan ASRS Cup saw Rhoose having the lions' share of the scoring opportunities.

The performance of young David Niblett in the Sports goal deserves special mention, as he made a series of fine saves.

With the scores level at 1-1 - Jordan Ross scoring for Sully - the game was heading for extra time, but Rhoose won the tie with the last kick of the game.

This was probably a fair result, as Sports had been forced to defend for long periods, but they made Rhoose work hard for their entry to the next round.

This Saturday, Sports entertain Harrison Forse in the first of two consecutive games between the teams, KO 1.15pm at Swanbridge.

BLUEBIRDS 5

SULLY SPORTS 1

This was a reasonable performance from the Vets against a young Bluebirds team in a Vale of Glamorgan Division Two game at the Sports Centre. The Vets' consolation goal came from Puddle from close in.

The Vets are growing stronger and more youthful as time goes by and could develop into a decent team in the coming months.