Caerau FC 2-4 Dinas Powys

DINAS finally completed their 2013/14 fixtures on Wednesday, May 14 after the game was postponed the previous Saturday because of a waterlogged pitch.

The pitch was still very heavy after the rain at the weekend and it took Dinas a while to get their passing rhythm going, not helped by the fact that both usual central defenders were unavailable.

Ryan Garland had a good run into the box but his effort was straight at Caerau keeper Jared Rumph. This was followed by a fine run down the right wing by Carlos Indjai who was eventually brought down.

Another half-chance came Dinas' way when a cross from Nicky Bruce reached Joe Briscombe whose header was just wide but he was adjudged offside anyway. The makeshift Dinas centre back pairing of Victor Arnau and Connor Parsons were taking time to settle and keeper James Curtin had to be alert to rush out and smother the ball when striker Johnson broke through the defence. Another chance came Caerau's way from a free kick by Greg Francis which was headed just wide by Johnson, but it was the home side that netted first, when Johnson, who looked to be Caerau's best player, broke through again to beat Curtin for 1-0 on the 20 minute mark.

Dinas kept plugging away and a good turn and run by Garland ended with a swerving shot going just wide of the post.

Luke Swaffield was then brought down on the edge of the box but Garland's effort was straight at the keeper. However Dinas finally levelled when a throw in by Bruce was half cleared to Connor Parsons who rifled a shot into the top of the net for 1-1 from 22 yards on 38 minutes.

Dinas were now getting more possession but the hosts looked dangerous on the break and the half ended with Dinas thinking they should have taken something from the chances they created.

Caerau caught Dinas napping just 2 minutes into the second half when that man Johnson netted again from an acute angle on the left.for 2-1. Despite this setback Dinas were getting on top and a cross from Luke Swaffield reached Garland who brought a fine save from Rumph. Dinas kept pressing with some fine inter-passing between Marc Bonet, Parsons and young full back Ronan Scott who slipped just as he was about to deliver a cross.

Ten minutes into the half Dinas levelled again, Zac Cleary ran through to slot home just inside the post for 2-2. Indjai should have given Dinas the lead when through one on one with the keeper but his effort just scraped the outside of the post. Also from a Nicky Bruce corner the ball was pinging back and forth in the six yard box without anyone getting the final touch.

Fresh legs were then brought on with Swaffield and Arnau being replaced by Ben Ahmun and Dimitri Fallas. Fallas made his mark within a minute, side-footing the ball into the net from a pass by Scott for 3-2. It was pretty much all one way after this except for a speculative free kick by Francis on the half-way line which Curtin gathered at full stretch just under the bar.

Dinas made the game safe when a Bruce free kick was slammed in at the far post by Garland for 4-2.

Further chances came for Dinas, the best of which was an excellent run by Indjai, beating three tackles to curl the ball just over the bar and despite a late scare when Johnson clipped the outside of the post from 10 yards, Dinas saw the game out to take the points.

Dinas squad: 1 James Curtin (c), 2 Ronan Scott, 3 Nicky Bruce, 4 Victor Arnau, 5 Connor Parsons (1), 6 Marc Bonet, 7 Ryan Garland (1), 8 Luke Swaffield, 9 Joe Briscombe, 10 Zac Cleary (1), 11 Carlos Indjai, 12 Ben Ahmun, 14 Dimitri Fallas (1), 15 Anthony Herrin.