Dinas Powys wins on penalties

Dinas travelled to Penrhiwfer for this Welsh Cup 1st Qualifying Round tie by coach with a good number of supporters making the trip.

The first half was almost entirely dominated by Dinas, playing some lovely football to feet and keeping the ball well.

As early as the 2nd minute Ben Ah-Mun chipped the ball into the path of King Junior Mwedzo but his shot cleared the bar. Then a deep cross by Nicky Bruce was just too high for Ah-Mun to head when well placed. The pressure continued with a through ball to Ah-Mun who spun and beat his marker but his shot from the edge of the box was just wide.

The hosts had the occasional foray into the Dinas area, Craig Davies trying his luck from 25 yards which was wide.

On the 15 minute mark Nicky Bruce made progress down the left and then released Ryan Garland who beat the full back to hit a curling shot but the angle was too acute and it hit the side netting.

Dinas skipper James Bloxham had to be alert when Paul Gregory put in a dangerous looking cross from the left but Bloxham cleared the danger.

The visitors were still dominating the game and Nicky Bruce almost opened the scoring when he hit the post with a superb free kick from 25 yards. They finally got the breakthrough on 25 minutes after a deep free kick from Steve Provis forced a corner which Bruce took finding Khalid Inyang at the far post to head home giving Steve Taylor no chance of making a save.

The hosts rallied for a while then trying to get on terms and they forced two corners, the second of which reached striker John Edwards but his shot didn't trouble Dinas keeper Jack Perks and sailed over the bar. It was Edwards again a couple of minutes later who was played through but the Dinas defence forced him wide to shoot with his left and Perks gathered the ball comfortably.

The hosts were getting more of the ball in the last few minutes of the half and after a free kick was floated into the Dinas box a goalmouth scramble ensued but Dinas finally cleared it and at the other end Keiron James had a half-chance when he hit a powerful shot which was on target but hit a defender and went out for an unproductive corner and as the half-time whistle blew Dinas were well worth their slender lead.

The second half was completely different with the hosts looking more dangerous and the young Dinas side seemed to lose their composure. Penrhiwfer adopted the ploy of playing balls out wide to the right touchline where they found Craig Cook time and time again and he was getting the better of Nicky Bruce to put in a succession of good crosses.

This was when Dinas keeper Perks came into his own often dashing off his line to clear the ball, sometimes heading it if he was just outside his area, impressing the Dinas management team of Lee Saunders and Richie Garland, especially as it was his first outing at this level.

Dinas had a golden chance to increase their lead when Bruce put Ah-Mun through one on one with the keeper but his shot was too central and Taylor scrambled it away.

The visitors were trying to get their possession football going again and some fine one touch football by Bruce, Inyang and Ah-Mun was finally broken down by a determined Penrhiwfer midfield and Dinas had a narrow escape when yet another cross from Cook reached Gregory at the far post, he laid it on for Edwards to hit a powerful shot which cannoned off the crossbar and was cleared.

Dinas then rang the changes with 20 minutes gone, Jack Preston replacing Mwedzo and just a minute after this Penrhiwfer got on level terms, a superb free kick by Davies from 30 yards rifled into the top corner of the net for 1-1.

The hosts had the bit between their teeth now and Edwards found Cook out wide who hit a swerving shot but Perks made a superb save.

With 20 minutes still to play Dinas brought on the skillful Zach Cleary for Inyang and they rallied for a while, a Bruce free kick was headed just over the bar by Ah-Mun and then Ah-Mun turned provider feeding Preston but his effort hit the side netting.

Dinas kept up the pressure with a Garland free kick looking on target but clipped a man in the wall and went out for a corner and some silky skills by Cleary gave him room to get a shot away from just outside the box but it went wide and in the last minute Cleary played Ah-Mun through on goal but he was adjudged offside and the game went into extra-time.

Penrhiwfer had a free kick taken by Davies early in the first period but no one could get on the end of it and Dinas had some good build up play involving Akmol Ali and Ah-Mun but the final ball was missing. They did, however, get the ball in the net when Bruce and Cleary combined to put Preston in on goal, he beat Taylor but the goal was disallowed for a dubious offside.

Dinas had Luke Swaffield to thank at the other end when it looked as if James Tuemeath must score but he made a superb tackle and Perks was able to gather the ball.

In the second period a deep cross by Provis gave Taylor some problems but he gathered it at the second attempt. Dinas probably having the better of the last few minutes with a good lay-off from Cleary to Garland who forced Taylor into making a good save and time ran out meaning the tie must be settled by penalties.

This was when Perks came into his own and earning the Dinas man-of-the match award

Ben Ah-Mun despatched the first one giving Taylor no chance. Perks saved from Davies, Jack Preston had his saved by Taylor. Substitute Justin Carr was the only Penrhiwfer taker to beat Perks and Bruce along with Garland both netted successfully for Dinas with Morrissey and Daniels unable to beat Perks, meaning Dinas won the penalty shoot-out by 3-1 to progress to the next round.

Dinas squad: 1 Jack Perks, 2 Luke Swaffield, 3 Nicky Bruce, 4 Steve Provis, 5 James Bloxham (c), 6 Akmol Ali, 7 Ryan Garland, 8 Khalid Inyang (1), 9 Ben Ah-Mun, 10 King Junior Mwedzo, 11 Keiron James, 12 Jack Preston, 14 Rizwan Ahmed, 15 Zach Cleary, 16 Carlos Indjai.

It's back to league action on Saturday 6th September for Dinas when Croesyceiliog are the visitors to The Murch, K.O. 2.30pm.

Peter King