COGAN Coronation hosted Margam Youth Centre in Saturday’s South Wales FA Senior League Division Two fixture. It was a match that Cogan dominated from start to finish, and the 2-0 score line could’ve been far greater. From the first whistle Cogan were on the attack with a display of passing football that was enjoyable to watch. The high energy movement and strong team work ethic meant that surely a goal would come. But the opposition kept men behind the ball and defended well.

As so often in these cases when you have the lion’s share of possession but can’t find the opening goal, you wonder if the opposition will breakaway and score. However, the Cogan defence were focused and resolute, the midfield tracked back to help their teammates defend and keeper Ed Smith claimed his first clean sheet of the season with a sound display and positive decision making.

The score was all square at half time and the second half was a mirror image of the first in terms of Cogan going on the offensive throughout. The opposition tried to frustrate and the chances carved out were better than that of the first half, as Cogan sought to be a little more direct. Although, with 20 minutes to play and the score still 0-0 the substitutions were made.

Enter Grant Beedell who took to the field like a man possessed! Every time Grant got on the ball he ran at the defence taking players on and cutting in straight for goal. On one such attack Grant got in behind the oppositions defence, hitting the byline before squaring the ball into the path of Gavin Beddard who fired the ‘Coro’ into a 1-0 lead.

Cogan’s second goal followed some 10 minutes later, as an almost identical run from Grant Beedell but this time from wide right, played the ball into Leigh Bennett on the edge of the box. Leigh’s intelligent run from deep caught the opposition’s defence napping, before he accelerated through the ranks to toe poke the ball past the keeper and into the Margam net.

The score could’ve been a lot higher for Cogan but the blue and whites will be happy with all 3 points and an excellent team performance to match. Just as impressive was how the team kept focused and didn’t allow frustrations to take over. Note worthy performances was from outstanding man of the match Stewart Owadally, Leigh Bennett at left back and then central midfield, Gavin Beddard and Grant Beedell upfront.