DINAS Powys played Aberbargoed Buds with the Buds won 1-0. The match ball was kindly donated by Dinas Powys RFC.

Dinas completed their 2014-15 fixtures with a home tie against promoted side Aberbargoed Buds where just the one goal separated the two sides.

Dinas started brightly with good inter-passing between Nicky Bruce, Sam Johnson and King Junior Mwedzo, but it was the Buds who forced the first corner and Dinas ‘keeper James Curtin had to make a good save from a striker's header. Liam Shaw then made a strong run into the Dinas box but his effort was an easy take for Curtin.

Mwedzo then won a corner for Dinas with his trickery which was cleared. Some good play by Ben Ah-Mun turned defence into attack for Dinas without any end product.

Curtin was soon in action again cutting out a deep cross from the left by Elliot Williams and it was Williams again a few minutes later who got a shot on target under pressure from the Dinas defence which was an easy take for Curtin.

Charlie Baister won a corner for Dinas which was taken by Bruce, the ball just too high for Dinas striker Donnelly to get a head on it.

Midfield dynamo Keiron James was then tripped some 25 yards from goal, Bruce hit it hard and low forcing David Burnett into a save.

At the other end Curtin was soon in action again, taking a deep cross from the left high under his cross bar but the Buds were not to be denied and Scott Armitage somehow evaded two tackles to beat Curtin for what proved to be the only goal of the game on 25 minutes.

Dinas shook off the disappointment and some slick inter-passing between Bruce and Ah-Mun set Johnson away down the right where he forced a corner which was half cleared and Luke Swaffield put in a cross which was too high for Johnson to get anything on.

The visitors were keeping the ball better and winning more of the second balls at this stage but a strong run into their box by James gave them some concern but he was eventually dispossessed and just before the interval, James Bloxham got a head on another Bruce corner but his effort was wide and at the interval the Buds just about deserved the lead.

The visitors started the second period strongly, keeping the ball well with a succession of passes although deep in their own half, they did get a deep cross in from the right back however was volleyed goal-ward by Wayne Antonazzi but the ball cleared the cross-bar.

Some determined play under pressure by Johnson won Dinas another corner which ended with a spectacular bicycle kick by Connor Caton which was just wide of Burnett's left post.

From a Buds corner a goalmouth scramble ensued culminating in the ball clearing Curtin's cross-bar.

Manager Lee Saunders then rang the changes bringing on Jamie Bagnall for young Charlie Baister with 25 minutes remaining. Dinas had half a chance when Ah-Mun threaded a through ball to Johnson but there was too much weight on the pass and Burnett got there first.

Disaster then struck for Dinas when striker Nathan Donnelly was sent off for a second bookable offence, somewhat harshly was the general feeling, so Dinas had some 20 minutes to play with 10 men but, if anything, they began to play better and a through ball by James reached Johnson but he scuffed his shot when well placed.

Then Mwedzo pressurised the Buds defence, twisting and turning but eventually Burnett grabbed the ball.

Swaffield was then replaced by Mamadu Banguraso. Jamie Bagnall put in a dangerous looking cross which somehow evaded Mwedzo and Johnson and ran out for a goal kick.

Dinas then made their final substitution, James Alloway replacing Bruce who had been booked.

Curtin showed his worth again just after the substitution making a superb save from Armitage and Bloxham made a fantastic last ditch tackle on the same player a couple of minutes later when it looked as though he must score.

Dinas finished the game with some pressure in the final few minutes but never really tested Burnett and the Buds just about deserved to finish their season with a win.

Dinas: 1 James Curtin, 2 Luke Swaffield, 3 Nicky Bruce, 4 James Bloxham (c), 5 Connor Caton, 6 Keiron James, 7 Charlie Baister, 8 Ben Ah-Mun, 9 Nathan Donnelly, 10 King Junior Mwedzo, 11 Sam Johnson, 12 James Alloway, 14 Mamadu Banguraso, 15 Jamie Bagnall and 16 Mason Ah-Mun.

Peter King