ANOTHER season has drawn to a close for Cogan Coronation. After a disappointing campaign finished in relegation last year, the club went through a summer overhaul.

A new management team of Gavin Beddard, David Dibble and, for the first half of the season, Jon Page took on the challenge of bringing the team straight back up.

As well as management, there was new blood on the pitch. Players were brought in to give a boost. Young players like Jamie Harris, Sam Wooster and new captain Haidn Dibble joined some of last season’s regulars like Ed Smith, Wes Drew and Bradley Munn.

Players also came in from other sources. Stewart Owadally, Gareth Clarke and Liam Beddard re-joined the club after a few years away. Jon Matthews, Rhys Buckley and Leigh Bennett joined from other clubs.

The overhaul meant a period of gelling was to be expected, but the new squad started their campaign off at home to St Josephs with a narrow 2-1 win.

Their potential became clear soon after. A trip in August to Cadoxton Barry yielded a 4-2 victory against a side tipped for the title. Buckley scored a fantastic brace, while Dibble began showing signs of how important he would become.

Some inconsistency was to be expected at this stage of the squad’s development though and a 1-1 draw with Tongwynlais was followed by a 2-1 win away at Whitchurch. A penalty save from Ed Smith and two goals from Gavin Beddard secured the win. It was the first of many games where Beddard’s goals would be crucial.

Three wins, with three clean sheets for Ed Smith, followed. Beddard kept delivering the goals, and others were contributing too. Jon Matthews even got one from 40 yards.

They finally conceded in their next match at Tongwynlais in a 2-1 win before a long break brought on some rustiness, but a 3-1 win away at Stanleytown shook off the cobwebs.

Amidst this unbeaten run, the team began to gel. The defence was proving remarkably resolute, while influential captain Dibble was dominating games when he was finding areas to work in.

The first black mark on the season came as a match away at Penrhiwfer was abandoned and Cogan were docked three points for their part in the fracas that unfolded.

Sam Wooster then stole the plaudits in a November match at high-flying Ynyshir Albions. His brace ensured Cogan came away from their trickiest match of the season with a point.

A win against Cwmaman Institute – from the league above – saw them deliver their best performance yet in a 5-1 thrashing. But the Christmas period saw Cogan finally take a dip in form.

Unbeaten, they faced Cadoxton at home in a match that was to have a massive bearing on the title. They were outplayed and defeated 4-2 and to make matters worse, Cogan’s next match ended in a 2-0 defeat away to Penrhiwfer.

Some stability was restored when a late Gavin Beddard goal earned a 1-1 draw at promotion-chasing Penrhiwceiber.

By this point, the squad was beginning to look more familiar. Dean Morgan and, latterly, Joel Lapton filled the gap in central defence next to Owadally left by Wes Drew. Munn and Matthews were alternating at right back, while Bennett excelled at left back. Behind them, Mark Hussey had established himself as number one and started strongly.

Cogan’s midfield was growing in stature too. Liam Beddard had taken up the role anchoring the middle, and his performances from Christmas onwards were exceptional. Dibble was orchestrating in front of him and the evergreen Gareth Clarke had cemented his place alongside the captain, with Buckley able to influence games at any point.

Up front, the talent had begun producing the goods. On the flanks, the options were growing with Wooster and Harris joined by new recruits Josh Bell and Gaz Blyth, while Gavin Beddard was consistently a threat.

A Valentine’s Day match against Ynyshir Albions was to be crucial, as Cogan ran out 5-4 winners against their promotion rivals.

Back-to-back games against another promotion rival – St Albans – followed and resulted in a 3-2 win away and a 5-1 win at home. The second performance in particular was superb. Beddard got a hat-trick – not his first – while Bell and Blyth, both in fine form, notched up the remaining goals.

A big 2-1 win at home to Whitchurch put Cogan into pole position for promotion – Beddard and Bell again.

It came to the last game of the season, against third-place Penrhiwceiber Cons, to cement a second place finish. Penrhiwceiber arrived with the league’s best defensive record, having conceded seven fewer goals than Cogan. They left with an equal goals-against record.

Cogan dismissed their rivals 7-0, to cap off the season in style. Three from Blyth, a screamer from Bell, another battering-ram performance from Beddard and dazzling midfield display from Dibble were the highlights among the best team performance all season.

Cogan will be pleased. Promotion was the aim, but it wasn’t a given considering the new squad. Quality teams like Whitchurch, Ynyshir and Garw were all left behind as Cogan marched on up.

While the squad developed well over the course of the season, some individuals stood out. Dibble was the creative fulcrum. Liam Beddard was the destructive force in the middle. Bennett’s consistency meant Cogan never once had to worry about some of the fine wingers they faced and Gavin Beddard’s 33 goals – were inspirational as Cogan charged to promotion.

The whole team and club at Cogan Coronation AFC would like to thank sponsors Vale Scaffolding and The Seashore Grill for their support this season.