DINAS Powys FC faced Cwmamman United on Saturday, September 19, with Cwmamman winning the game 8-3. The match ball was kindly sponsored by Ken Bloxham.

Dinas went into this game in a confident mood after their fine cup win the previous Saturday but things seemed to go against them from the off.

Firstly only one official turned up and he was from West Wales, then Joe Briscombe sustained a calf strain in the warm up, Mamadu Banguraso taking his place.

However, Dinas had a good start, forcing an early corner which was cleared and then, after Joe Hinds was fouled, Nicky Davison took the 25 yard free kick finding Connor Caton at the far post to head Dinas into the lead after just four minutes.

The visitors soon got into their stride, Steven Hughes shooting just wide. It was Hughes again forcing Dinas 'keeper James Curtin into an early save when he connected with a cross from the right.

But they were not to be denied and Cory Saunders equalised when he latched onto a ball across the box to beat Curtin with 10 minutes on the clock. Just three minutes later they took the lead when Curtin could only parry a cross and Hughes netted from a wide angle for 2-1.

Dinas had another chance when Davison laid the ball off to Hinds but the Cwmamman 'keeper Mark Snell saved his effort.

However Dinas were soon on level terms again when a cross from Nicky Bruce was headed home by Davison on 17 minutes. Another Dinas free kick by Steve Provis looked promising but Davison was too wide on the right and his shot fizzed the wrong side of the left upright.

After some sustained pressure by the visitors when they forced three consecutive corners and the third one found the impressive David Brown who drove it home for 3-2 on the half hour mark.

Dinas then had a spell of pressure but the attack broke down and the visitors countered at speed, James Marr conceding a penalty which Brown took and sent Curtin the wrong way for 4-2.

The hosts weren't beaten yet and they pulled it back to 4-3 when a superb free kick from 40 yards by Davison hit both posts before nestling in the net for 4-3 with just two minutes of the half remaining.

Disaster then struck for Dinas when skipper Ben Luck was dismissed for two yellows, Brown took the resulting free kick which hit the post and Jack Medwin reacted quickest to slot the ball home for 5-3, giving Dinas a mountain to climb in the second half.

The visitors began the second period brightly, spraying passes around to use their man advantage. Dinas had dropped James Marr into defence to cover for the missing Luck, this is probably his best position and he was having a fine game, the highlight of which was an early run from defence right through into the opposition 18 yard box and got a shot away which was just wide.

With 10 minutes gone Dinas manager Lee Saunders made his first substitution, King Junior Mwedzo replacing Banguraso.

The hosts began to settle and the game flowed from end to end but Dinas had Curtin to thank when he made a great save from Brown, who was running the game at this stage.

Rhys Palmer was then replaced by Luke Swaffield and with 17 minutes of the half gone, some fine work by Mwedzo ended when he put in a good cross to Joe Hinds whose powerful header hit the cross bar and went over.

This gave the 10 men some hope and they rallied for a while until Gareth Morrell, with a strong shout for offside by the Dinas contingent, but with no linesmen, was allowed to drive through the Dinas defence to make it 6-3 on 25 minutes.

Steffan Ross then replaced Steve Provis and the game flowed from end to end but it has to be said, the referee missed several blatant offsides and Curtin was called into action again when he made a fine save from Medwin.

The visitors added two further goals in the last five minutes, Cory Saunders driving through the middle to make it 7-3 and Brown netting in the last minute to give a somewhat flattering scoreline to the visitors when he beat Curtin with a free kick for 8-3.

Dinas squad: 1 James Curtin, 2 James Marr, 3 Nicky Bruce, 4 Ben Luck (C), 5 Connor Caton (1), 6 Steve Provis, 7 Keiron James, 8 Mamadu Banguraso, 9 Joe Hinds, 10 Nicky Davison (2), 11 Rhys Palmer, 12 Luke Swaffield, 14 Steffan Ross, 15 Joe Briscombe, 16 King Junior Mwedzo and 17 Ryan Garland.

Dinas travel West to play Ammanford on Saturday, September 26, kick off 2.30pm.

Peter King