Cogan Coronation get first win of the season

Cogan Coronation 3 v Penrhiwceiber Cons 2

IT HAS come later than they would have liked, but Cogan Coronation got their first win on the board this season on Saturday, September 3.

One point from their opening four matches was not the start that Cogan would have wanted, but they built on their draw away at Treforest with a win at home against a decent outfit in Penrhiwceiber Cons.

Conditions weren't ideal, as a summer downpour lasted the full 90 minutes, but Cogan got off to a sharp start.

Up front, Scott Muir and Danny Humphries combined well early on as Cogan's midfield three of Danny Bruce, Haidn Dibble and Carl Fitzgerald started to win the battle in the middle of the park.

An early chance fell to Humphries who headed at the 'keeper when he would have expected to score, and Muir had an early sight at goal but missed the target.

At the other end, the visitors showed signs of a threat early on. Their quick striker, looking like the one who could cause Cogan most problems, was dealt with well enough by the back three of Jon Carpentier, Nathan Self and Stewart Owadally – but there were openings.

As the half wore on, Cons started getting the better of the game. Chris Hignett, deputising in goals, had to be sharp, getting down low to make one fine save, while he could only look on as two shots cannoned off the wood work.

But it was Cogan who then took the lead. Captain Fitzgerald found some room in the box, and after the ball from the left found its way to him, he calmly slotted it home for his second goal in consecutive games.

Cogan then re-took control of the game. On the flanks, Elliott Ball and Leigh Bennett – on after an early injury to Bradley Munn – were threatening, while Bruce was a livewire behind the strikers, causing the away defence mischief with his constant movement.

Importantly for Cogan, Dibble was finding room around him too, and it was from his creativity that the second goal came. A precise ball onto the head of Humphries was tucked away with the help of an error from the goalkeeper and Cogan were in total command.

The back three settled, the midfield was solid, and Cogan saw out the first 45 minutes, going in to half-time 2 - 0.

Predictably, Penrhiwceiber came out for the second half a better team and it didn't take long for them to get back into the game.

A ball floated into Cogan's box and found the visiting striker, who was being held up by Carpentier. To everyone's surprise, the referee blew for a penalty, insisting that the Cogan sweeper was holding the striker.

The resulting penalty was leathered home past Hignett who had guessed correctly.

The away side sensed a way back into the game and continued to press. But Cogan's defence held up well, with Self and Owadally doing well in their individual battles.

They were guarded by the impressive Carpentier who calmly cleaned up and built Cogan's possession from the back, and backed up superbly by Hignett who came and claimed some dangerous crosses well.

Seeing out the storm, Cogan began to build again with Carpentier starting things from the back, Dibble and Fitzgerald supplying the ammunition, and Ball, Bennett and man of the match Bruce turning the screw.

Chances came again. Muir and Humphries both had half chances, but nothing clear cut developed.

Cogan then won a free kick on the right hand side. Dibble stepped up and, with everyone expecting a cross, fired the ball straight towards the goal with his left foot. It flew straight into the top corner and Cogan went 3 - 1 ahead.

That should have been the end of it. Adam Rees and Sam Wooster were brought on to replace the Cogan strikers and see the game out. But Cons responded well.

They pulled it back to 3 - 2 when a deep cross was headed back across goal and finished off by a late-running attacker. And they thought they had got another not long after, but the offside flag ruled out what would have been the equaliser.

As the visitors piled forward in the final few minutes, Cogan resisted and picked up their first three points of the season.

Cogan travel to Tonyrefail this Saturday before their next home match against Whitchurch on Saturday, September 17 at 2.30pm.