Cadoxton Imps 2 - Penarth Town FC 2nds 4

PENARTH Town FC 2nds played away in Barry on Saturday against Cadoxton Imps in the Vale Second Division.

Imps sat top-of-the-table and were unbeaten this season, so Town knew they were going to have a game on their hands.

Both teams started cagily, not wanting to give up an early goal.

As Town settled the pace, Morgan Hayman up front started to open up some space and a darting run from him allowed Alex Donovan to get forward and strike hard down low for the opener.

This seemed to get the home side going and they started to generate some pressure of their own.

Not long after they converted this into a goal to draw level.

Scott Willets and Tony Youd now started to take control of the centre midfield and pushed out some width to Lewis Slack on the left flank.

He fed Mike Patterson who played a fine ball through to set Hayman free who finished neatly to regain the lead for Penarth.

Soon after Slack himself came close with a shot that hit the post. Into the break Town were in front 2 - 1.

At half-time Patterson was replaced by Josh Stephens and Rhys Owen at the back by Rhys Fford.

With his very first touch Fford pushed the ball forward to Donovan who flicked it on right in the path of the advancing Hayman. One-on-one with the 'keeper he calmly took the ball round him and tapped it into the empty net for his second and Town's third.

Ryan Bright, Antonio Scarico and Danny Donovan were still looking solid at the back for Penarth but were now put under much more pressure and Tom Hopwood in the Penarth goal was called into action a number of times to make great saves to maintain the two goal lead.

As Imps pressed to get back into the game their high line was very risky. So it proved to be when Hayman was set free with a ball from Stephens which he slotted away for his hat-trick and Town's fourth.

With the game now under control Andy Germon was brought on at the back for Town to add some fresh legs and experience on how to close the game out.

The Barry side did try hard towards the end to get back into the game scoring a late consolation goal but Town held out for the win and all three points.

Great performance all round from Penarth and a thoroughly deserved win.

Man of the match for Penarth was given to Tom Hopwood.

Penarth FC take a break now for a couple of weeks and resume in the second week of January looking to push on for the top spot.