Cogan hang on to take the points (From Penarth Times)

Cogan hang on to take the points

7:50am Thursday 4th February 2010

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FAIRWATER 2 COGAN CORONATION 3

A LATE rally from struggling Fairwater wasn't enough to deny Cogan all three points from this hard-fought contest, as the Coronation returned to league action for the first time since December 12.

Cogan made the short trip to Cardiff to face second-bottom Fairwater on a ground that holds few good memories for the Penarth club, but full of confidence following a 5-1 victory over the same opposition in that last league fixture.

Both sides showed several changes from that encounter, the reigning league champions having followed a youth policy since then and Cogan having several changes enforced through injury and unavailability.

Despite the changes, Cogan began brightly and it took just 12 minutes for them to break the deadlock when Haidn Dibble drilled home a left footed free-kick from 25 yards following a foul on Ben ah Mun.

The hosts rallied but found chances hard to come by, with the greater threat being offered by Cogan on the counter-attack.

Indeed Cogan had a more solid look having switched to a 4-4-2 formation, and it was the combined threat of Keiron James and Haidn Dibble down their left flank that looked likeliest to create chances as the visitors enjoyed the lion's share of possession.

Midway through the half it was down this side that the deserved second goal came, as neat interplay enabled James to go clear in the box and finish smartly with a shot across the goalkeeper for his fifth goal of the campaign.

It took the wind out of Fairwater's sails and Cogan dominated the remainder of the half.

Underfoot conditions made precision difficult and too often, promising play ended with a misplaced pass. Some indifferent decision making didn't help matters.

Fairwater went close following good work from Dean Ellaway to put Leon Pisani through, but in first half stoppage time the game swung decisively Cogan's way.

Firstly, with 45 minutes up, Nathan Self's eighth goal of the season made it 3-0 to Cogan with a sweet left-footed finish after good work from Ah Mun to win possession. Moments later, as the hosts looked to strike back immediately, Ashley Hart saved smartly from Pisani to confirm the three goal advantage at the interval.

An injury late in the half forced Cogan into a change, James Bloxham vacating his place in the centre of defence, his brother Mark moving inside from an impressive showing at right back and Andrew Jones coming on at full back.

Chances were few and far between after the break, the visitors content to look for counter attacks and Fairwater unable to find a route through to goal.

Despite being in unfamiliar territory at left back, Haidn Dibble showed his class with a composed defensive performance alongside Wesley Drew. Gareth Clarke and Jon Carpentier continued to forrage in midfield as legs began to tire, and Nicky Coles was replaced by Luke Swaffield as a hip injury forced his withdrawal, one of the many niggling injuries taking their toll.

It looked like the game would peter out until a moment of brilliance allowed Fairwater a way back into it. On 70 minutes the hosts had a corner which Cogan half cleared through Clarke, only for Ben Matthews to rifle in a 25 yard shot leaving Hart with no chance and Fairwater with a glimmer of hope.

Stoked by the goal, Fairwater upped the tempo with the ever-impressive Dean Ellaway everywhere, and as Cogan visibly tired it was little surprise when, with ten minutes remaining, the hosts bagged a second as indecision in the Cogan ranks was punished from an acute angle by Morris.

It was all hands to the pump for Cogan as Fairwater pressed down the hill for an equaliser, with Carpentier and Clarke forced deeper, and Hart was pressed into a save with two minutes on the clock by Pisani.

Unable to hold on to possession after some debateable decision-making it was anything but plain-sailing, but the final whistle brought relief to Cogan and a welcome three points.

Next week sees the second of three consecutive away fixtures as Cogan head to Tonyrefail.

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