Cogan Coronation 2 LEWISTOWN 2

DESPITE AN under par display, Cogan extended their unbeaten South Wales Senior Soccer League run to four games.

Cogan were the better of the sides from the off and, within five minutes, had two great chances, with the keeper making fine saves from Scott Muir and Paul Jones.

Cogan continued to press and finally went ahead on 30 minutes when Haidn Dibble, from a free kick on the edge of the box, bent his strike around the wall and into the top corner, giving the Lewistown keeper no chance.

Cogan were awarded a penalty five minutes later, with the impressive visiting keeper making a good save from Mike Selio.

This suddenly woke Lewistown up and, within minutes, they were awarded a penalty of their own after a debatable handball decision against Nathen Self. The Lewistown striker left debutant goalkeeper Ed Smith with little chance of making the save.

Lewistown finished the half stronger but young Cogan goalkeeper Smith, on his first team debut, made several impressive saves to keep his side in the game.

Lewistown started the better in the second half and Cogan suffered a massive blow when debutant midfielder Baggers lost his cool and made his feelings clear to the referee; the ref was left with no choice but to send the player off for his verbal outburst.

Cogan didn't let this reverse get them down and, continuing to work hard as a group, played with a great deal of spirit to stay in the game. With 70 minutes gone, numbers were evened out after a Lewistown midfielder received a second yellow card.

First team manager Mal felt this was a good time to make some changes and on came Jamie Harris and Dave Shallis, with the latter making his first ever appearance for any of the senior teams direct from the youth team. With their direct runs causing all sorts of problems, Shallis and Harris really gave the visiting defence something new to think about.

With time running out, Harris played a great ball through to Jones who produced a clinical finish to give Cogan a 2-1 lead with only a few minutes left on the clock. This should've been enough to see Cogan take all three points but, not for the first time this season, they switched off and, straight from kick off, Lewistown went on the attack.

A ball was smashed into the box and, after going through a number of legs, it hit a Lewistown striker's shin and rolled into the net for the equaliser.

Cogan never gave up and, in the dying seconds, the impressive Shallis, from another Harris pass, netted what everyone thought was the deserved winning goal, only for it to be ruled out for offside. Then the referee blew the whistle and a very poor footballing game finished at 2-2.

Cogan's man of the match was the ever-improving Paul Jones. Cogan's next game is away to Ynyshir Albion on Saturday, September 29; kick off 2pm.

ST ALBANS RESERVES 1 COGAN CORONATION RESERVES 3

COGAN travelled to Tremorfa Park for this Reserve League fixture looking for a win that would maintain their 100 per cent start to the season before next week’s top of the table clash.

Cogan took instant control, with the midfield of Lee Reynolds, Matt Whitcombe and Dave Sadler showing some neat touches and great movement. Cogan’s front two of Lewis Humphries and Boopa were causing a real aerial threat from balls pumped into the box from wingers Michael Large and Mark Lane.

Surprisingly, Cogan’s first really good chance didn’t come from a header but from the feet of Lewis who, after some good work down the left by Michael, smashed his shot against the St Albans bar with the goalkeeper well beaten.

St Albans were under immense pressure and didn’t mount an attack until the 20th minute when their midfielder hit a curved 25-yard shot which went through a number of players before taking a wicked bounce off the bumpy pitch and finding the bottom corner, inches from the desperate dive from Mark Hussey. So it was 1-0 to St Albans completely against the run of play.

Continuing to attack, Cogan knew there were plenty of goals for them in this game and it took them just five minutes to get back on level terms. A ball was played out from the back, with Gareth Woodhead, Kevin Clarke and Sean Golledge keeping possession before spreading the ball out wide to Lane whose early cross was headed home by Boopa who had peeled away from his marker at the back post.

St Albans had another chance during the first half as they caught Cogan on the break but Hussey pulled off a fantastic point blank save down low to his right. With the sides level at 1-1, the second half started in similar vein to the previous 45 minutes, with Cogan very much on the front foot.

Thwarted by some good last ditch tackles and decent saves, Cogan didn’t manage to get their deserved second goal until the 60th minute. Closed down by Boopa, the home defenders lost possession and the advancing Reynolds fed the in-form Lewis who calmly and neatly tucked his left footed shot past the diving goalkeeper. A deserved 2-1 lead to Cogan.

With Cogan doing all the running, it was inevitable that some legs were tiring and manager Dean Ford, who had youth team players Curtis Boddy, Charlie Davies and veteran Mark Herniman on the bench, decided to give Curtis his debut by replacing Michael on the left.

With 15 minutes left Cogan sealed all three points when Boopa's shot was fumbled by the home keeper and Lewis made no mistake with the rebound to take his tally to four in three games so far this season.

Dean then handed Charlie his debut in central midfield as he replaced the tired looking Boopa, with Dave pushing up top alongside Lewis. Cogan continued to waste good opportunities, with Sadler notably missing the best chance of the game as he blazed over the bar from a Lewis pull back just eight yards out.

That was Podge’s cue, with 10 minutes remaining, to enter the game in place of Sadler. Podge himself did have a half chance as he tried to get Cogan’s fourth but his shot was swept up by the keeper. Cogan man of the match was tireless Matt Whitcombe who seemed to be everywhere.

The team's next game is home to Grange Albion on Saturday, September 29; kick-off 2pm. Please come down and support the boys for this early season top-of-the-table clash.

Cogan Coronation would like to thank Penarth Motor Company, Crest Nicholson, CASS Hire & Sales and all sponsors for their continued support.