COGAN Coronation AFC was back in action last Saturday with an away trip to play Stanleytown FC in the South Wales Senior League Division Two. The tie saw the top place team make the trek to the Valleys to pit their wits against the side that sat bottom of the league.
The Cogan team took to the field looking sleek as they sported a brand new kit, kindly sponsored and supplied by The Seashore Grill in Sully, which is hugely appreciated.
It was a day that played host to a downpour of rain that inevitably made the conditions a little muddy and slippery.
However, the pitch and weather conditions in football will always remain the same for both teams and the side that utilises them the best will usually win.
Cogan took control of the match early on by dominating possession, but needed to be alert to a Stanleytown team that were quick on the counterattack. Nevertheless, it was Cogan who took the lead on around the 15 minute mark when top scorer Gavin Beddard fired home from the opposition’s 18 yard line. And 15 minutes later Cogan secured a two goal lead when central defender Stewart Owadally turned far post poached as he guided home a volley from a Cogan corner.
Despite the two goal lead and dominating much of the play Cogan missed further chances to make it three before half time, and instead a lapse in concentration by the team allowed Stanleytown to pull the score back to 2-1 just before half time.
In the second half Cogan improved with the introduction of Liam Beddard who was able to provide much needed ball winning prowess in the midfield area. Rhys Buckley got himself on the ball more in the midfield area, and these efforts would win him man of the match after the game.
The third goal eventually came for Cogan without reply, as some neat work by Liam on the right hand side of the Stanleytown penalty box saw him square the ball to his brother Gavin, who then turned and blasted the ball into the net.
A strong performance from left back Leigh Bennett is also noted as Cogan stay top of the table with a two point lead and a game in hand over second place Ynyshir, the club that Cogan face away this Saturday in a top of the table clash.
Further thanks to Peter Walker and Danny Munn of Vale Scaffolding for providing the Cogan team with Club crested polo shirts.
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