COGAN Coronation closed the gap in the race for promotion from the South Wales FA Senior League Division Two last weekend, with a 3-2 victory over third place St Albans.

It’s the first of two back-to-back matches between the two sides, and Cogan knew they faced a tough test on a difficult pitch in Tremorfa.

After their exit from the Bruty Cup last week, changes were made to bolster their promotion challenge.

Gavin and Liam Beddard returned from absence, and Jon Matthews started at right-back, Dan Bell came into central defence, while Josh Bell took the right-wing slot from Sam Wooster who started on the bench.

Cogan came to dominate, and they started brightly. Gaz Blyth’s running down the left wing was getting St Albans on the back foot; while Gavin Beddard’s early sights at goal enabled him to settle into the game after a week out.

Haidn Dibble, Liam Beddard and Gareth Clarke took an early hold over the midfield and Cogan began creating openings. While there were no clear-cut chances, there was a growing sense that a goal was coming.

When it did come, it was slightly fortuitous. Blyth swung in a corner from the left-hand side which curled towards goal. The ball came back off the post, hit the goalkeeper, and landed in the back of the net, giving Cogan the lead they deserved.

The visitors continued to press. Beddard skewed one shot wide, while Josh Bell missed a one-on-one chance with the ball bouncing on the edge of the box.

St Albans did offer some threat in the opposite direction. Balls over the top were causing Cogan some concern, but Bell’s covering pace behind Stewart Owadally meant Cogan had most of the home-side’s attacks under control.

Their continued dominance was rewarded as the first half drew to a close. From a free-kick, Dibble delivered an inch-perfect ball onto Gavin Beddard’s head.

There was still work to do, but the striker guided the back post header up and over the goalkeeper and the ball dropped into the opposite corner of the net.

It was the sort of deep Dibble cross to Beddard that Cogan have profited from before, but continues to pay dividends against defences unable to cope with it.

It took Cogan into the break 2-0 ahead and cruising, with no real threat on Mark Hussey’s goal.

St Albans came out for the second half with two strikers, having played one up-front in the first half. They began creating a few opportunities.

Owadally and Bell dealt with the threats well enough, while Leigh Bennett was characteristically assured at left-back and managed the threat from out wide.

Matthews, playing in a less familiar position, put in a dogged performance too and his ability on the ball gave Cogan extra composure at the back.

But it was the visitors who got the next goal. Dibble was involved again, as St Albans tried to break from defence. He chased back 15 yards to hound down the counter-attack, winning the ball back before the ball ended up at Gavin Beddard’s feet. One-on-one with the ‘keeper, the top scorer made no mistake and put away his 20th of the season.

Dibble then made way for Rhys Buckley and Cogan looked to see out the game to take the three points.

But the home side found their way back into the match with a goal from a corner. Cogan, usually assured at defending set-pieces, failed to clear a cross from the left, and it was put away to make it 3-1.

Buoyned by the goal, St Albans changed to a three-man attack and continued to put the pressure on. Long balls were by-passing the dominant Cogan midfield and causing the back four problems.

One such ball down the left beat Matthews and Owadally, and as Bell slid in to make a covering tackle the ball bobbled off the surface and into the stride of the striker who took it passed Hussey and tapped it into the net.

It was poor defending from Cogan and St Albans were now hunting down a point when nothing but a defeat looked likely with an hour gone.

But the visitors withstood the storm, and at full time took a deserved three points.

The win puts Cogan seven points behind second place Whitchurch, with four games in hand and with league leaders Cadoxton Barry still to play St Albans, Cogan are still chasing top spot.

They host St Albans at Cogan Rec this Saturday.