South Wales FA Senior League Division Two

Cogan Coronation 2 AFC Whitchurch 1

THIS was a game Cogan had been looking to for some time. As the battle for promotion reaches its final stages, this home tie against second-placed Whitchurch was always going to be a pivotal one.

The teams had fought out a tight match early on in the season in which Cogan trailed, but finished 2-1 victors and it turned out exactly the same second time around.

Cogan, back on home turf after a draw away at Cefn Criwbr in their last match, set up in their usual 4-3-3 formation, with Liam Beddard reinstated to the holding midfield role after absence, and Jamie Harris earning his place back on the left flank.

Dan Bell replaced Jon Matthews at right back, and it was he, along with the rest of Cogan’s defence, who saw much of the action in the opening stages. Whitchurch knew they had to come away from this fixture with a result and started brightly.

But Cogan’s line stayed high and relatively solid. Stewart Owadally and Joel Lapton, in their fourth consecutive game together, continued their impressive partnership to keep the visiting strikers quiet, while Bell and the consistent Leigh Bennett held off Whitchurch’s dangerous wingers.

There was one moment of confusion as a cross came in and allowed Whitchurch a half-chance, but Mark Hussey remained untroubled in goal.

Cogan slowly began to get more proactive. Gareth Clarke and Haidn Dibble were finding space in the middle to thread some clever passing together, but up front Gavin Beddard was struggling to find space as the Whitchurch defence were able to stay narrow.

A few chances came and went. Josh Bell saw a volley fizz over the bar, while a couple of half chances didn’t amount to anything.

But it wasn’t one of Cogan’s better performances, and in the end the breakthrough came from the visitors.

A through ball ricocheted off a Whitchurch runner, and fell kindly into the path of the oncoming striker. As he ran into the box, Lapton covered well, but as he made a tackle he found himself on the wrong side and brought the attacker down for a penalty kick.

Hussey guessed right, but the ball nestled in the corner and Cogan trailed 1-0 at the break.

As has happened on a number of occasions this season, Cogan’s second half performance was dramatically different from the first half.

They came out with more energy and purpose, clearly determined not to let their promotion chances suffer. Within a few minutes, they were on terms.

Josh Bell fired a low, powerful shot into the bottom right of the goal after some good footwork opened up space for a shot. It was Bell’s third goal in as many games, all of which have been crucial goals at important times for Cogan, and all of which have been top quality strikes. This one spurred the home side on.

Whitchurch were really on the back foot from then on. Jamie Harris had a smart shot at the near post saved, a free kick from Gavin Beddard was palmed away by the goalkeeper, and Liam Beddard had a sniff in front of goal but the ball wouldn’t come down nicely enough for the midfielder to get a shot off.

But it seemed like it was only a matter of time before Cogan had the lead. When it came, it followed a familiar pattern.

Dibble, always capable of delivering game-changing moments even during his quieter matches, put in a cross from deep which found the head of Gavin Beddard. He still had a lot to do, but his diving header found the top corner of the net and left the ‘keeper motionless in his goal.

The Dibble-Beddard combination has delivered goals all season for Cogan, but none will have been as important as this one. The captain’s assist gave Beddard his 30th of the season, and gave Cogan a lead which they would ultimately not surrender.

They dominated most of the second half, but couldn’t find the goal to give them a two-goal cushion. Rhys Buckley entered the fray in place of Clarke and instigated a few decent attacks with some good passing. But the clear cut chances didn’t come and they had to survive some nervous moments towards the end.

Hussey, who was faultless all match, misjudged one cross which was going in until Lapton leapt brilliantly at the last second and headed clear off the line. After Whitchurch’s left-winger beat Dan Bell and Hussey to a through ball, he knocked it passed the ‘keeper towards goal but it didn’t have the power to go in before Owadally had cleared the shot away.

At full-time, Cogan were good value for the win. They’d had the better chances, but for a couple of super saves would have won by a more comfortable margin.

The win takes them up to fourth, level on points with Penrhiwceiber Cons who they have two games in hand, and just three points behind second-placed Whitchurch but with four games in hand.

Cogan host Penrhiwfer this Saturday at 2pm at Cogan Rec.