PENARTH Wanderers Vets FC returned to action in the newly named Express Vehicle Services South Wales Casuals League - and what a return it was against CS United at the University Fields, Llanrumney!

With a slightly depleted squad of thirteen due to injury and unavailability the Wanderers team of Billy Nolan, Mike Kean, Chris Rodd, Martin Chick, Darren Scanlan, Mike Bracey, Mike Roberts, Dave Lewis, Martin Lewis, Antonio Cersosimo and Scott Ato (Alan Robinson and Caitlan Katany on the bench) set about their task in whirlwind fashion when Chick scored his first within the first five minutes after a good build up down the left.

This was closely followed when Rodd scored from close range.

The attempts on goal were racking up and the CS keeper had to pull off some great saves to keep the Vets forwards at bay. At times he was helped by some poor decision making in front of goal. However, Bracey added another and then Scanlan (4-0).

Manager Ronnie Rahman, trying something different, set up the side in a 3-4-1-2 formation (I’m at a loss for this formation’s name!) which was obviously working well with Roberts behind the front to of Chick and Scanlan.

The defence of Kean, Lewis and Lewis were rarely troubled and, when they were threatened, had the pace to cover.

In goal Nolan was having an quiet time enjoying the late sunshine but had to pull off an outstanding save low to his left. Chick then resumed normal service scoring his second (5-0). Half time was approaching when Chick slotted in his third (6-0).

There was still enough time though to concede a rather soft penalty, when Kean was adjudged to have pushed a CS forward. Protesting his innocence a bit to loudly promptly got him sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes! The CS keeper was nominated to take the kick, scored and pulled his hamstring - the first of three keeper changes. Half-time 6-1!

The Wanderers soon got up to speed in the second half when Chick scored again, taking the ball around the CS keeper (7-1).

The first Wanderers change came about when Bracey was brought off, to give him a breather, and Katany went on up front with Chick dropping back. Unfortunately, after only a couple of minutes of going on he went in for a tackle and fell awkwardly twisting his knee which meant Bracey had to go back on.

He did so and promptly scored his second, neatly tucking it into the bottom corner (8-1).

The tempo now started to slow with the influential Scott Ato finding more space and time on the ball. Moving forward in support, a good delivery from Scanlan presented him with the chance to bury his shot past keeper number three (9-1).

Bracey left the field again to give old-timer Robinson a run out. The Wanderers were awarded a free-kick outside the box and, after a bit of discussion, it was left up to Robinson to curl his kick just outside the angle of the post - that would really have made his day.

All that was left was to leave the scoring to Chick who rattled in his fifth of the game (I forgot to mention that he was the Summer League’s top scorer) to make the final score 10-1.

This was only the Wanderers first game in this new league and, judging by some of the day’s results, the matches will be a lot harder when teams find their feet, but that’s not to take anything away from CS Utd who kept battling and, I’m sure, will cause teams a lot of problems before the end of the season.