AFTER halting the slide in their previous match in the EVS SW Casual League Penarth managed to turn their fortunes around against a stubborn Barry Athletic side.

Manager Ronnie Rahman, resplendent in his new boot, chose a skilful line-up, starting with the reliable Ray Wills in goal, a defence of Gary Ato, Joe Taylor, Dave Lewis and Rich Bannister, a midfield of Mike Kean, skipper Scott Ato, Wayne Herbert and Lewis Williams, with Martin Chick and Mike (I’m not a No. 10) Roberts in attack. The bench was made up of Chris Rodd, Alan Robinson, Antonio Cersosimo, Nathan Turpitt and, latest edition, Jason Hamm.

The match started in whirlwind fashion with Penarth dominating possession. Athletic defended solidly and it was only the Wanderers failure to find a telling pass through that prevented them taking the lead. As so often has happened this season, a combination of misdirected or over-hit passes helped the opposition giving them a toe-hold in the match. However, the pace of Williams and Kean on the wings providing the service was giving Chick and Roberts ample opportunity to score.

The Wanderers could, and should, have been out of sight before half-time.

Around twenty minutes into the match, Williams was sent clear, racing onto a long ball, which he was able to lift over the advancing keeper. For once it bounced the right side of the goal putting Penarth 1-0 up.

Far from being disheartened Barry pressed forward enjoying their best period of possession. From one of their dangerous corner kicks the ball ended up at the back of the penalty area. Benefitting from a lack of marking and communication Nathan Gratton, the Barry striker, caught the ball sweetly on the volley, smashing it into the roof of the net - 1-1.

The game ebbed and flowed for a while when the only controversial incident of the match occurred. The Barry keeper was forced to come to the edge of his area, and beyond, forcing him to handle the ball outside the box.

After some time making a decision, the referee decided that the keeper was actually protecting himself from getting the ball in the face so did not brandish a straight red card, settling on a yellow (ten minutes in the sin-bin) and to award a free-kick to Penarth. With the wall in place, Cersosimo, on for Roberts, stroked the ball around it into the goal, 2-1 to Penarth at half-time.

Rahman took the opportunity in the second half to rotate some of his players with Hamm making his debut and Rodd, Turpitt, Scanlan getting a run-out and Robinson a couple of minutes!

The Wanderers kept the pressure on Barry’s defence, trying the best to do some game management, which worked well. Before the starting Athletic keeper could return to the action, Cercosimo drove on with the ball and unleashed one of his better shots. Athletic’s stand-in keeper could only parry the ball giving Chick the chance to pounce on the loose ball and clip it into the Barry net. 3-1 to Penarth.

With two games to go in the League the Wanderers are determined to finish strongly to give them confidence when they take part in the annual Wim Bode Tournament, this year in Amsterdam.

Manager Ronnie Rahman, being pleased with the overall performance against some quality teams, hopes this continues.