Vale of Glamorgan League Division One

Cadoxton Barry 2nds 0 - 4 FC Pumas

Randall 2, Godwin 2

A WEDDING, the demands of University and work commitments combined to see Cadoxton Barry's second string choosing from six fewer players than would normally have been the case. However, you can only beat what's in front of you, so let's not take any credit away from the Pumas.

They started on the front foot to see a powerful shot from the edge of the box going only just over the bar. And shortly after, a shot from even greater distance had a similar outcome.

Cadoxton Barry's first chance saw a Coles header being penalised for offside. But close on its heels a CB corner was scrambled away following a bit of back and fore in front of the Pumas goal. And for the first time CB were beginning to exert a tiny bit of pressure. However, it was the Pumas who were creating the better chances, a neat little dink over the head of keeper Thomas rebounding off the CB cross bar.

Then CB's best move to date saw the ball played through the left side of the field from Clissold to Gareth Fiddler and on to Rhydian Hopkins - the last of the trio seeing his shot across the face of the goal going wide of the far post. And then a clearance down the right found Coles who beat his man before seeing his drive at goal being very well saved by the visiting keeper.

Pumas then broke upfield to see three CB defenders making for the right side and leave the left guarded by only keeper Thomas. Randall read the situation well and fired in that direction. Thomas did well to get his hands to the ball, but the spin took it on through them and into the net.

Pumas lifted their game once more to see a header ruled out for a push in the box. But it didn't take long for them to get their second, though it was very questionable. In fact it was possibly the tipping point of the game. With half time approaching and only a goal separating the sides, the eventual outcome might have gone in either direction. However, the injustice of Pumas second goal, well taken though it was, seemed to be a cue for CB to ease up - a situation from which they were not to recover.

It was the nippy Godwin who latched on to a long ball from the back. To anyone standing near the half way line it was clearly offside. But the referee, behind the play, waved play on as Godwin ran into open space to send in a blistering shot which left Thomas no chance and gave the visitors a two goal half time buffer

Early in the second half Taylor (groin strain) was replaced by Angove. And then CB keeper, Thomas picked up a rib injury which resulted in further adjustment that saw outfield player, Rhydian Hopkins, go into goal with Ben Phipps coming on at number 10.

A Pumas player, breaking away, then called the referee a cheat, though in much stronger terms, when he was pulled up, though perhaps wrongly, for offside. Nevertheless the terminology would have earned a straight red with many a referee and certainly all at South Wales Senior League level. So he was extremely lucky that it was only a yellow card that he saw.

As the game wound down CB were still creating chances, but overall it was the Pumas who were now getting the lion's share of the ball, though the visiting keeper did have to make a quality diving save from a free kick while Sheppard sent in a dipper that smote the Pumas' cross bar.

However, the Pumas pressure eventually told when, in the 75th minute, a cross from the right set up a scramble in the CB penalty box. It was a right old game of ping pong as short toe pokes at goal and stabbed clearances were the order of the day before, finally, it was Randall who killed the game off in Pumas' favour as his final effort crossed the line.

CB heads dipped even more as they started to come second to many balls. So it was no surprise to see Godwin run onto a ball through the middle to make it four.

Make no mistake; this was a game that Pumas thoroughly deserved to win. But did that allowed 'off side' goal change the direction of the game? That's something we will never know. You can only play the team that's in front of you and take the decisions that are awarded to you and the Pumas did just that.

Read more: http://cadoxtonbarryfc.proboards.com/thread/895/randall-godwin-pair-pumas#ixzz3HLYvd5Jq.

Meanwhile, Cadoxton Barry 3rds played away at St Athan 2nds where goals from Scouser Smart and Welsh Vets International, Paul Averies earned a comfortable 3 – 0 win.