South Wales Alliance Division One

Cadoxton Barry 2 (Dawson and Weekley)

Hirwaun/Mackworth 3 (Bardon, Mordicau and Jones)

COMMUNICATION failures at the back along with the heroics of a dogged Hirwaun defence saw, what could have been a second successive huge CB win, become an unlikely home defeat.

Following an early Hirwaun corner which was comfortably cleared, the visitors earned a free kick 35 yards out on the right, and it was curled in beautifully to find the head of Bardon from where it found the top right hand corner of the CB net in the sixth minute. That was more or less the end of Hirwaun as an attacking force – with the exception of a handful of breakaways which included the gifted goals.

From the re-start, the ball was passed back to Gannon who threaded it forward to Baker who fired just over for what could have been an instant equaliser. Then Weekly received the ball from a throw in to go on a run which saw the ball cleared from the tip of his boot as he was about to fire.

Hirwaun broke out of defence for the first time in 10 minutes with a ball over the top to catch the CB defence sleeping and set up a one on one between their centre forward and 'keeper Harker. The powerful shot from the right was matched by an equally fine right sided dive from the 'keeper to save the day for CB. But it was a lesson that should have been learned as it turned out to be an arbiter of things to come.

Immediately the ball was fed forward to Dawson whose pass set Weekley up with a chance, but the ever alert Hirwaun defence spotted the danger and closed him down instantly. Further CB pressure earned a corner from which a visiting defender caught the ball before dropping it to the ground, but the referee failed to spot it. Shortly after, a series of quality passes ended with a cross which saw Thompson's header cleared on the line.

On the 35 minute mark a Curran long ball forward found Baker whose powerful drive was blocked but not held by 'keeper/manager, Jenkins, but a chance to convert the rebound went wide. CB continued to press and ended the half having had 70 per cent of the possession with Hirwaun's 30 per cent being mostly in their own half.

CB continued to press early in the second half with a feed from Weekley to Adamson seeing the latter's angled shot going wide. Oatten then whipped in an excellent free kick from the right to see Baker's header at the far post go over the bar.

Then, in a rare break into the opposition half, a dangerous looking Hirwaun cross saw Dawson cutting out but, following the clearance, back it came. It should have been a simple clearance but a defensive mix up presented a chance that saw Harker making a good save, although being unable to hold on to the ball. It left Mordicau to bury the loose ball.

Scott Williams replaced Thompson and CB were soon benefiting from his long throws which created a number of promising situations, though they were well dealt with by Hirwaun. But then, after continuing CB pressure, another break initiated by a long ball from the back, saw more indecision in the CB defence to allow Jones to lob the advancing Harker and give the visitors a three goal cushion.

Normal service was resumed as CB continued to pound away at the visitor's goal, their exhausted looking players now resorting to time wasting tactics in an effort to slow down the onslaught.

But when the ball was in play the pressure was relentless, an Adamson ball setting up all sorts of turmoil that had Hirwaun clearing from the line twice in the space of 10 seconds. Another CB effort appeared to have crossed the line, but with no official in the vicinity to make a judgement, the moment past.

Eventually Hirwaun were unable to hold out any longer when, on the edge of the box, Dawson received the ball from a throw in to turn and fire home through a melee of players.

The heat was now on as a Weekley header shuddered the upright from an excellent cross. Every throw and every goal kick were now taking an eternity as the exhausted but gallant visitors wound the clock down.

A Dawson dip from the edge of the box saw Jenkins doing well to push the ball wide of the post. But it looked like the writing was on the wall for Hirwaun when an Oatten cross from the right was headed home at the near post by Weekley.

CB kept their foot on the pedal as the dying minutes of real time approached. But the visitors continued with their time wasting tactics - and who could blame their shattered players.

But CB didn't panic - a good four minutes of added time looking likely for the deliberate delays. The way things were going, it might well have been long enough to equalise or, indeed, take all three points.

But there was disappointment from spectators and CB players alike when the, otherwise excellent referee, blew his whistle dead on the 45 minute mark.

Whilst CB were the architects of their own downfall in a match in which they overwhelmed their opponents in terms of territory and possession, let us take nothing away from H/M, a side that was on the back foot for 90 per cent of the game, but a side whose determined defending and excellent opportunity taking coupled with a man-of-the match goal keeping performance from Jenkins, has to be applauded.

For those attributes alone, they cannot be denied this moment of glory.