Cadoxton Barry 2 - Tonyrefail 5

CADOXTON Barry were hoping for a good result after a run of three defeats. The result they got was not what they wanted, but there were a few good points that made the team shine.

First, striker-turned midfielder Dawson showed he still knows where the goal is, finding the net twice. Second, Pat Curran proved yet again that he can be an impact sub to be reckoned with.

The previous week, he set the game alight with a first touch headed goal, sadly not enough to help snatch a point. This week, helping to snatch a point would have been miraculous, as he came on midway through the second half. He did, however, spark a revival of sorts with his own efforts and his vocal urgings.

Third, the lack of a second out-and-out winger was tempered by another decent performance on the right by striker, deputy left back and now right winger Ross Weekley. His run and cross after only three minutes was only just deflected away from onrushing forwards by the Tonyrefail 'keeper.

The rot set in immediately after that, when a Tonyrefail forward headed home at the back post in their very first attack. Returning 'keeper Shaun "Edu" Harker was blameless and had no chance with the second goal either.

It came a couple of minutes after Dawson had cleared off the line, and Travell "The Lone Winger" Konten hit the bar in the resulting break-away. Tonyrefail were playing a brand of football which belied their lowly position in the league, and in their next attack with the ball going harmlessly past for a goal kick, a player scissor kicked it brilliantly back into the mix. Seconds later, it was scrambled home.

The last 20 minutes of the half was all Cadoxton Barry, Konten going close again, and Shaun Jachontow having a shot saved. Eight minutes into the second half, Jachontow was unlucky again, this time seeing his shot strike a post after link-up play involving captain Weekley and young midfielder Taylor Harris. That shot, which stayed out, rebounded to a Tonyrefail player, who started a break away and a defence which had pushed up too far was punished as goal number three flew past Harker.

Ten minutes later, and a shocked Cadoxton Barry were shocked further when a Ton player ran 40 yards before scoring easily.

Things had to improve, and improve they did. Curran’s introduction, and that of midfield powerhouse Ricky Sansome, seemed to signal a raising of spirits.

Dawson started to get Cadoxton Barry back in the game, slamming home from close-in after a goal-line block. With 15 minutes remaining, another goal-line clearance prevented a second Cadoxton Barry counter, but luck was nothing to do with Tonyrefail’s fifth.

They broke quickly upfield after a prolonged spell of Cadoxton Barry pressure and were halted unfairly just outside the box. The free kick flew into the corner of the net, Harker at full-stretch unable to even lay a glove on it.

To their credit, the Barry side did not throw in the towel, producing attack after attack, with half a dozen crosses coming in from the wingers. Dawson scored another striker’s goal, being first to react after Mitchell Berry’s header was blocked.

Sansome came close with a 20 yard shot, but this was Tonyrefail’s best performance of the season so far, and like Whitchurch the previous week, they took their chances. Cadoxton Barry did not.

The star man however, was the referee. Rarely does a referee go through an entire match without hearing loud protests, or worse, from at least one side’s players or management but in this match the referee was outstanding.

Being 6’ 5” does mean players may just accept decisions more readily. Only Curran could really see eye to eye with him.

Cadoxton Barry: Harker; Adamson, Constant, Donnelly and Walsh; Weekley, Harris, Dawson, Konten, Oaten and Jachontow.

Subs: Berry, Sansome and Curran.