Cadoxton Barry 2 - Sansome

Whitchurch 2 - Spencer, Woodman

AN INDIFFERENT start from Cadoxton Barry set the tone for what was to be their method for the whole of the first half, desperate defending seeing Whitchurch going close to scoring in the opening two minutes.

Then Weekley set-up a rare first half chance for Cadoxton Barry when he trapped a high ball on the right before beating two men before crossing. However the ‘keeper did very well to gather as Oaten ran in.

But it was Whitchurch who deservedly took the lead just a minute later as a lazy defence left it to Harris-Reffel to run in from midfield in an attempt to clear a ball which had been pumped out to the right.

But he didn’t quite make it in time, the cross setting up a goalmouth melee out from which Spencer eventually managed to stab the ball home. And with Cadoxton Barry heads still hanging low they might have found themselves two down within 30 seconds of the re-start when a forward ball found Whitchurch in a one-on-one with Cadoxton Barry ‘keeper, Warner.

A goal looked odds on, so Cadoxton Barry would have been mightily relieved to see the ball sliced high and wide and they would have been further grateful for the visitors’ wayward finishing as a cross from the right was headed well over.

In a rare Cadoxton Barry counter attack, Sansome made a run down the left before crossing to see Oaten heading on across the face of the Whitchurch goal. Just a touch was needed, but it was just beyond all attempts.

But that was a rare flicker of hope as Whitchurch returned to the attack. Winning a free kick into the box, another scramble developed from which a shot saw Warner punching the ball clear. It came out to the unmarked Woodman and he dinked a gentle little dipper back in over the reach of Warner.

Cadoxton Barry had one further chance as Oaten twisted to fire a long throw in just over the bar, but it was mostly one-way traffic towards to Cadoxton Barry goal for the remaining 15 minutes of the first half.

What the content of the half-time talk included isn't known, but it certainly had the desired effect as Cadoxton Barry’s general lethargy of the first half was replaced by a much more positive attitude in the second.

Early on a passing move initiated by Dawson saw the ball moved forward via Harris Raffel to Jackhontaw who curled his final effort narrowly wide. Then an accurate Curran header out of defence found Dawson to put the ball into the path of Oaten, the home ‘keeper doing very well to get to it a split second ahead of him.

Berry came on for Walsh in the 63rd minute and just after, Oaten embarked on an astounding solo run down the right before crossing to see Dawson rattling the cross bar.

Although they were now doing all the pressing, with two minutes of added time now gone, time was now running out.

But Berry was pulled down as he went on a diagonal run. With most spectators hoping that the resulting free kick might result in a late consolation, Sansome stepped up to curl home their wish from five yards beyond the centre of the box.

Play resumed with the whistle expected at any second.

But very soon Whitchurch conceded a further free kick. It was on the same meridian as the previous, but slightly further to the right. Spectators were disappointed to see that Sansome was not to take this unexpected last chance for a point.

Instead, with Sansome forward toward the far post, Adamson stepped up to curl the kick over to that very spot to allow its occupant to stab home a deserved, if unlikely, equaliser with just 10 seconds of added time to spare.

Next Saturday Cadoxton Barry are at home once more when they entertain Caerphilly side Dynamo Aber at Bryn-Y-Don in a 2.30pm kick-off.