Blaenrhondda closing in on runner’s up finish – Brighton grab vital point.

Just a short piece to keep up to date with what happened today as far as some of the teams this blog supports are concerned.

Pride of place goes to Blaenrhondda FC who in the past week have put themselves on the brink of a promotion to the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division. On Wednesday, they continued their recent transition to a lower scoring, but far more defensively sound, outfit with a 2-1 home win over Penrhiwfer AFC thanks to a couple of Shane Davies goals – three in a game was something of a goal fest by the standards Blaenrhondda have set in recent weeks!

I went along to watch their final home game today when they entertained a Cardiff Corries side who occupy a upper mid table spot having won a couple more matches than they have lost. As I always do when walking to Blaenrhondda Park, I didn’t allow myself enough time to make the kick off and so the game had already started when the pitch first came into view. My initial reaction on viewing the action was one of joy because it looked like the Corries were wearing the old chocolate and amber Riverside FC kit.

Unfortunately, as I got closer, I realised that what I thought was chocolate was, in fact, claret so, although the kit appealed to my garish tastes when it comes to such matters, there was disappointment that this old, well established, club with such a proud history were not wearing the colours that mean so much to football in the city of Cardiff.

You don’t need me to tell you that it was very warm today all over the country on what must have been the hottest day of the year so far. Therefore it didn’t come as a surprise that about half an hour into either half, the referee called for a drinks break of a couple of minutes and we nearly got to the first of these without any worthwhile goalmouth action.

Although the pitch, which, to my mind, is an improvement on the one at Ynys Park where I’ve watched three Ton Pentre matches this season, did not play badly, the dry conditions meant the ball was always going to bounce higher than normal and so this made it a bit harder to string together decent passing movements.

Defences were very much on top in the first half an hour, but, just before the first drinks break, the referee spotted a handball in the Corries penalty area and Shane Davies scored from the spot despite the Corries keeper going the right way.

The lack of protests from Corries players rather confirmed my feeling that the ref had got the decision right and when the game restarted there were signs that the goal had opened things up somewhat. The visiting keeper made a good save to keep out a free kick and, at the other end, the home keeper had to make a decent diving save to keep out a shot at the end of a good move by the visitors.

That was as close as the Corries came to scoring all afternoon really, but they stayed well in the game as they they got to half time just the one goal down. For the majority of the second half, Corries continued to make things difficult for a home side that was, by now, beginning to show a bit more quality without really carving out the opportunities to make the game safe.

Once again, Corries got to the brink of a drinks break only to concede, this time courtesy of a cool finish by Huw Bowtell as he was played into space following some incisive work down the home side’s right.

I heard the ref say during the second break that there were eighteen minutes to go and that final period became something of an ordeal for the visitors as, having made the points safe with their second goal, the home side turned on the style somewhat.

I say that the game was as good as over, but, at 2-0 up with almost a quarter of the match left, this would not have been the case with the Blaenrhondda side I watched up to March because there was always a feeling that they would give you a chance or three, but they have been much more defensively solid in the last couple of games I’ve seen them play.

Today, although not given many shots to save, Blenrhondda’s keeper was decisive and assured in the way he dealt with the series of long throws and corners Corries forced in the second half, their centrebacks strong and composed and their full backs, especially the left back, defensively solid, while also having the legs to make a real nuisance of themselves going forward.

To be honest, Blaenrhondda were not tested too much defensively in those closing minutes as they cashed in on what looked to be tiredness on the visitor’s part.

One of those impressive centrebacks, Neil Cawley, powerfully headed in a Davies corner to make it 3-0 and the final couple of minutes saw Davies, who looks like he could play a few levels higher than this, complete his hat trick.

The best compliment I can pay Davies is that you just knew he was going to score from both chances before he hit his shots. For the first, a superb crossfield pass by Blaenrhondda’s number eight to finish off some neat passing found him in acres of space, but, nevertheless, the instant control and volleyed finish was impressive. The second of Davies’ quickfire goals came when he showed commendable pace and fitness so late in the game to burst clear of the defence to get on the end of a long ball and score relatively easily.

By the end, 5-0 wasn’t flattering Blaenrhondda and although the 1-1 draw with Porthcawl was the best game I’ve seen them involved in this season, this was definitely the most impressive performance I’ve seen from them.

With three sides to go up, the table now shows them to be in with a great chance of earning a third successive promotion. Results elsewhere went Blaenrhodda’s way, with Cornelly being held to a draw at lowly Whitchurch and Tonyrefail’s promotion challenge ending with a 4-2 loss at Cardiff Airport.

Given that their excellent goal difference is worth an extra point, Blaenrhondda head into the three away matches (at Penrhiwceiber Con Athletic FC, Champions Porthcawl Town Athletic and AFC Butetown) that end their season needing a win and a draw to clinch a top three finish – with just the one loss on the road all year, you have to fancy their chances.

Just a final word on Cardiff Corries. The only time I’d seen them play previously in my life was on 3 December 1980 when I was part of a crowd of 1,080 at Ninian Park to see them lose 6-0 in the Fifth Round of the Welsh Cup to a full strength City side (Peter Kitchen got five that night, with Wayne Hughes netting the other one) – perhaps it’s a good idea from their point of view if I don’t watch them too often in the future!

My earlier mention of Ton Pentre leads me to confirm that, with three to go down, their relegation from Welsh league Division One was confirmed some time ago. Yesterday a penalty in added time for Cwmbran Celtic denied Ton a rare home win as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw which, with them five points adrift of Goytre and Taffs Well with just two games left to play, leaves them virtually certain to finish bottom of their division.

Another 1-1 draw, this time between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday’s Under 18 teams, confirmed that Cardiff City’s Academy side will be at home to Leeds in their Play Off Semi Final. Wednesday’s draw means that they win the Northern Section on goal difference above Leeds and they will be at home to the Southern Section Runner’s up, Ipswich, in the other Semi Final.

Finally, Wolves continue to do City no favours whatsoever as the Premier League season winds down. Today it was Brighton’s turn to benefit from their inability to beat sides at the bottom of the table as the horrendously out of form Seagulls returned from Molineux with a 0-0 draw after mounting a defensive operation which contained the home side with few alarms.

I really do think there is an element of the Emperor’s New Clothes about Wolves this season as they have become media darlings with their ability to look good against the best sides. However, the manner of their FA Cup Semi Final defeat by Watford and, more especially, their failures against sides that do not take the game to them have exposed limitations that the pundits seem reluctant to acknowledge.

Burnley, Southampton and now Brighton have all benefited within the last month from Wolves’ inability to break down teams that sit back and deny their counter attackers the space they thrive on – until they can become more incisive and creative against such opposition all of the grandiose plans we hear from their supporters and staff about Champions League football will remain a pipe dream.

On it’s own, Brighton’s point doesn’t look overly significant, but the difference it makes is that if they can beat Newcastle (who looked impressive in ensuring Southampton still have a few lingering relegation worries after their 3-1 loss at St. James’ Park) at home next weekend, then City are going to need at least a point from tomorrow’s home match with Liverpool or their visit to Manchester United on the final day of the season if they are to survive – just beating Fulham and Palace would not be enough in such circumstances.