Maesteg Park Athletic 2 Pontypridd Town 2
Welsh League Division One – 24th November, 2007
This was a good point for Pointy in an open, entertaining game but a number of missed chances early on denied them what could have been an even better result.
The visitors started well and almost went in front after four minutes with what would have been a contender for goal of the season. The move began when Vinny Avery picked the ball up midway in his own half and set off on a mazy run past player after player which ended in the opposition box where he put a left foot shot just wide. The home defence looked suspect at this stage and it was no surprise when the Dragons took the lead after twelve minutes when a long ball caught Park flat footed and gave Ebony Dixon a clear run on goal. The striker kept his composure well and rounded home keeper Chris Barlow before scoring into an empty for his first goal in Ponty colours.
Maesteg almost replied immediately when Michael Nessbert’s stinging drive was brilliantly turned around the Post by keeper Chris Golton before making a similar save a minute later.
There was no shortage of goalmouth incident and the next action came at the other end when Jacob Daly was worked clear before rounding Barlow but the angle was too narrow and his shot went behind the near post. Incredibly, the Park keeper had the ball taken past him again after twenty two minutes, this time by Dixon but once more the angle was tight and Barlow got back to block his shot. The Dragons striker had another chance from the rebound and struck his shot well but this time it rebounded from the far post and away to safety.
The home team started to get into the game much more after these escapes and Calvin McLaggon looked to have got away on the half hour mark only to be foiled by a fine stop by Golton. Matthew Ramanaden was lively for the home side but Avery shot just wide before Ponty conceded an equaliser nine minutes before the break when a Park attacker was pulled down in the box and Mark Dunford drilled his penalty into the corner of the net.
Pontypridd lost some creativity after the break following the loss of Avery through injury but Jamal Roberts went close with a snap shot from outside the box after fifty four minutes. Three minutes later Nessbert shot wide for Park just before they had a goal disallowed for offside. However, they took the lead just after the hour mark when Dunford clinically scored his second penalty of the afternoon after a handball offence. Nevertheless, the lead lasted only four minutes when Barlow gave away a free kick for picking up an underhit back pass under pressure on the edge of the box. The free kick was touched to Daly and his well struck shot took a slight deflection before finding the corner of the net.
The Dragons then lost captain Matthew Phillips after he received his second yellow card of the afternoon but should have gone in front after a great run and cross by Daly was miskicked on the volley by Dixon with the keeper stranded. Daly was then unlucky when he volleyed a Roberts corner goalwards only to see it safely held by Barlow.
There was still time for Golton to make another good save from a Lee O’Brien shot before the end of a game which provided good entertainment in wind and driving rain almost throughout.
Pontypridd Town: Chris Golton; Craig Green, Tommy Saleh, Cyron Williams, Matthew Phillips, Kyle Johnson (sub. Lee Harriman), Mike Selio, Jacob Daly, Jamal Roberts, Ebony Dixon, David Avery (sub. Gareth Liddon). Sub. not used : Iwan Price.
Ponty have no game this Saturday before travelling to play Afan Lido in a rearranged game on December 8th.