Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley League

Premier Division

Monday 27th August 2018

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.01

Rhydyfelin 2 Ynysybwl 4,  attendance 229

4’ 1-0 (pen)

40’ 1-1

45’ 1-2

51’ 1-3

56’ 1-4

72’ 2-4

@ The Dog Track Ground

Fairfield Lane

Hawthorn

Pontypridd

CF37 5LN

£3 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop UK.

So, for the fourth day running, it was a trip across The Bridge into Wales. In fact it was the fifth time in eight days over here, but at least the driving had been shared.

This was my debut in this league, much like the majority I expect, although unless this league is included on a future ‘Hop, then those incapable of doing anything for themselves will probably never return, but we certainly will, especially if this match is anything to judge by.

This was easily the best ground (there used to be a dog track here in the past, hence the name) I had visited over the Bank Holiday weekend. It was also the best organised club, especially on the refreshment side of things and they also have a great clubhouse, displaying loads of football memorabilia in the way of shirts, scarves, pennants and old match tickets.

As for the match, simply no contest. This was superb. Ynysybwl had a player red carded less than five minutes in for handball, with the penalty duly dispatched, before having a second player dismissed for the same offence on 37 minutes, but this is where the game was turned on it’s head. The penalty was missed, hitting the post, before the 9 men took control. By halftime they had turned it round to lead 1-2, then unbelievably they added another couple of real quality goals in the first eleven minutes of the second half to take control. It was now a case of could they hang on ? Hang on they did and although Rhdyfelin pulled one goal back, the 9 men hung on for what looked an impossible win just seconds before the home team stepped up to take their second penalty !