Gwent Premier League

Division 1

Tuesday 4th April 2023

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.12

Newport Saints 3 Pentwynmawr Athletic 0, attendance 39

13’ 1-0

41’ 2-0

88’ 3-0

@ Black Ash Park

Corporation Road

Newport

NP19 0HD

No Admission or Programme.

Newport Saints were formerly known as West of St. Julians and play at Black Ash Park, not far from the now long gone Somerton Park, former home of Newport County, which is now a housing estate. The ground address for Black Ash Park is given as Corporation Road, with a pathway between a tyre centre and a B&Q being the ‘main’ entrance, although various pathways lead into the park from alleyways off the surrounding housing, where there is ample street parking.

As is standard for the Gwent Premier League, the pitch is railed off and there are a couple of dugouts, but they only consisted of the metal framework, so not much use if it rains! Hot drinks were available, but despite being ‘promised’ there was a match programme, this wasn’t the case. It certainly wasn’t well received by a couple of ‘hoppers present, but no problem to those of us there purely for the football! On the pitch beyond, which runs the opposite way, the reserves were hosting their Pill counterparts.

The match was 6th versus 13th (now bottom following the withdrawal of Cromwell Youth) in the league table and despite looking like a comfortable win for the hosts, it was a decent contest. It was a surprise that it took Newport Saints thirteen minutes to break the deadlock, as they attacked constantly for the opening fifteen minutes or so. Pentwynmawr settled into it, but when Saints added a second just before halftime, spinning on the edge of the box before shooting into the bottom corner, it looked like the points were safe. The visitors battled well in the second half and only conceded the third goal with a couple of minutes left and Saints nearly added a fourth in stoppage time, but shot against the crossbar.

Still quite light when the game finished at 19.52. The only ‘problem’ on the homeward journey was the M4 being closed from J13 to J12.