Victory on the road

Bont secured their first away win of the season by beating Talgarth on Saturday (16/10/10).

After a long journey, the visitors started strongly and took the lead after only 5 minutes. Michael Lowe dummied the ball which released Ifan Evans on the left and his excellent low cross was met by Sion Meredith who managed to side foot in whilst under pressure from a defender and the onrushing goalkeeper. A second quickly followed and it was Dewi Sion Evans’s turn to emulate is brother as creator this time round. Evans broke from midfield and his through ball found Lowe who coolly slid the ball under the advancing keeper.

Bont were rampant by now and Ifan Evans almost made it onto the score sheet as he was put in on goal but his low shot across goal narrowly missed. Next, player manager André Marsh latched onto a through ball and his neat lob beat the keeper, but was unlucky to see the ball roll wide of the mark.

Talgarth started to get into the game midway through the half, and a good midfield move resulted in a long distance shot that was tipped onto the crossbar by Bont keeper Trevor Jenkins. Ifan Evans then fired over the bar from 15 yards out. 

Against the run of play, Talgarth pulled a goal back before half time after a mix-up between Bont's keeper and skipper Trystan Jones. The ball was only half cleared and the Talgarth forward volleyed superbly into the top left corner. Just before the half Bont almost scored again as Ian Lee's throw in found Dewi Evans deep inside the home half. Evans crossed into the area where Owain Schiavone met the ball with a glancing header which seemed destined for the top corner but brilliantly tipped on to the crossbar by the keeper, Bryan Kirkham.

The second half was very scrappy with Talgarth starting to look the likelier to score in the early exchanges and the home side finally equalised in a disputed manner, on the hour. A Talgarth corner came over into the crowded box, and Bont keeper Jenkins appeared to be pushed by two Talgarth players as he tried to catch the ball and fell in to the net with the ball. The goal stood.

Bont's reaction was immediate. André Marsh’s ball forward found Schiavone out on the right wing and after a good run, he pulled the ball back to Michael Lowe who shot low across goal found the found the bottom corner for his second goal of the game. Five minutes later, Bont looked to have clinched the match with a fourth goal. Marsh and Schiavone again combined well with a move down the right – Schiavone clipped a pass through the defence and found Sion Meredith rushing into the box, and his low shot beat the keeper at his near post.

Talgarth responded immediately when a cross from the left caused confusion in the visitors penalty area. Bont's keeper and centre half seemed to get in each other’s way as they went for the ball, which eventually fell kindly to a Talgarth player at the far post who into the empty net. The last 10 minutes were edgy to say the least as the home side pushed for a winner, but Bont held out to claim the victory.

Bont player-manager, André was relieved with the victory and said, “It's a good 3 points, we scored 4 well worked goals but I'm disappointed with the goals we conceded. We let them off the hook in first half when we were dominant. We dropped our standard of play second half and it was a relief to get the win in the end.”

On another note, the Bont players were pleased to see Brian Kirkham between the posts for Talgarth on Saturday. Kirkham last played against Bont in for Hay St Mary’s in the Central Wales Cup in February 2009, before suffering a serious head injury. It was good to see him recovered and back on the football field.

Bont team: T. Jenkins, I. Lee, T. Jones, Gw. Hughes, S. Jones, I. Evans, M. Lowe, O. Schiavone, D. Evans, A. Marsh, S. Meredith

Subs not used: O. Evans, C. Jones, A. Thomas