SPORT – League leaders march in with five-goal blitz in first half

Vale of Glamorgan Football League round up

Glamorgan Star news 29/01/2024

3 minutes read

BARRY Athletic remain top of the Vale Premier Division with a 5-1 demolition of FC Barry, while St Athan climbed into second place two points behind with a 1-0 win over Cardiff Airport.

Athletic sealed the win by being five up by the half hour mark, Sam Douglas, Teejay Caton, Iestyn Raven, Danny Hansen-Taylor and Tyler Bolton all scored to put the game to bed by half time. FC Barry responded with a goal by Mat James as a second half consolation, and Cieran Webb saw red for two yellows as Athletic finished with 10 men.

St Athan stayed two points off Athletic with a narrow 1-0 win over Cardiff Airport to leap frog them into second. Sean Nash scored the first half goal while St Athan keeper Paul Lucas saved Max Jones’ penalty. St Athan were reduced to 10 men in the second half as James Harries saw a straight red but St Athan hung on for the win.

Elsewhere, the championship split began and in the A division, runaway league leaders Tynewydd dropped points for the first time since September as they were held by Barry Atheltic Reserves 1-1. Cadoxton Imps and Vale Madrid played out an entertaining 3-3 draw while Cwm Talwg defeated Cardiff Airport Reserves 4-2.

Tynny are nine points ahead at the top of Championship A. Gareth Griffiths scored his 16th goal of the campaign from the spot but Ashley Avaient levelled for Athletic Reserves for a share of the points.

Imps and Madrid’s contest seesawed back and fore as Kieron Ashton put Imps ahead from the spot but goals from Sam Robinson and Callum Harding gave Madrid the advantage. Scott McCarthy soon equalised for the Imps and then Chris Rees restored the lead but Gabriel Clearly came off the bench to level for Madrid and it was a point each.

Cwm Talwg went second with an impressive win over Airport Vets. Two Jordan Yeoman penalties and a goal from Cole Roberts put Talwg in full control before the latter was sent off for a second booking. James Dixon pulled one back for Airport but Lewis Wride was sent off to even the sides up and then Jacob Jones restored the three-goal cushion for Talwg, before Dixon pulled another back but it would only turn out to be a consolation.

Championship A now sees second and seventh separated by six points as the chasing pack looks to close the gap on Tynewydd at the top.

In the Championship B, Peterston super Ely edged Island Marine Reserves 2-1 while St Athan Reserves saw off AFC Rhoose Development by the same score. Rhoose Social came back from two goals down to get back to winning ways with a 5-2 win over Porthkerry Panthers.

Harry Byrne put Marine Reserves ahead but two late Peterson goals from Matt Reynolds and John Wooten gave them the win to keep them top of Championship B.

St Athan Reserves went level on points with Peterston. Aaron Philips put them ahead before Darren Townsend looked as if he had rescued a point for Rhoose Development but Cameron West grabbed the winner two minutes from time for St Athan.

Rhoose Social did it the hard way, coming back from two down against Porthkerry Panthers. Matt Nation and Jack Such put the Panthers ahead but Ryan and Chris Morgan soon had Social back on level terms. Chris Morgan then put Social ahead before Brodie Collins got a second yellow and Social were down to 10 men. However, Social rallied and Ryan John scored twice to secure the win and Social sit in third place in the B, two points off top.

It’s the divisional cups this week, look out for the round up next week.

Hywel Dark